Navigating Alzheimer's: The Repetitive Journey of 'I Want to Go Home!'

Understanding the Repetition

"I want to go home!"—a phrase echoing through our household multiple times a day. My 94-year-old aunt, who has Alzheimer's, cannot remember from moment to moment. Her plea for home refers to a house in El Paso, Texas, which was sold two years ago. Yet, to her, it feels as real as it ever was.

Finding Temporary Solutions

When my aunt says she wants to go home, we tell her she's staying with us until her sister, my deceased mother Stella, comes to pick her up. This seems to settle her for a brief moment. She nods, smiles, and sometimes even thanks us. But, as expected, within two minutes, the cycle repeats. It's a constant loop that can be both heartbreaking and exhausting.

Living in the Moment

Living with someone who has Alzheimer's requires a delicate balance of patience and creativity. We have learned that agreeing with her and providing comforting answers, even if not entirely truthful, is the best way to handle the situation. Each time she asks about going home, the most important thing is to make her feel safe and understood.

Emotional Coping

For us, her caregivers, it's a daily emotional rollercoaster. We reminisce about the good old days in El Paso, share stories, and show her photos to keep her connected to those memories. Despite the repetitive nature of her questions, these moments also bring us closer together, creating a unique, albeit challenging, bonding experience.

Conclusion

Dealing with Alzheimer's is far from easy, but understanding the repetitive nature of the condition helps us navigate it with more compassion. "I want to go home!" will likely continue to be a regular part of our lives, but with each repetition, we remind ourselves that what she truly seeks is a sense of comfort and familiarity. And that, we gladly give her, one moment at a time.