Valley News -

From the outside

I am 64 years old and my wife, Margaret, has Alzheimer’s. Many others close to me, including my now 96-year-old stepmother, have lived or died with the disease.

I liken the role of caregiver, a task my father shouldered prior to his death, to that of riding a roller coaster.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. It is a progressive disease that erodes the patient’s memory, ability to reason, communicate and tackle many or all the challenges of day-to-day life.

Margaret and I can trace our adventure in Alzheimer’s back about five years...