I, personally do not feel that having dementia/Alzheimer is an type of life for anyone. I am not selfish and would rather have them healthy and enjoy their late years then be suffering in this state. They don't know who they are, where they are, who you are and don't know what they are doing. I don't know why people say this.
Ah, but the young folks whose parents are still skydiving and such. They make those stupid comments. I know they mean well but.....
Its my hope, as I'm fading away in some facility or other, that I'll see the kid whose parents were skydiving and now are pushing 100 in memory care. The kid, now 65, that has spent 10 years in elder care hell. And with my last gasp of cognition I can say, MY...YOU ARE SO LUCKY TO STILL HAVE YOUR PARENTS!
I'm overdue for a rant. You don't even want to know what my folks have put me through lately. Thanks Dawnone for starting this.
What were we doing in 1900 to only live to 47 years old? By 1998 people were living to 77 years old. (source-u.demog.berkeley.edu/~andrew/1918/figure2.html)
Other sites say that many childhood diseases have been eliminated so we live to adulthood. We have cured many fatal diseases, so more adults are healthy, living longer. Advances in medicines have suppressed many diseases like high blood pressure. But to what end? To live so long that we wind up with a broken brain? How do we go backwards?
only G-d. She asks where is it legal to do it & she would want to go there. She always asks what’s wrong w her....
I know its hard. I generally think people mean well, but really us caregivers don't want to hear it. After my father passed, I know people were trying be supportive or helpful but I just hated everything I heard. The worst one was "go take a vacation and you'll feel better." I tried not talk to that person anymore.
I just wanted to add my support and say I hear you.
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