We met Adrian at the time when my mom’s Alzheimer’s progressed to the point when we realized that we could not take care of her by ourselves and probably need help. My mom, as most of dementia patients, did not realize she could not stay alone in the house, and was totally opposed to the idea of a stranger in the house. My mom was used to taking care of so many people in her life, – family, friends that needed help, strangers that became friends… She could not comprehend that the time came when someone would take care of her…
Luckily, we met Adrian. She came to our house for dinner, as a guest and friend, so my mom was not alarmed. And she was the first person who would stay with my mom for a few hours to give us a break and an opportunity to spend time as a family without leaving someone behind. Even though my mom’s English, not her mother tongue, is not great and became worse with dementia, Adrian always finds a way to talk to her, to do activities, to distract her from depressing thoughts that became common. My mom really becomes a different person when she sees Adrian.
Adrian’s presence and help definitely changed our life: my mom was eased into the thought that someone else can be in the house and help her, without so much drama and protest that we were expecting. It also showed that there are incredibly kind, caring, sincere people in this world that accept old people, with all their problems and disabilities, as they are. Adrian is definitely the best representative of these incredible caregivers and companions! We are endlessly grateful for having Adrian in our lives!