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Post by Admin on Jun 1, 2016 10:32:19 GMT -4
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Post by Amanda Nelli on Jun 1, 2016 17:43:27 GMT -4
Alzheimer's is a terrible disease for not only the patient but also for the family. This article talks about the patient's experience with diagnosis and trying to hide the symptoms. However, it also talks about the husband's battle with the diagnosis. As clinicians, we need to remember that we are not just treating our patients, we are treating their families as well. Many of us have personal encounters with Alzheimer's, whether it be a family member or friend. Those experiences are important for us to carry with us when we treat a patient with any sort of memory loss. This is what allows us to empathize with our patient's and their families.
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Daniel Antwi-Amoabeng
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Post by Daniel Antwi-Amoabeng on Jun 1, 2016 18:17:35 GMT -4
As one who had to decide on a career change because of the devastating effect of Alzheimer Disease on a career mentor, the story of Geri Taylor's life with Alzheimer dementia is really touching. Alzheimer Disease is depersonalizing; it is dehumanizing, it is reconstitution of the self. It makes enemies of friends, and creates a xenophobia for self, which emanates from the deepest part of the now-disappearing-you. Beyond memory dysfunction, it’s a loss of executive function; essentially, a regression to infancy when full-blown. Gerri had tried to hide her difficulties with remembering (a feature common to all true dementias), she had adopted memory games, and sought the support of family and other individuals living with the disease. She got involved in activities that created new memories (which, alas, would eventually be lost), but she made them anyways and recorded them for good measure. That’s a “positive” in Geri’s story: she found a “new normal”, she sought a better quality of life, even in the face of a dreadful disease like Alzheimer. Geri’s story is an apt illustration of the lived experiences of Alzheimer patients.
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Post by Ibidapo Aina on Jun 2, 2016 9:13:59 GMT -4
This is a very good read.
Alzheimer's is a scary condition to deal with. Imagine not being able to remember your own face. This article lays bare how a typical Alzheimer's patient is hit by the symptoms of the condition and how confusing and frustrating it can be. Geri Taylor's story is touching as much as it is informative. We as clinicians should remember to make our patients aware of what to look out for and how to deal with family members because this condition affects their families as well. Early diagnosis can also help to slow down the rate of memory decline which can make it easier to cope with. I hope we get more stories from these patients so we as physicians can know how to deal with them better.
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Post by Osara M on Jun 2, 2016 9:43:45 GMT -4
It was a pleasure reading this article about Ms. Taylor. As we read her story, we can understand how her life changed after diagnosing with Alzheimer's disease. Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease can have high physical, emotional, and financial costs. The demands of day-to-day care, changes in family roles, and decisions about placement in a care facility can be difficult. As professionals, we can organize programs that teach families and the patient about the various stages of Alzheimer’s and about ways to deal with difficult behaviors and other caregiving challenges. Whereas in this story, she devoted her time for photography and arts, which I think a great idea. Unfortunately we still don't have a definitive treatment for Alzheimer's disease yet many potential approaches are currently under investigation worldwide.
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Post by Manuel Pabom on Jun 2, 2016 9:45:06 GMT -4
Geri Taylor's story is a well-written and personal tale of the side of Alzheimer's we don't typically see. In clinic, we may do a MMSE and have our suspicions, and we may even hear stories of the diseases consequences from the patient and family members themselves. But this article painted a very vivid picture of what it was like to live with it; the emotional and physical deterioration and how it affects the patient and their loved ones. The changes that had to be made to adapt, the preparations that had to be considered and more. When a patient comes in, we see a tiny snapshot of that patient's life. We may make medication changes or referrals in our twenty minute encounter, but this story was visceral insight into the soul of an Alzheimer's patient and that of those around her during the disease's unpredictable progression.
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Post by Bradford Levison on Jun 2, 2016 10:19:56 GMT -4
As we read over the details of Ms. Taylor’s story−her bravery and determination to push on given her diagnosis−I think it’s important to know the effect this disease had on her husband. The disease affected both the patient and her husband in different ways: Ms. Taylor experiencing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, and Mr. Taylor having to watch his wife go through this process and aid her through this time with limited ability and knowledge to do so. Many decisions that could have been put off for years to come were suddenly thrust into the spotlight. Everything from living wills to inheritable assets become a priority in their thinking and needed to be addressed because of the implications of the disease.
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Post by Oyiza on Jun 2, 2016 12:11:04 GMT -4
This must be one of the coolest and properly drilled out article I've read in a while. Ms Taylor is such a strong woman, from discovering her new self to accepting what has come to stay and letting go of what her therapist had advised to literally letting her family know about her condition. The new side of her got me, imagine looking at your world from a point been on stand still like forever. Pt diagnosed with Alzheimer generally need to understand what their diagnosis is all about, alongside their families needs to be educated on ways they can come in to support them. In my word Ms Taylor took her diagnosis of Alzheimer as the new cool  Her story also reminds me of the movie Still Alice. |
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Post by Camille Bernot on Jun 2, 2016 12:59:17 GMT -4
Very interesting article. Although this disease can be very scary and sad to deal with for the patient as well their loved ones, but there are ways to cope with the situation. In college I had the opportunity to work with Alzheimer's patients in a nursing home, where many times I would hear the family members complain of how hard it is to deal with the situation. I can only imagine how hard it is to deal with a loved one going through such a dramatic change.
I have seen many loved ones react the same way as Mr. Taylor, not understanding what his wife has to go through and solely making it about himself and who will take care of him. I believe that in drastic change in ones medical life, the patient as well as their family should have some counseling. Counseling to help deal with the life changes that are about to happen. I believe that this could help and educate everyone involved, cope with the symptoms and diagnosis. Lack of education causes many problems and difficult times for the patient and their loved ones.
Geri was able to creat new memories by creating new beginning to help her cope with her Alzheimer's, which was a great way and route to take with this disease.
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Post by Diana W. on Jun 2, 2016 13:23:17 GMT -4
Although I feel that this article gives great insight into the mind-numbing effects of Alzheimer's Disease - I feel it does so in a romanticized way. Although I am sure some families "band together" and have closer relationships with their loved one with Alzheimers, I cannot believe that is the "norm." Being a primary caregiver for a fully grown adult that is incapable of taking care of himself is exhausting - especially when their spouse is elderly themself. What I think is most devastating about the disease is not necessarily what it does to the person that has it (although that is horrible to be trapped in an impaired mind) but to the family members that must watch the downward decline with no hope of a cure.
Growing up, I was very close to an elderly couple - Corda and Rodger. Rodger had worked as a plumber his entire life and Corda was a registered nurse. They worked every day they could until they had to retire. A few years after retirement, Rodger started to forget little things, lost his appetite, and started staying up all night (much like Ms. Taylor in this article.) Corda was concerned and brought him to a physician's office - where he refused to answer any mental status questions (largely because he couldn't answer them). After the diagnosis of Alzheimers was made, their 50 year marriage did not get closer. Alzheimers became a wedge. Rodger started to get more aggressive, more disinhibited, and unruly. Although he was never previously an aggressive man, the police had to be called several times because she could not handle him in his fits of rage. Eventually, she recognized that she was no longer able to take care of Rodger the way that he needed - despite her 30+ years of nursing experience. Since they live in a small rural town, there were no organizations to help Rodger - no CaringKind or MemoryWorks. There was one long-term retirement community in town she could place him in. Not long after, the bills started pouring in and pretty soon there was nothing left in their savings. The government took the house they had lived in and raised their children. Corda also had to go onto Welfare - something she had worked her whole life not to have to do. Although she loved Rodger - Rodger became "the shell of a man she used to know." When she used to go visit him, he never remembered who she was - and oftentimes did not remember his own children. Eventually, some of the children stopped coming to visit him. They stated it was too painful to see him like that. It was almost easier to imagine that he had "died." Every night, she would come home and cry. Her life of "growing old with the love of her life" became visiting and providing for a man that didn't even know her. Overall, I feel like this article does not do a good job of demonstrating the devastation that Alzheimer's can leave on families. Perhaps it is more easily managed when you live in a major city like New York or come from a family with lots of financial resources - but not everyone in America has that lifestyle. Overall, I think there need to be resources not only for patients with Alzheimers but also for their families. Also, these resources need to be more readily available in under-served and rural areas.
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Post by Tanya Joseph on Jun 2, 2016 13:49:54 GMT -4
Lengthy but interesting. It is commendable how Ms Taylor, along with Mr Taylor were able to look beyond the harsh realities of the disease and construct such a positive outlook; on their own personal relationship, that with friends and family and the inevitable progression of Alzheimer's. Accounting for about 60%-70% of dementia cases and with no current treatment to reverse or stop the progression, it can be a frightening diagnosis for individuals and their families. Educating the general public and the families of those affected can help eliminate the stigma. The effort that Ms Taylor has made to tell her story and the mechanisms she adopted to cope with the disease is a brave, helpful and worthwhile endeavor.
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Post by Ruben Cabrera on Jun 2, 2016 14:49:04 GMT -4
The story of Geri Taylor is one familiar to many of us. Personally, I have had family members and friends family members affected by this condition. It's difficult to see the progressive mental deterioration these patients face. Many of the times the patient is unaware of these changes and it's the family members that have to deal with the new challenges they face. I remember my grandma started with confusion and slight memory deficits, and over time it progressed to a point where she needed help with everything including using the bathroom, bathing, and eating. Eventually it gets to the point where the patient is bedridden. It's very difficult to know someone your whole life and get to a point where your loved one doesn't recognize you anymore. Geri Taylor is just one case out of the millions of patients suffering from Alzheimer's in the US. As clinicians we must be comprehensive in our assessment of patients with Alzheimer's and the challenges faced by their families. We must treat the best we can with modern medicine, but also provide support to the families caring for these patients. Hopefully, we will make huge breakthroughs in understanding and effectively attacking the true cause of this debilitating condition.
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Post by Massud Atta on Jun 2, 2016 16:08:56 GMT -4
It is difficult to imagine what it’s like to suffer from dementia, especially when your job as a student is to continually soak up large amounts of information daily. But reading this article allows you to take a step back and realize the devastating toll Alzheimer’s Disease takes on a people. My grandmother suffers from AD and I woe the very few times I’m at home to visit her, trying to explain to her who I am. I see her trying to process it with her blank stares and on her good days she will remember me. This article reminded me of my grandmother through Mrs. Taylor; however, Mrs. Taylor seemed to at least be involved in group activities with other AD patients and continued with her photography to keep her mentally active. What must be difficult for a person suffering from AD is a close family member watching their loved ones mentally perish and Mr. Taylor was a prime example of what my mother, aunt and uncles experience. What struck me the most was when Mrs. Taylor described her ‘good and bad days’ and really questioning the existence of too many ‘good days’ as if it’s not possible for her go that long without having a bad day. Having published an article about AD, it’s hard wrap around the idea that there are only preventative measures for this disheartening disease, but hopefully we find a solution in the near future.
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Post by LW on Jun 2, 2016 16:32:22 GMT -4
An Alzheimer's diagnosis can be devastating on a family. As this article mentions, the patient is not the only victim. My family has been affected by this disease process when I was a child. My great-grandmother was diagnosed and it substantially altered my grandmother's (her caretaker) life. My grandmother stayed with her mother the entire day and hired nurses to take shifts at night because her mother refused to move in with my grandparents. This was a huge burden on my grandmother considering many different aspects. The caretakers of the Alzheimer's patient commonly experience many different emotional disturbances and many deny care because they are too wrapped up in their current situation. As healthcare providers, we can help by staying vigilant by remembering to notice the caretaker when caring for the Alzheimer's patient.
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Fernando J. Del Valle
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Post by Fernando J. Del Valle on Jun 2, 2016 17:14:18 GMT -4
It certainly is a horrifying disease, not just for the patient, but for everyone involved in their life. In the case of Ms. Taylor, this was't any different: “I did the usual man thing and went into my cave. Became uncommunicative for two weeks. I thought, this was not what I signed on for. I had married a nurse to take care of me. How’s that for being supportive?”; The words of Mr. Taylor once Alzheimers disease was put on the table, reflect the immense amount of pressure pushing down on the closest person she had. As the disease progresses, most primary caregivers are drowned by feelings of giving up, and who can blame them? But in the end they keep trying to fight the disease alongside that person, because all you have to do is look at that the cognitive and physical degeneration the patient is experiencing, and automatically a feeling of care for that person takes over. My grandmother on my father's side suffered from Alzheimers Disease. I remember her looking at me and calling me "Fernando", and for a split second I used to react normally to this, as that is my name, but the truth is that she thought she was looking at her husband, my grandfather, whom I was named after. She did not really recognised me. Her memory was greatly impaired, and I could see the suffering around my dad and his two sisters. Eventually, you start noticing the great deal of body mass lost, the immobility, and even bladder and IG loss of control. I think this article depicts a pretty good picture of what the progression of AD is for the patient and the family, and hopefully educates, to some extent, people who might be going through the same thing. Also, I hope it creates a sense of responsibility to any family member that has said "this is not fair to me" and given up, as we have to recognise that at least in the early stages of the disease, the patient is aware of some of the changes taking place, just as Ms. Taylor noticed with the reflexion on her mirror.
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