Dear Dorian,
Thank you for the thoughtful post. I didn't read Peterson's book, but I saw the TV show that was used to introduce the book. It was quite moving. I was glad my mother did not see it.
Your remarks about families being in denial seems quite apt. My sisters still seem to be in denial - not all the time, but sometimes. I'll report some of my mother's behaviors, and, when they visit, they'll say they didn't see her do this or that. Of course, my mother is quite happy about their visits, and she gears herself up for them still. Yet I'm sorry for them that they can't accept the situation, because it means their pain will be all that much greater as things deteriorate here.
Thank you for sharing your reading and your insights with us.
CJ
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Dorian,
You are so right again. It is so hard to detect early signs. Not that the signs don't exist but no one can really pinpoint them to say, it is dementia or Alzheimers!
My father-in-law has had Alzheimer's since 2003 in my opinion. I recalled that when I saw him in 2002, he looked a little unkempt. My late mother-in-law complained that he lost this and that and blamed him. He complained to us that she blamed him a lot. She said it was his fault and etc. In 2003, he dropped a check in the deposit box at the bank wrongfully so he had to ask the clerk to get it out. (Something about he didn't do it right.) In 2004, he was acting funny and got worse after his late wife died in late Oct. He forgot emails immediately. His lady friend who is a dentist said that he has Alzheimers. But no one has diagnosed him until late 2006 when he got sick and wanted to test his memoy for driving.
I think the problem is both the family and the doctor. The family doctor always said it was depression until 2006 when he was diagnosed by the specialist. His late wife often said he had dementia in 2003/2004. But she never thought of seeing a doctor. I think she thought it was just old age.
It is hard. But I think the attitude is crucial. All you need is the diagnosis. But guess no one wants to do it "too" early and no one wants to say the "word".
I think the key is early prevention or detection once we see something fishy.
Regards,
Nina