Wellness

When Your Memory Fails You…..

Currently I am working Rehabilitation Medicine and I see many patients that have Alzheimer’s, Dementia or some type of cognitive Impairment. Each and Every-time I walk out of those locked memory care units, I take a deep breath of gratitude. Can you imagine one day losing your memories? Losing your existence but still breathing? Being lost, every day and not knowing where you are? It sounds horrible right? These are just some of emotions, patients with memory loss experience. Agitation, aggression, and depression are all also evident in patients with cognitive impairment, but can you blame them? When your loved one is going through any of these memory loss conditions it can be very challenging and emotionally draining. It takes a lot of patience on your part but do not stop visiting your loved one. I cannot stress how important is for these patients to still feel loved, wanted and part of a family. As a young child, I saw first-hand my grandfather deteriorating with Alzheimer’s disease. No matter how difficult it got, having family around always helped him. He passed away shortly after my grandmother died and it was evident that even in his advanced stage of Alzheimer’s he knew that she was missing in his day -day routine. There are many Alzheimer’s and Dementia support groups today. Join them, connect with people who are also dealing with similar situations. It will not only provide you strength but hopefully be an outlet for you to better equip yourself with the challenges ahead.