About
My name is Sherri. I am 40 years old, and I live in Indiana. My Mom is somewhere in the 3rd to 4th stages of Alzheimer’s disease. She has lived with me and my family for the past year and half.
Before Mom even moved with us, I suspected that she might have Alzheimer’s disease. She seemed to be getting more forgetful, confused, and suspicious of others. Since she lived about an hour away from us, I didn’t know exactly what was going on with her.
As Mom’s behavior started to become more strange, we worried about her living all by herself in the city so far from us. We purchased a new, larger home and we asked Mom if she would move in with us. Once Mom moved in with us, it was easier for me to become more involved with her medical care. Mom had not been going to the doctor on a regular basis, so I set up some appointments to get her back on track.
I told Mom’s doctor that I thought she was showing signs of dementia. The doctor did a lot of tests to rule out other causes, and when she didn’t find any she referred Mom to a neurologist. After more testing, the doctor confirmed what I feared all along. Mom had Alzheimer’s disease.
When Mom was diagnosed, I had so many questions. How would this affect our family? How much care would Mom need? What are all the legal matters that we should be attending to? I searched for answers, but a lot of what I found was confusing. I realized that Alzheimer’s affects families and their caregivers differently.
I started blogging last winter on Today.com to vent and get some feelings out. I found a lot of people who could relate to what I am going through, and a lot of people who were also searching for answers. I decided to start this blog to pass along information as I learn and to provide a place for caregivers to find support.
Other than having Alzheimer’s disease, my Mom is in pretty good health. Her decline has been very gradual and she still has a long way to go. I’m sure my caregiving journey will be a long one, and I’m sure there will be a lot to learn along the way. Please join me as I share the triumphs and struggles of being a caregiver for a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
