Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s – Part 4 | by Linda Brendle

 

 

If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium is a movie released in the late 60s about a nine-country, eighteen-day bus trip from London to Rome. If you’ve ever been on one of those whirlwind tours, you know the disorienting feeling of waking up with no idea of where you are or what day it is. In fact, if you’re retired and are no longer tied to a work schedule, you may experience that in your own home from time to time. You may worry that this is a sign of the big “A,” but according to the Alzheimer’s Association, if by the time you’ve washed your face and had your first cup of coffee, the fog has lifted, you have nothing to worry about. The confusion of time or place that may be a warning sign is described like this:

Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s – Part 2 | by Linda Brendle

Yesterday I began a series of posts about the warning signs of Alzheimer’s based on an article by the Alzheimer’s Association. The first warning sign was “memory changes that disrupt daily life,” and the second is “challenges in planning or solving problems.” The article went on to explain what kind of challenges might be involved:

Medicare Saga – Part…Whatever: The Research | by Linda Brendle

I posted yesterday about getting my Medicare card.  That was just the beginning of the Medicare saga. For several weeks after receiving the card, I received mail, lots of mail, about how Medicare works. The most helpful items were a couple of booklets produced by the Department of Health & Human Services. One was called “Welcome to Medicare” and the other was called “Choosing a Medigap Policy.”

Confusion and Clarity

This is a journal entry from the day before my brother Jim arrived to move Mom and Dad to their new home. After caring for them in my home for six years, I reached the point of “I can’t do this anymore.” (See my August 8th post) After my come-apart, Jim found a lovely assisted living facility near him in Arkansas. As always, to avoid undue anxiety for everybody, I waited until the last minute to tell them of the impending changes.