Stand by me... - a bend in the road

The more people are open around family & friends & pleasant acquaintances about their Alzheimer's, the more people like Barbara Cheek Johnson blog write speak out about Alzheimer's. the more people like Lisa Snyder write remarkable books like Living Your Best with Early-Stage Alzheimer's, hopefully the fewer people will feel uncomfortable with the topic & uneasy around friends experiencing it, care partners dealing with it.   

 
Because the sad reality is that too many people facing the challenges of Alzheimer's & other forms of dementia also have to face the loss of some friends, even lifelong friendships.  

There are a lot of reasons perfectly wonderful people feel ill equipped to respond when a friend gets the diagnosis or has a loved one who does.  It's heartbreaking, because their friendship has never been more precious.  

Friends provide a priceless connection that can't be duplicated by care providers who have little, perhaps no personal knowledge of a client.  Their interaction can't even be replicated by family members, no matter how close they might be.  Friends can recall the good, the bad, and the irrepressible moments in our lives.

If you have a friend who's experiencing Alzheimer's or is helping someone who has, this is the time above all others to step up to the plate, not high tail it away.  

Embroider an invisible SUPER FRIEND patch on all your clothes & become part of the their support squad.  Because few things make as big a difference in the lives of an Alzheimer's patient ~ or their care partners ~ than the presence of people who care, who know them & are continue to stand by (or reduce to laughter or bow their heads in tears or drift away with them in remembrance) in all the good & challenging times ahead.