13 Things People Affected by Alzheimer's Wish Others Understood

People with loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease talk about the biggest challenges, and what they wish others understood about the scary condition.

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13 Things People Affected by Alzheimer’s Wish Others Understood

“I wish people understood how scary it must be for the person going through it.”

“Just because he looks fine at the moment, doesn’t mean it will be the same in five minutes, tonight, or tomorrow.”

“They’re not doing this on purpose.”

“One moment there’s clarity, and they look at you lovingly and say your name. A second later, they look at you frightened or confused because you don’t look familiar or they don’t know you at all.”

“Even though behaviors have changed – the person you remember is still in there.”

“It’s not just memory loss. It robs the person of who they are & the ability to do the most basic tasks.”

“It can happen to anyone, young & old… my dad was 49 when diagnosed.”

“They may not be able to remember who we are, but they feel us just the same.”

“It’s the worst. People can’t handle it so they stay away. It’s isolating and lonely.”

“You can’t explain what it’s like to mourn someone who’s still alive unless you’ve experienced it firsthand. It truly is the long goodbye.”

“The person who has Alzheimer’s knows that pieces of the puzzle are missing, & they are terrified.”

“Losing some memories doesn’t make the still present ones any less important and meaningful.”