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Alzheimer's
Elder
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Alzheimer’s affects about four-and-a-half million people in the U.S. and dealing with the disease on a day-to-day basis can be a huge challenge for caregivers. One woman who knows the problems firsthand is now helping other families cope. Kim Riemland introduces us to this octogenarian who’s become an Alzheimer’s expert of sorts. |
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SCRIPT:
(Locator: Fort Worth, Texas)
(Frances leads discussion group) “They can separate the forks. Put the
forks together. Put the spoons together.”
Twice a month, 87-year-old Frances Cooper leads an Alzheimer’s support
group at the
First United
Methodist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.
(Frances continues discussion)
“When they are saying they want to go home, it is where they grew up.
It’s not where they live now. I would put my husband in the car and we
didn’t have to drive any more than around the block. We came home,
‘Well, now we’re home.’”
Frances’ wisdom and practical advice comes from years spent caring for
her husband, Stanley, who suffered from Alzheimer’s.
Frances Cooper: “He was an engineer and he could do anything with his
hands.
The shocking thing was one morning when he was trying to read the
newspaper and he handed it to me and said ‘Read this to me. I can’t read
it.’”
The couple was committed to facing the illness together.
Frances Cooper: “We sat hand in hand and said ‘No one’s done this to us.
We have not done it to ourselves. But we’re going to handle it the best
we can.’”
After Stanley’s death in 1990, Frances began working with other
families.
Janet Sherwood/Support Group Member: “No one knows until they’ve walked
in your shoes exactly how much pain is in a spouse actually losing their
identity and your identity. They actually lose you.”
Frances Cooper: “Helping, helping is the main thing with me, if I can
help someone, especially those who have been through the same experience
that I have.”
Man hugs Frances:
“I enjoyed it. I really did.”
TAG:
Frances Cooper says she attended Alzheimer’s support groups with her
husband but they were more like social clubs. She wanted to create a
place where people could get common sense help for the everyday problems
of living with Alzheimer’s.
For more information on the program, contact
First United
Methodist Church in Fort Worth at
817-336-7277.