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There is no reason for someone who truly cares for their loved ones not to think of them. But this is not the case for people who experience Alzheimer's disease. Even if they want to remember the person, their mind can no longer recall it. You can give a person an ashes memorial to make them feel that their deceased loved ones are still in their hearts.
People mostly affected by this disease are our grandparents or people we know that are already old. The memories that they have stored in their minds for many years will gradually fade. It is as if they don't exist. You may tell them a story over and over again. But they will forget it as soon as you are done talking. In the early stage of this disease, they still remember the things they have done in the past, but it will gradually fade as days go by.
You are giving an ashes memorial to them because even if they can no longer remember the memories they have with the person, you can remind them that through the ashes memorial is the person's remains. And you can remind them every day this is valuable for you and the rest of the family. It will help you remind them every day that the love of the person will never leave. It remains in their heart for the rest of their lives.
Alzheimer's disease has no cure. Patients who are experiencing this will endure it for the rest of their lives. If you have a family member or your grandparents are experiencing this kind of disease, you can help them by giving them time, patience and understanding. You will lose all these, but you need to remind yourself that they are no longer getting younger, old and need your long patience and understanding, especially in this situation. In this journey, you also need someone who you can lean on whenever you are tired and unable to think of better things for your loved ones.
At some point, you will feel exhausted because they are so demanding. Allow yourself to feel the fresh air and look for someone that you can trust to look after for them for a while when you are away. It would be best if you had time for yourself. People with Alzheimer's are easily annoyed, angered, fearful, and they have mood swings. That is why you also need to have time to pamper yourself because they are not the only ones who lost a loved one. You lose a loved one too, but the only difference is that they forget things quickly, so they don't feel it more intensely than you do.
If you are exhausted and don't have anything you can lean on or someone you can call on to whenever you feel overloaded with things, you can do these things by yourself;
If you have a dog in your home, you can take them for a few minutes of walk around your house. It will help you meditate and feel the freedom for a while. You can do this for at least 10 minutes of your day. If the person has mild dementia, you can leave them for a few minutes and you can take a deep breath for yourself. Dogs will keep you company while you are amidst your freedom. They will also keep you reminded to stay close approximately within the area of your house.
A good ten (10) minute walk can help you think and breathe. It will help you have peace of mind. Then, you can take on the challenge of taking care of the person. It also does the job for your grief. Whenever you miss the person, you can take a break and think of the happy moments you have shared with them while walking.
Sitting down and not doing anything will help you think of things. You can do this while your loved one who has Alzheimer's is still asleep. It is your time to reflect on things and how they are now. You can also have time for yourself. Doing nothing does not mean you are unproductive. You can be productive without doing anything. It is because you are channelling your mental health into the right track.
When you are exhausted with taking care of your grandparents who have Alzheimer's, and at the same time you are grieving for the loss of your loved one, you will find yourself staring at an open space without thinking anything. And you will realize that there is more in not doing anything. But it does not mean that you will become lazy. You need to take care of yourself; emotionally, physically and mentally so you can take care of the person.
Don't allow yourself to be bombarded with things, and you will forget yourself. Sometimes, you need to seek the welfare of yourself before others to attend to their needs efficiently. You don't need to pretend to be okay when you are not because it will not help you from the grief you are feeling. It will make it the worst that you ever think. You need to remember that health is wealth.
