Garland Creighton Provides a Transparent Glimpse Into Fears and Triumphs of Alzheimer’s Caregiving

By Garland Creighton

Alzheimer’s disease is a national crisis. Every 70 seconds someone somewhere develops this brain-wasting illness. To helplessly stand on the sidelines while this unrelenting disease cripples the mind of someone you love is heartbreaking. No individual or family should have to endure such suffering.

Before being stricken by Alzheimer’s my Mom was the perennial life of the party. She was always gracious, vibrant, and charming. Whether family, friends, or total strangers, she just loved being around people. Watching her work a crowded room was poetry in motion. She was warm, friendly and always engaging. It was must-see TV.

Mom’s extravagant love for people, places, and all things beautiful was gradually reduced to a mere shadow of her former self. Over time the social butterfly, who always remembered everyone by name, regressed to the point where she could barely recall the names of her children. Sadly, her mind was now adrift somewhere in the abyss called Alzheimer’s. But this is not a story about the anguish of Alzheimer’s. This is a story about the power of love.

As a family, coming to terms with the reality of our situation didn’t come easy. Like many who have traveled this road, denial became our weapon of choice. It was how we survived those early days of living life in our new normal. We’d conveniently avoid the reality of the moment, by desperately clinging to what used to be.

However, despite our best efforts, denial neither changed our circumstance nor made the pain go away. Eventually you learn that, at some point, in order to move forward you have to stop the madness, not simply for your own wellbeing, but for the sake of your loved one as well. When it comes to the demands of caregiving, sitting on the sidelines is never really an option.

Caregiving is not a spectator sport, you have to roll up your sleeves and get dirty – – – which is why I wrote Coming Alongside. It’s a transparent, engaging, and humorous glimpse into the joy, trials, and triumphs of life as a caregiver. The book provides perspective for the uninitiated and a front row seat for the unfamiliar.

Assuming the role of caregiver requires making a commitment. For me, initially, that was something I was unwilling to do. Call it a stupid guy thing, but I just didn’t feel up to the task. Too much responsibility, too much time; or at least that’s what I selfishly tried to tell myself.

Coming Alongside is not a “how to” guide. The intent is not to tell you what to do, nor convince you to do what we did. What worked well for us, may not work for you. The intent of the book is to provide a transparent glimpse into some of the fears and concerns that come with the territory. While everyone’s not built to run this race, through faith and patience, all who endure generally survive.

If you think the road ahead is going to be easy, I’m here to tell you it’s not. If you think you can’t do this, I’m here to tell you, you can. My prayer is that what we experienced as a family will in some way benefit you, inspire you, and bring you peace of mind. With that said, I’d like to pass on a few tips, a few laughs and a few words of encouragement.

Enjoy the book!

Garland Creighton is President/CEO of Rose Park Publications (publishers of Coming Alongside: ‘Exchanging the anguish and  heartache of caregiving for laughter, love, and peace of mind.’ He is a Certified Public Accountant by profession and an author by passion who now dedicates much of his time helping to advance the caregiving conversation. He is a former member of the Leadership Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Richmond (Richmond, Virginia).

Find out more about Garland and connect with him at:

Website: www.ComingAlongside.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/comingalongside

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comingalongsidebook/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comingalongside/