quick clicks

preschoolers today articles

preschoolers today q&a

children today articles

children today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

My Grandma Has Alzheimer's

By Marie-Helen Goyetche

"Michael got scared today when we visited my grandmother," says Lynn. "He just learned to tie his shoes yesterday, and was so proud. He wanted to show is his great-grandma. Well, he's a little slow right now, and she started yelling at him that somebody needs to teach him HOW to tie his shoes. Poor thing. He looked up at me confused. I told my grandma that he had just learned yesterday, or should I say RETOLD her -- I had just told her five minutes ago."

There really is no easy way to explain to your children how a patient with Alzheimer's acts. But with your help, they can begin to understand what's happening, and possibly even play a role in the care giving.

"It's a good idea if parents take their children along to visit the grandparent when the grandparent is in a nursing home," says Edith Dobbs, a private caregiver working with Alzheimer's patients. "It can be explained to your child that when people get older they sometimes need help, because they can't get around very well, they get tired and some of them get forgetful. Also, that grandma or grandpa forgets things now and needs a little help."

A preschooler won't need much more information -- for the moment. They might ask you the same question over and over again but most likely they'll be trying to figure out why grandma is forgetting or why she is acting "like that." As your child gets older, prepare yourself to answer many more questions. This will be a difficult time for you and your child. Depending on how close the relationship between child and grandparent is, the child may feel saddened and feel a tinge of loss seeing grandma or grandpa ill.

Want to see more?

• Growing up with Grandparents: Making Your Parents Part of Your Child's Life
• Gramma's Game
• Getting Behind the Eyes of Your Child
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!