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dementia

I was asked a few weeks ago if I would be willing to read a book written by one of our Mountainview attenders and consider writing a blurb for the book.  It’s about how he and his sister are caring for their dad who suffers from dementia.  It’s titled, “Dementia: Our Journey of Caring for Our Father at Home.”  It’s an easy-to-read book and is simply a collection of real life stories and how they coped with each one.  As one who lost my own father ten years ago, it’s easy to connect with the stories and wonder … “What if that had happened to my dad?”

One of the stories I read this morning was about their dad’s struggle with the television remote control.  In addition to actually operating the television, it seems like remote controls nowadays can even start your microwave and set your sprinkler system.  He would hit the “input” button, changing the input from cable to video one or video two and then be unable to remember how to get it back to cable.  Their solution: they used super glue to disable all the keys he didn’t need to operate the television.  Simple.  Creative.  (If I can find a way to use super glue to block the Disney Channel, I just might do it).

I have a heartfelt appreciation for anyone who finds themselves caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s or dementia.  Having pastored at churches where couples were going through this, I’m familiar with the pain of having a wife not recognize her husband — even after forty years of marriage.  The challenges are enormous and the rewards not typically immediate.  We speak of “labors of love” and this is truly one of those.