My Father In Law recently fell at home and was subsequently diagnosed with acute onset Alzheimer's.  Previous to his fall, we knew that he was suffering from Dementia, but no doctor had yet given a diagnosis of Alzheimer's.

We had been up to see him just the month before and knew that my husband's parents could no longer stay in their very secluded home in a resort community in Oregon.  The area in which they live is an absolutely beautiful vacation spot/resort and mom and dad have been full time residents there for the past twenty years.

We've been urging them to put the house on the market and move for a few years now, but they were stubborn and refused. We wanted them to move to the Redding area with us but the thought of it overwhelmed them.  At 83 moving 65 years of "stuff" was too much to deal with.

When Dad fell, he was admitted to a re-hab hospital in to try rehabilitate him to the point where he could go home.  Instead of getting better he has gotten worse and the facility has given up on him.  Turns out that he will never be able to make that trip home.  In Dad's lucid moments he is asking if he is ever going to see his home again, then he slips behind the the veil of Alzheimer's and we lose him again.I asked the hospital if it would be helpful if we let him walk his home one last time.  She said that it's not a good idea as it would likely increase the confusion and worsen the condition.

Next week we will be moving Mom and Dad from Oregon to Redding into a long term care facility.

Caretakers will move into their house for the winter and next spring we will likely have to put the home on the market.  It's won't be simple at all.

Mom and Dad planned for everything but this.  They have decent retirement, excellent health care benefits and have taken excellent care of their bodies.  The stock market and real estate crash have taken away much of their nest egg in the last few years.  They owned a lot of GM, the income from that stock is gone in the Bankruptcy.

They never purchased long term health insurance and they kept themselves secluded.  Turns out that seclusion drastically increases the chances of getting Alzheimer's.  Long Term Health Insurance would have meant financial security for mom.  Medicare does not cover long term care for Alzheimer's.  They leave this to the states.  The care has to come out of existing assets, meaning that there might not be anything left to care for Mom after Dad passes.

She now faces an uncertain future with a  man that she soon won't recognize.   She too is leaving her home.  Although she will see it again, this journey will be especially difficult.

I have learned much over the past few weeks on the topic of Alzheimer's and was planning on starting an outside blog on the topic.  I finally realized that I needed to post it to the Active Rain community.  This situation is impacting all aspects of their lives.  Real Estate, Estate Planning, investments, insurance, medical, phychological - you name it has touches it.

With tears streaming down my face I write this post.  I hadn't realized how important it was for me to get out of my mind and onto "paper". 

Here are a few things that you need to know about Alzheimer's

1.  It runs in families

2.  Keeping the brain active and stimulated significantly slows it's progression.

3.  It has the potential to leave survivors destitute - make sure that you have long term health insurance.  I read once that LTH Insurance is more important than life insurance.  Now I understand why.

  I will continue to share this journey along the way.  It won't be an easy road but I'll appreciate it if you join me.

I am Kate Bourland. I help my clients get out of debt, get loan modifications and establish a debt free lifestyle. We Guarantee our Loan Modifications. You can reach me at 530-419-3967.

http://www.katebourland.com