JOAN’S JULY 4TH WEEKEND BLOG – HAVE SOME FUN – IT’S STILL POSSIBLE, ISN’T IT?

Swimming, barbecuing, family gatherings, fireworks, and parades – all part of the summer celebration of Independence Day. For those of us whose spouses have Alzheimer’s Disease, the July 4th festivities, as with all holidays, may have to be toned down quite a bit.  We are all aware of the perils of too much activity, company, noise, and change in routine for an Alzheimer patient, which lead to anxiety and agitation for them, and stress for us, the spousal caregivers.

It is also the time of the year, that no matter where you live in the United States, it is SUMMER! No snow, ice, or freezing weather for at least July 4th.  Heat can be a problem for anyone, but especially someone who cannot express their discomfort. With all the necessary preparations in place for the comfort of your spouse – air conditioning, shade, short visits, and shorter activity times, what about YOU? Can you possibly have some FUN this weekend? For a caregiver, fun can be defined as sitting alone under a tree with an ice cold lemonade in hand, while relatives and friends fire up the grill and serve the food, and other relatives or friends watch your spouse for you.

Sid and I lived in the Boston area for 35 years, and every 4th of July, instead of braving the crowds, traffic, and humidity, to be part of the nationally known Boston Pops July 4th Concert at the Hatch Shell, we settled ourselves into our air conditioned den and watched it on TV, thoroughly enjoying the music. He may have Alzheimer’s Disease, but he still loves watching that concert, and that is part of my plans for this year.

Earlier in the day, we will be inside, since July in Florida in the middle of the day is not particularly pleasant. Laser beam sun and unbearable humidity call for air conditioned fun, which for us, will be our “gang” of Alzheimer guys and their wives taking in a movie, dinner, and dessert at one of our houses.

Sure, I would like to spend the day under an umbrella at the beach, and in the comfortable seats at the stadium for fireworks at night, but we do what is possible for my AD husband. A broken foot, as well as anger and confusion in crowds, and grumpiness in humidity, dictate otherwise. It’s okay. I still think we’ll have fun with our indoor plans.

Try to do ONE activity this weekend that both you and your spouse will enjoy. 

As always, the message boards are open 24/7, 365 days a year, so if you need us, we’ll be here. Please be sure to tune in next week for special information and announcements about the website.

Happy Independence Day Everyone!

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The Alzheimer Spouse LLC
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