By Prisha K I have been tending to my Uncle for almost three years now. He moved in when my aunt died. Initially, he was sweet and accommodating though he had mood swings. But these were short-lived. Gradually, his behaviour started changing. The mood swings became more pronounced. Obduracy crept in, and at times he…
By Sunil Saxena Are you feeling tired, anxious, irritable or even depressed? Especially when you are taking care of a loved elder who is suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s or a terminal illness. If yes, then you are heading for what is known as a caregiver burnout. You may not realise it, but the stress has…
By Akhilesh Upreti The neurologist was blunt. “No, dementia can’t be cured,” he said firmly. “At best, we can slow it down.” The answer was simple and straightforward. Yet, I found it hard to accept. “What does it mean,” I asked. “It means that your mother will never be the same again. The best we…
By Ranjana Sunil Whether you’re taking care of your ageing parents, grandparents, or other loved ones who need your help, showing empathy is the best way to make them feel happy and wanted. Here are 11 thoughtful ways to show that you care: # 1. Listen actively: When they want to talk to you about…
By William D’Souza My mother was unfortunately bedridden for the last 12 years of her life – since end-2010 till her death in end-2022. During this time, my family was forced to learn a lot of new things to ensure the best possible care for her. Now, I and my wife, Zarine D’Souza, have been…
By Gagan Bakshi I gave the dementia medicine for the first time in the night around 8 pm. She woke up around 11 pm. I could hear her calling out for me. There was fear in her voice. When I rushed into her room, I saw her standing next to the bed holding the walker…
By Sunil Saxena “A fall is the last event in the life of an elderly person.” My father’s doctor was not trying to scare me or my father. He was talking from experience. My biggest nightmare is my father taking a hard fall and breaking his hip bone. How is he going to live after…
By Sunil Saxena My mother showed the first symptoms of dementia almost two years ago. But we thought it was erratic behaviour, and spent more time counselling her than finding a cure. This was a cardinal mistake. Today, dementia has set in, and my mother takes two tablets every day – Donep 5 after breakfast…
By P. Ramesh Kumar “It’s over… she’s gone,” said a female voice on the phone. I froze with moist eyes for several moments that brought my life to a standstill, as I felt a twitch in my navel. My mother had just died in the intensive care unit of Apollo Hospital in Chennai and her…