How an Elderly Couple Lives with Alzheimer's Disease

Kathleen: I got lost and as I said, New Yorkers do not get lost. So I was very upset. He made get back into the driver’s seat and he sat beside me and made me drive and I still made wrong turns so he knew that there was something… Male: Over a road that was very familiar to you. Kathleen: Yes. I cried I guess. Male: And. Kathleen: What? Male: You called your doctor. Kathleen: And they did some tests and they said that had Alzheimer’s, right? I was a teacher and I was the guidance counselor. Male: Where you decided to retire early because you… Kathleen: I wasn’t able to remember the students’ names and that bothered me. Male: She’s the same Kathleen, it’s just that the ability to deal with the things the way she used to is different. It does affect the memory so there may be repetition or repeated questions. All of those have to be taken in a stride and not exasperated. That’s what we’re dealing with right now. Kathleen: I no longer cook and I was a very good cook, wasn’t I? Male: Excellent. Kathleen: I don’t want to drive. That takes away a certain—well, a lot of independence. Male: She had to face the fact that she needs help and support much more than she ever did before. That has been very difficult to see happen. Kathleen: If you can no longer do those things, it’s not hard to relinquish control. I live from day to day and I just enjoy the now of life because that’s all I deal with really.