BABY BOOMER'S & ME

 BABY BOOMER'S & ME

On December 23^{rd 2011} at 7:45 in the morning I was getting ready to go for my yearly physical at my doctor’s office.  As I washed and dried my face, brushed my teeth and continued to get dressed I thought of my mom. I realized how she was no longer able to do any of these simplest things by herself.  Yes, she still can brush her teeth and get dressed and even wash her face, yet the difference for my mom is that unless someone assists her to do any of these things, my mom would never even think of doing them.  When I am with her and tell her that we need to wash, shower or brush her teeth mom asks me, “why”?  She goes to sleep in her clothes so she will not have to get redressed in the morning.  Mom says that this was much easier for her.  She claims that she does not have to wash or shower because she does not get dirty.  All this is coming from a woman that had the pearliest white teeth, which she so proudly brushed several times a day. Mom showered daily and had her hair done professionally once a week. None of this exists in her world anymore. She would never go to a doctor, or visit her dentist to get her teeth examined or cleaned.  My mom would not and could not even think of doing this.  Not in her world.  Not only has Alzheimer’s wiped my mom’s memory of almost everything in her life, it has also left her at moments like a child.  She can hardly  think for herself .

 I wonder how any of this could happen to a human being?  What has crept into her brain or out of it to possibly destroy all of her reasoning, thinking and memory?  This is because my mom has a disease known as Alzheimer’s.  It is a disease that every 69 seconds someone is diagnosed with.  It is a disease that as of now has no cure or prevention even in sight. It is a disease that will affect at least ten million baby boomers if something is not found.

I recently read an article in the New York Times discussing how the baby boomers generation had fought for so many rights, especially the females who now are becoming caregivers for their elderly parents.  It does not matter how old one is, we the children of the 40’s & 50’s are left to watch over and perhaps take care of our aging parents. We need a great deal of money to be able to hire someone to help us care for them. Most of us cannot afford to do that which then leaves us responsible to care for our parents.  The generation that faces this responsibility as of now, is known as the baby boomers. Yes, I am one of them and although it is my pleasure to care for my mom as she had once cared for me, it is something that I had not given much thought about. I have one son and I wonder if I or my husband will have to call upon him to help care for us. I certainly hope not.

FACT-   An estimated 5.4 million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s. By 2050 it is estimated that 16 million Americans will be living with the disease.