By Christiana Egi, Toronto, Canada
I am a Registered Nurse, and the motivation to write this story began in my first year as a student nurse. Our first mental health rotation was at a chronic psychiatric hospital that was preceded by fearful stories of horror. However, upon arrival on that first day, gripped with fear, the patients at the facility were just like us. I decided from that day on that I will do my best to help eradicate the stigma around mental health.
A few years after graduating as a Registered Nurse, I had the opportunity to migrate to Canada. Although I was hopeful that people with mental illness would be treated better here, I was sadly wrong, as I quickly realized that social stigma around mental illness was a global issue!
I was blessed to start my career in Canada in the crisis unit of the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, the largest Psychiatric hospital in Canada, where I gained invaluable experience. In the ten years that I worked on that unit, my heart was consistently broken by the condition in which some of the patients came to the hospital. We would stabilize and then discharge them, but they returned cyclically. I could often come home and vent to my husband that, if they only had adequate supportive housing, they would fare much better, and stay away from the hospital much longer.
My husband made my wish come true after the birth of my third child, Alexis. Together, we started Alexis Lodge Retirement Residence, a non-medical facility with the unique vision to change the whole experience of living with dementia. The residence creates a safe, comfortable, loving, caring and supportive environment that lends itself to enhancing the abilities of our residents. Although I have not been touched by Alzheimer’s disease or any other type of dementia personally, all the members of my Alexis Lodge family live with the challenges of dementia every day.
Two decades after starting our memory care facilities, I am very happy with the impact we are making in the lives of our residents and their families; yet the pain in my heart continues to swell. It is not uncommon for residents with dementia to have no family involvement. My staff and I have seen firsthand the devastation this disease can cause. The hard journey of pain, coping and ensuing physical and emotional challenges leads to caregiver burnout!
I wrote my book, A Rose For Grandma: A Journey Through Alzheimer’s to increase awareness and demystify Alzheimer’s disease. This disease has reached global epidemic proportions and is destroying the very fabric that holds a lot of families together. In the book, the reader learns about Annie and her family’s experience as they support her grandmother through the disease. Their story serves as the reality that a growing number of families go through as they are met with the devastating diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. There is a little bit of Annie in every caregiver. Faced with Alzheimer’s disease, she vows to do everything she can to help her grandmother.
I decided to tell this story through the eyes of a child to make it less threatening, more accessible, and more impactful. I also think it’s important to discuss the often-overlooked impact that having a loved one with dementia has on children.
My wish is that anyone that picks up A Rose For Grandma: A Journey Through Alzheimer’s, be it an adult, or a child, will be able to learn something from it.
About the Author:
Christiana Egi is a mother, grandmother, Registered Nurse, Diabetic Educator, Registered Natural Health Nutritionist, and Geriatric and Mental Health Specialist.
She has spent ten years of her 34-year career in nursing working in the crisis unit of Canada’s largest Psychiatric Hospital. For the last 22 years, she has worked as the owner and operator of Alexis Lodge Retirement Facilities in Toronto, Canada. She started this business with her late husband Anthony to impact the lives of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. They focus on putting individuals first and giving them a place to call home. Alexis Lodge is a place where people are treated with love, respect, and dignity when they can no longer be cared for at home by their loved ones.
Christiana is a woman of faith. She uses her belief as a guide to help others see the little things in life to be thankful for. She has a daily goal of putting a smile on someone’s face, believing this helps the world go around more positively. She applies this belief to the care that she and her awesome staff provided daily to individuals with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Christiana always says love and respect are the cornerstones of caring for an individual. Christiana is determined to help eradicate the stigma around dementia and mental Illness.
3 Responses
I have this book. It is perfect for adults and children alike. So much is misunderstood when it comes to Alzheimers. This disease impacts the individual with the diagnosis but also their loved ones. This book helps everyone learn to better cope with the many challenges of the disease. Christiana they her book can help many deal with the numerous difficulties of this horrible disease.
Thank you very much Tuth! Truly appreciate your support!
I know a family who’s dealing with their mother and grandmother’s Dementia and it’s really tough for everyone. I will definitely recommend this well written book to them and gift them a copy. I know that this very practical book by Christiana Egi will be of very great value to them. Thank you!