Glen Campbell diagnosed with Alzheimer's

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They did a little tribute to him on the Academy Awards last night. It was sweet.
 
My father-in-law had Alzheimer's. I was horribly criticized for not hiring help at home. Many people, especially those with no medical background, have very little knowledge about the physical effects of Alzheimer's as it progresses. Many think of it as a disease that only causes forgetfulness. But it affects victims in many more ways. Orientation to time is lost in the mid-stages; my father-in-law would drive to a nearby cafe and wait in the parking lot for hours for it to open. If asked, he would say he was only there a few minutes. He lost the ability to take food from the refrigerator, put it on a plate, and put it into the microwave, take it out and eat it. Completing that many tasks together was too complex for him due to the effects of Alzheimer's.

As patients progress to the later stages they lose the ability to talk, and walk, and to control their bowels and bladder. Later, by the end stage ,most are in a fetal position and need total and skilled care. The amyloid plaque that builds up on the brain robs the victims of this disease of so much more than merely memory.
To take care of my father-in-law at home I would have needed care around the clock care, including a daily nurse - at least an LPN- to give him meds. I priced his care via a nursing agency and quickly found that monthly costs were higher than the nursing home. Plus, if someone called in sick the agency could not promise that a replacement would be available. The nursing home placed him in the Alzheimer's unit and he received care on a locked unit, tailored to those with Alzheimer's and staffed with medial professionals who were well-versed in the disease. A locked unit may sound harsh, but these patients will wander (when still able to ambulate) and this was the safest environment for them.

My husband and I were at the premiere showing of "I'll Be Me" in Nashville in October. It was shown during the Aging Symposium held there, and the director and producers as well the Glen Campbell's current wife and children were there. His daughter and son and their band performed after the docudrama was shown as well. Kim is his 4th wife, and these two children are his youngest from this 4th marriage.
He has other children from previous marriages, some which were in the docudrama and appeared to be 35-40. I did not read the article, but I would think it was the opinion of one of Glen's older children from a previous marriage, and not one from this current wife. I didn't read the article, so I could be wrong, but that is my guess from what I learned at the premiere.
At the beginning of the docudrama Glen and his wife were looking at pictures and he would ask " who is that?' for each picture. The last picture was one of Kim -his current wife and with whom he was looking at the pictures, and he could not recognize her. After watching the movie my husband and I were in tears. The director addressed the audience after the show and asked everyone who either had a family member with Alzheimer's , or had provided care to an Alzheimer's patient to stand up. There were not many people left sitting. If "I'll Be Me" comes to a theater near you see it. It is educational and emotional.
 
Just clicking the Thanks button was not enough, Kateyes. I know I am not alone in my sincere and heartfelt appreciation for your thoughtfully written post.
 
Kimberlyd125 said:
It was about missing Galveston and his love while he was at war...

Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea winds blowin'
I still see her dark eyes glowin'
She was 21 when I left Galveston

Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea waves crashing
While I watch the cannons flashing
I clean my gun and dream of Galveston

I still see her standing by the water
Standing there lookin' out to sea
And is she waiting there for me?
On the beach where we used to run

Galveston, oh Galveston, I am so afraid of dying
Before I dry the tears she's crying
Before I watch your sea birds flying in the sun
At Galveston, at Galveston


http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galveston_(song)

The song describes a soldier waiting to go into battle who thinks of the woman he loves and his hometown of Galveston, Texas.
Click to expand...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0nMPVwdmjk
 
Ugh, good luck to the children trying to get control of his care and FINANCES away from his wife. At this point, it's actually a protection for her to have him in a facility--God knows what they'd accuse her of if she kept him at home with assistance from professional caregivers.

I'm assuming she has him in a decent nursing home and he's as healthy as he can be and SAFE, which in the end is all you can hope for with this disease. I feel fortunate in a way that I exhausted my mom's (and my) resources keeping her home as long as I could. In the end, there was really nothing to fight over.

My brother had plenty to say about her care, but never bought a stitch of clothing or a diaper for her. I provided all of her personal items and clothing, did her laundry (my choice, as I felt it would be easier to keep track of her items if I washed them), and spent a great deal of time with her, for which I'm so glad - I have so many good memories of our time together there, and having her there allowed me to just be "daughter" and not "caregiver".
 
I found the special touching. As a native Arkansasan of the era I loved Glenn Campell.
Also found it painful as certain aspects were too much of a reminder of my mother's decline and passing with the disease. On the minus side of the ledger sometimes it felt too promotional of the daughter. But yet today I can't get it off my mind but not sure it is gentle recall.
 
Country music star Glen Campbell, 79, is suffering Alzheimer's and no longer knows what a guitar is for

The country legend is now in 'the late stages' of the degenerative disease

Wife of 33 years Kim spoke of how he had lost 'muscle memory' in hands

The icon is now living in a care home in Florida and is visited by kids


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-s-doesn-t-know-guitar-for.html#ixzz443QEW4jP
 
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