Visiting Alzheimer's Patients

Alzheimer's is a uniquely nefarious disease.  Unlike many other ailments that severely reduce the patient's physical strength or limit coordination, Alzheimer's attacks the human species first by breaking down normal mental capacity and then presiding over the gradual but fatal dismantling of physical functions. If, due to Alzheimer's disease, your spouse, family member or close friend is now being cared for in a nursing home or specialized Alzheimer's facility you no longer face the strain of providing round the clock care.  Instead now you may find yourself wondering how  to visit in ways that benefit  your loved one best. As you adapt to your new role, these common sense suggestions may help you to better salvage moments of satisfaction, even joy  from the time you and your loved one spend together. 

1.Recognize the Finality of the Disease.  

There are existing medications which when administered to Alzheimer's patients early on in the disease have some effect in slowing its progress and  research continues to hunt for a cure. Some small gains have been made which may also improve the quality of life for Alzheimer's patients. But bluntly put, at the present moment Alzheimer's remains a terminal disease destined to claim the life of your loved one.  While this knowledge of the terminal nature of Alzheimer's is at first shocking and certainly depressing, looked at in another way this same information can take huge amounts of pressure and guilt out of your visits. Not only did you not cause this disease, but neither you nor all the doctors in the world can fix it.  Once you realize that Alzheimer's is a problem without a medical solution you  can stop worrying that your efforts will fail and you can get on with the business of being the best visitor you can be.

2. Do all you can do