Remembering Alzheimer’s Patients’ Traditions

As holidays and special family days occur, I often find my thoughts going back to the traditions my mother established and want to pass these along to my daughter and grandchildren.  The fact that Mother had Alzheimer’s the last few years of her life and couldn’t remember nor participate, doesn’t render useless all she taught us and the traditions she established or passed along from her heritage.

Halloween brings to mind the encouragment Mother gave us and her enjoyment in this occasion.  She often stitched together costomes for us four children.  (Where she found time in her busy life as a farm wife, I don’t know.)

I recall one she made me from black and orange crepe paper for the Halloween party at school.  One year she helped my sister scoop out a huge pumpkin, which Sister wore over head with a white sheet covering her body…the Pumpkin Ghost.

Mother also dressed in costume for the community Halloween Parties.  I came across a journal where she wrote about thinking she’d disguised herself in her costume, but she was recognized immediately.  Would that have been because she was accompanied by four little children?

Write down some of the special occasion memories you have of your family member…memories that add to your family traditions and heritage.  Just because someone has Alzheimer’s, don’t shut those earlier years away so the disease is all you remember about them.  I have so much to pass along to my daughter and grandchildren about Mother and hope they will continue this family heritage.