You will lose the person inside - Alzheimer's Disease

Thank you very much for showing an interest in my blog! Alzheimer’s is a disease which affects just over 400,000 people in the UK alone. I believe that everyone who suffers with the disease or cares for who someone with Alzheimer’s should be entitled to help and support to ensure they get the best out of life and this is what the Alzheimer’s society aims to do.

People need to become more aware of what Alzheimer’s disease is because by the time they reach 85 they will have a 50% chance of being diagnosed with it. Here is a short piece that briefly describes what it is like to have or to care for someone with Alzheimer’s.

Dementia is a devastating disease. It robs you of all your faculties. They say it is like a second childhood. But it isn't.
A child is a developing person. A man with dementia is a disintegrating person. He was a man. He lived alone. He had a family, a wife, and children. He was gay. He was black. He was white. He was a successful businessman. He was someone who didn't do what he wanted.
He spent his adult life getting washed, dressed, going to the toilet, shaving, eating. He could speak. He could laugh at a joke. He could look after himself.
Now, bit by bit he slides into dependence. It is not childlike. The infant takes her care for granted. He fights against his. The baby loves having her nappy changed. His incontinence pad shames him. The toddler gladly takes the other's hand. He cannot abide being lead from place to place. Or if he can, you cannot bear to see it.
You cannot bear to see the man who walked with you through the park becoming someone who no longer knows what a park is.
The change comes slowly. Who is to say that this is the moment at which you stop seeing him as himself? He loses his dignity when you stop treating him with dignity.
If your mind goes do you go with it?

Thank you so much again for reading my blog. Please now post me a response of your thoughts in particular, it would be greatly appreciated if you could just write a few words to answer the questions below & help in any way you can. Please help to preserve peoples loved ones for longer.

Had you heard about the Alzheimer’s society before now?
Do you now feel a bit more informed about what the illness does to people?
Would you be prepared to do any of the following things?

1. Make a donation to the society
2. Join a fundraising event
3. Sign up to the monthly newsletter at www.alzheimers.org.uk
4. Become a volunteer at your local Alzheimer’s society centre
5. Join the sponsored walk that I am running in September

Thank you Emily