To Celebrate or Not: Father’s Day when Dad Doesn’t Recognize You
Dear Carol: Father’s Day is a tough time for me. My dad has Alzheimer’s and every year the struggle to connect with him gets more challenging. Our bond is tight, and I’ll never give up trying, but now he’s at the stage where he doesn’t recognize me as his daughter. While I want to bring him joy on Father’s Day, I’m afraid that at this point, making it a day of celebration will just confuse him. You’ve touched on how hard special days can be in your essays and in this column. Do you have any words to strengthen me now? – PL
Dear PL: My heart and sympathy are with you. Days that we once celebrated with our loved ones do become much more complicated when dementia is involved. No doubt you’re aware that you aren’t alone with this pain, but that doesn’t take away the sting. Alzheimer’s seems to erase the ability of the person affected to recognize even those closest to them. This was the case with my mother-in-law. I visited her almost daily over many years, first…
Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. “For anyone having to walk the last segments of life with a loved one, read this.” …Delores
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