My Dementia Chronicle

Dementia in the Elderly

"Dementia results from a variety of progressive, untreatable diseases. Alzheimer's disease, frontal lobe atrophy, Lewy body dementia, and multi-infarct (stroke related) dementia are common causes of elderly senility. These neurodegenerative diseases are irreversible. Dementia symptoms include short-term memory loss, difficulty performing simple tasks, and language impairment. Caregivers may also notice personality changes and aggression."

Creation of this website was born of a desire to chronicle my experiences in dealing with dementia in an elderly parent. This was an unexpected development for which I was wholly unprepared. My mother has lived her entire life in New England. My younger brother has a well organized, stable life on the West Coast. I am somewhat less stable and organized. I now reside in the Southwest at the moment, after living in places as diverse as New England, Miami, and on a sailboat in the Caribbean over the course of my sixty-three years.

Both of us live many miles from "home", but have always had a close and loving relationship with our mom. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since we became aware that she was having difficulties, and I've become much more aware of how many families are faced with similar situations. I'm documenting this chronicle in the hope that perhaps it may offer some insights into the problems that arise when confronted with dementia in a loved one. If one person takes the time to read about the missteps and mistakes I've made in dealing with this problem, and is helped to understand that early action in the form of seeking treatment is imperative, I will count this a worthwhile endeavor. Comments and questions may be posted the link to the form located at the bottom of any of the following pages.

This site is divided below into links to several different pages in chronological order, simply to ensure that repeat visitors do not have to scroll through postings they have read previously. This topic attracts much more interest than I ever could have imagined.