Over lunch the other day, a dear friend was talking about the fact that she has been caring for her mother since her dementia diagnosis 14 years ago. She shared key points in her journey, like when she moved her mother into residential care, and how now, many years later, her mother no longer recognizes her.
In her role, she does extensive public education on care for seniors. She told me that, in talking with another speaker she’ll be joining on a panel, she came to a remarkable realization. She was sharing with him some details of her mother’s journey and the grief she is feeling as she continues to watch her mother slowly die.
He reflected back to her that it must be difficult witnessing her mother’s decline and asked her what she was doing to support herself.