A Difficult Move for All of Us

Like so many people have to face these days, we were forced to move Mom to an Assisted Living community one month ago. She is safe here and it's a really nice place - very caring staff and a beautiful one-bedroom apartment for her. And yet, it's hard on all of us to see her not be able to stay in her own home. Her doctor confirmed that it probably is Alzheimer's though we didn't have the usual tests done. Just didn't seem necessary. Mom is confused most of the time, and doesn't always know who we are - just knows we are family. She has asked me several times if my mom and dad are still alive. And she told Amy that Mitch and his wife died in a car accident. That's my dad - her husband - who died in his bed 31 years ago. It's a terrible disease that has robbed all of us.

The nice thing is that Mom has a lot of other senior citizens to talk to here. She gets her hair done in the beauty salon, joins in or at least watches some of the many activities they have - she even sorted beads one day for the ladies in the jewelry-making class. She sits outside often on the patio - and the surroundings make her think she's in Alabama. (She talks about going "up north") This video shows her new place - we're all staying very positive to encourage and comfort her.