I wrote about Alzheimer’s Disease for my local alt-weekly today:
“Out of the dark
JABA, UVA working to lessen effects of Alzheimer’s disease
My 82-year-old mother-in-law lives in a small suite of rooms attached to the house I share with my wife and young son. In the early years of her retirement, she rambled fearlessly through the mountains of Highland County, Virginia, an active member of her church and a familiar, beloved presence at civic events and festivals. She earned a Master’s degree from Old Dominion University in her youth, and oversaw a victim’s assistance program that provided safety and comfort for those who had suffered at the hands of criminals.
Nowadays, she often gets lost on the short walk from the kitchen to her own bedroom. She frets about the weather, worries about the news and has difficulty following the plot of “Law & Order,” her favorite television show. She loves to talk, but feels uncomfortable in the company of higher-functioning peers. She’s afraid she will sound stupid when she speaks.”
