A Beautiful Legacy

Dementia is a journey of struggle and sadness, but it is rich with examples of beauty and kindness.

Rick’s wife had dementia. He made the decision to care for her at home even though he knew it would be difficult and that it would change his life dramatically. With the certainty of someone who has thought long and hard, Rick explained, “Love is a decision.”

Caring for a loved one with dementia is heartbreaking, exasperating, humbling . . . Many things no one ever wants to experience. Being the primary, hands-on caregiver is herculean.

For Rick, normal activities became creative challenges.

His wife was unsteady on her feet but refused to use a walker. She did well at the grocery store, because holding onto a shopping cart provided stability; she didn’t resist, because it was something she was used to. So Rick started taking her to the grocery store every day.

He said, “It gets expensive, maybe $20 a day in groceries just to get her out walking.” Even so, it was a solution to the problem of how keep her physically active.

Did Rick take on this challenge because he loved his wife? Because she would have done the same for him if the roles were reversed?

Rick said his decision went beyond the two of them. He said, “The way you care for your loved-one is a legacy you leave for your family.”

He recognized that even if they were not directly involved, his children and extended family would be observing and considering his choices. The compassion and patience he exhibited (or not) would become part of their family “culture.”

Obviously, we can’t make a big decision like this based on what others might think. Realistically, it’s not always feasible and/or safe to keep someone with dementia at home. But for Rick, it was an option, and he decided to adapt and sacrifice – for his wife’s sake and for what it meant to his family. How beautiful that, in a time of pain and sorrow, he thought beyond himself with so much love and generosity.

Rick spoke at an Alzheimer’s Education Conference in Sacramento last year. I don’t know, one year later, if his wife is still at home with him – or even if she’s still alive. But I loved hearing his story and was grateful to add it to my collection of the many unexpected blessings of dementia.