Alzheimer's is such a horrible disease. I have known a number of people over the years who have had Alzheimer’s and had the misfortune of watching these people gradually lose their ability to retrieve short-term memory and their personalities change. Its devastating. The only memory I have of my paternal grandmother is of her sitting at my grandfather’s funeral. She kept asking who it was that had died. She asked it repeatedly during the funeral. I was a very young child, but her repeated questions about who had died stuck with me for some reason. It was her son, my grandfather, who had died and she wasn’t able to remember who he was from one minute to the next.

More recently I’ve watched vicariously while one of my favorite aunts has been in a state of mental decline due to Alzheimer’s. She is one of the most lovely people I’ve ever known. She’s had a twinkle in her eye and a love for life her entire life. Even as she became more forgetful, she has maintained a beautiful spirit. Her daughter, my cousin, has fortunately been in a position that she was able to build her a house on her property and allow her a high level of independence while keeping a close eye on her. It has been very difficult for my cousin. Recently it has gotten increasingly difficult as my aunt closer supervision for her own safety. As I understand it, she has wandered off on walks from time to time and has tried to cook and wash clothes in a manner that was dangerous. My cousin is dealing with the grueling task of keeping her safe as well as having to watch her own lovely mother lose the essence of who she is.

I have the utmost respect for what my cousin has done for her mother. As horrible as Alzheimer’s has been for my aunt, it is every bit as horrible for my cousin. I wonder if its not more so because she sees what is happening to her mother and is the primary caretaker. It has certainly been a long road for her, I’m sure.

Those are just a couple of reasons I was interested in watching a DVD put out by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The DVD is called ‘Your Time to Care’ and is a step-by-step educational program geared towards the caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients. The DVD is presented in as a four-part program that addresses the core issues related to the care of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Its informative and presents answers and strategies in a motivation and easy to understand style.

The ‘Your Time to Care’ DVD is available as a holiday gift on the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America website. I think it would make a truly compassionate gift for someone you might know who is caring for someone who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. All proceeds from the sale of this DVD and other gifts available there go to the mission of providing quality care for quality of life to those who suffer from Alzheimer’s.