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3 Tips on What to Do When Your Loved Start to Lose Their Memory

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is such a debilitating condition to happen to anyone. Nothing can be more heart-wrenching than seeing your loved one lose his or her memory over time. What can even be worst is seeing them suffer from physical and mental pain. However, what about the feeling when your loved one no longer recognizes you because of the loss of memory brought by Alzheimer’s?

This situation won’t only be emotionally and mentally devastating for your loved one, but for you as well. Now, how do you cope up with such a situation? In this article, we will share with you three vital tips that you can take when your loved one starts losing their memory of you:

1. Create a photo timeline

Experts say that individuals with AD have their short-term memories affected first. This means that your affected loved one will suddenly not be able to recognize you. However, when you pull out old photos of you, they might still be able to identify you. Given how the memory gets lost over time, one great approach is to create a photo timeline of you and your loved one. 

First, collect a handful of photos from the past up to the present. Include the very first time you met, your children when they were young, various special occasions, and some of the recent events. Second, arrange the photos in chronological dates and have your loved one view them from time to time. That way, you can preserve their memories, at least through photos.

2. Understand the severity of the disease

When your loved one suddenly doesn’t recognize you, you may feel equally devastated. Under such circumstances, you may then lose interest in dealing or interacting with your loved one. You may even have a hard time just by being around them, which causes the relationship to change over time.

Before you withdraw from your loved one and leave them to a caregiver or nurse, it’s essential to understand the complexity of the disease and the severity of your loved one’s condition. Through deeper understanding, you will be able to accept the reality of the disease and find ways and means to cope up with the situation.

3. Never give up on your loved one

Once you understand what your loved one is going through, there’s absolutely no valid reason to give up on them. In fact, your special someone’s AD is a life test showing how much you truly love and care for your significant other. For all you know, this is the time that they need you the most. 

While you may be preoccupied with your changed life and may decide to carry on with your life, never neglect your loved one. Sure, there may be challenging days and trying times. Yet, you should always remain patient, kind, strong, and understanding. Give your best to learn and grow as a personal caregiver yourself. Most importantly, love them with all your heart — in sickness and in health.

Conclusion

Alzheimer’s disease may eventually progress over time, yet it doesn’t mean that you should stop showing your unconditional love and care to your loved one. While they are still able to remember from time to time, follow some of the valuable steps mentioned above because, at the end of the day, your loved one deserves all the love and care that you can possibly give.

If your loved one finds it hard to recognize you, get in touch with our dementia consultants in Houston and see how we can assist you and your loved one!

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