Writing a Newsletter to Inform Family Members

When I had to move my mom from her home in New York State, 275 miles from mine in New Hampshire, I wanted to keep my siblings, niece and nephews, and my daughter up to date on what was happening in Mother’s Alzheimer’s world.  I would have wanted to know, if she’d gone to live with someone else, so I assumed they would want to be informed.

So I began writing a monthly newsletter.  This communication also can be accomplished with an e-letter to any of the family who has e-mail.

This way, they can’t say, when they do visit the family member and find him/her much disabled, “You never let me know.”  Even if you keep them informed, they may not realize how the person is affected with Alzheimer’s or dementia.  But at least they can’t claim they weren’t informed.

If the Alzheimer’s patient is still able to write or understand that you’re writing to family members, include messages from him/her.  Hopefully you’ll receive letters in return you can read to the family member.

Some may not want to know and ask you not to send the newsletter.  Others may find it difficult to accept.  However, newsletters and e-mails do help the family keep communicating, something that’s often missing when some of the family live at a distance.