Life is unpredictable. Sometimes you might hear the certain diagnosis that hits you really hard.
The same thing happened with me when the doctor determined my mother, suffering from a memory disease called Alzheimer.
I was having no idea what went wrong, where? Nothing was getting better and the doctor’s words were echoing my mind ‘mild cognitive impairment’. It really doesn‘t matter what they call it but I was sad after hearing it.
Somewhere I knew that nothing is going to remain the same from now onwards. The reality is, by the time someone hits 70, the odds of developing Alzheimer are about one in two. There is no perfect cure and cause. Although there are ideas to prevent it, it is too late when one is already suffering. No medication changes the overall course of the disease.
While I was wondering what can be done to improve my mother’s condition, I started browsing the Internet and came across many remedies. The very first step was to build a plan.
I followed a few things that have helped her recover to a great extent and I would like to share the same.
Here are the suggestions:
1. Pitch in
I made sure the person who was by her side isn’t given the caregiver burden all the time. I kept motivating my mother, who was suffering from the disease, encourage, appreciate and made my mom happy more often with jokes and other stuff.
2. Take a few responsibilities
I felt, purchasing a bill for her will help, so I went ahead. In addition, I started communicating with people who can help, do banking, got prescription refilled and other tasks that were possible online. Even though I lived far away, I could do many things easily.
3. Make her play online crosswords
Yes, you have read it right. The crossword game falls into the mental stimulation category and I personally consider it as ‘must-use factor’. Challenging the brain at this point in time certainly helps. I sent her Wealth Words’ free online crossword puzzle links every day so that she makes it a habit to try and solve them. This turned out to be one of the most possible steps towards warding off Alzheimer.
4. Avoid Criticism
One thing I learned was not to criticize the people around her. There is nothing more disheartening for the caregiver to hear than fault-finding individuals. If you feel it requires help, go ahead and give it but stop finding faults in everything.
5. Be a good listener
I took out some time (half an hour or so) from my busy schedule and gave a call to my mama. To my surprise, she was very happy. Moreover, this initiative costs nothing. I also talked to all those living with her and this gave them the feeling that I support each one of them.
Watching a parent in a declining state is often sad. Talking about various emotions involved can sometimes relieve stress. I’m happy to announce that my mother feels much better now. All I can say is, you don’t need any special skill or expertise for recovery.
From my personal experience, I can say that one should be willing to extend help, stick with efforts and invest a small amount of time. Later on, you will definitely look back on time and will be proud of yourself. Life without regrets is indeed worth a try.
