Grandmothers recent diagnosis - guidance

harleelondon

Hi everyone! My grandmother, and very best friend, was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s yesterday. We knew this was coming, as her mother had it and she began showing signs about a year ago. However, I feel so completely lost and heartbroken. I was hoping for a bit of guidance on how to handle the utter darkness I feel. The thought of being the only person that holds the memories of who she is to me is terrifying. I’m sure that time will help my acceptance of it, and I know a formal diagnosis was the right direction to know, but it made it so much more real. So if anyone has some book recommendations or just advice in general on how to navigate this disease I would really appreciate it.

towhee

Hello harlee, welcome to the forum. This particular group gets very little traffic. You might want to post again on either the "I am a Caregiver" or the "Caring for a Parent" discussion area. Either one is fine.

Getting that formal diagnosis does indeed make it real. I suggest, even if you have dealt with alzheimers before, to try to gain a basic knowledge of the disease and what is involved in caregiving, and to be aware that the diagnosis will be received differently by different people and that they will cope in different ways, some of which you might be unhappy with. Learning to let things go is important to have a team to help care for your grandmother. It is important for caregivers to take care of their own mental and physical health. There is nothing wrong with seeing a therapist. Do read some of the other posts, they might be helpful.