Living in the Moment by Elizabeth Landsverk MD

Author:Elizabeth Landsverk, MD [Landsverk, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780806541778
Publisher: Citadel Press
Published: 2022-05-05T00:00:00+00:00

Boxed In Too Early

Gabe was relatively young, only sixty-nine, and suffered from alcoholic dementia. After his wife’s death, he began drinking even more heavily. His behavior became erratic and angry. Twice, he ended up in a hospital with alcohol-related illnesses. Finally, his family placed him in a dementia facility, where the other residents were fifteen to twenty years older.

Gabe balked. He refused to participate in the life of the facility, shunning group activities. Although impaired, Gabe—an avid motorcycle rider—still saw himself as active and independent.

“I only want to get on my bike and go down the coast,” he said.

Gabe grew increasingly unhappy, angry, and aggressive. His sons were at a loss for what to do. Allowing him back on the road was out of the question. Balancing the risks against quality of life, the sons asked their father if he’d like an off-road dirt bike. Gabe said he would. His doctor told him he would need to train for it and go walking daily. He got out more, and found he enjoyed other activities.

In the end, Gabe never rode the dirt bike. He lacked the physical strength needed to handle the bike. But the act of taking his preferences seriously turned the corner for this man. He began to go golfing, and his agitation decreased as he became busy with outings.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.