Take Care of Others
Identify Their Needs
Everyone is likely asking you how you are doing and what you need. Find an opportunity to ask these questions to the other people in your life. Learn what they are feeling and thinking. Identify how their behaviors or habits have changed.
Ask how you can help while letting them know that helping them would help you. Don’t settle for a short “I’m fine,” or “I’m hanging in there.” Let your loved ones know that you care and they should be free to express themselves fully.
Find the Positives
In a situation like this, people tend to focus on what is lost rather than what is still available. Work to scratch goals off your “bucket list.” Take trips and visit with friends. The more you focus on the negatives, the larger they appear. Opportunities for happiness still remain.
Leave a Mark
How do you want to be remembered? How do you want others to think of you? What do you want your obituary to say? This is the chance to live your life the way you have always wanted.
Plan or suggest family gatherings or a dinner to reconnect with friends. You can leave your mark by creating something for your family or the loved people in your life. A scrapbook, photo album, video and family tree are all great options.
Taking time to write letters or have significant conversations can really solidify relationships by removing ambiguity and confusion. This enables you to change and improve that lasting impression that you leave.
Conclusion
An Alzheimer’s diagnosis is not welcomed by anyone, but it allows you to be reminded of what everyone forgets: You time here is limited.
Do not let Alzheimer’s trigger lasting despair and diminished motivation. Let it prompt you to fight to improve your quality of life, to live each day to its fullest potential, to help the people that help you and to leave a last impression on the people around you.
The only failure is admitting defeat.
