When I asked for stories about Alzheimer’s patients and their pets, I never expected anything this sad. A reader asked that I share a story about her grandmother with Alzheimer’s who went on a 2 week cruise with family members. They didn’t think to question her about boarding arrangements for her dog. She forgot she had a pet and didn’t take it to a kennel or hire a petsitter. She came home to find her devoted dog was dead.

Please don’t assume that your loved one will remember something as obvious as making sure someone is there to care for pets, stopping mail delivery, locking the front door, etc. before a long vacation. Go through his or her home with the patient to make sure everything is in order before the vacation begins.

Posted by on 12.11.2006 • Uncategorized