From the desk of Rosemary Laird, MD
Founder of Navigating Aging Needs (NAN), LLC
Frames of Mind
The author F. Scott Fitzgerald once observed that "the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." It certainly seems true for this particular time in our lives. The world seems to be convulsed with conflicts between contentious ideas and behaviors, and nothing seems “normal.”
This can also be true of a caregiver of a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s. As the disease progresses, your loved one may show signs of being in a mental state that conflicts with reality. You may face differences of viewpoints with your family, friends, and health providers on how to proceed on some issue that needs to be resolved.
Caregiving and Conflict!
In these troubled times, one thing you can do to find a sense of peace is to “act locally” and strive to resolve your own conflicts at home. For a caregiving of a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's, this can be particularly challenging, as the disease slowly progresses and produces new challenges on a regular basis for you, your family, and your caregiving village to resolve.