Give them love,
show them understanding
make them feel the person
they once were;
their dignity, never take
away from them,
their self-respect, without
hesitation you must maintain.

Memory may be gone,
storage and retrieval
mechanism may have
collapsed;
like arboretum
a botanical garden of trees
Alzheimer patients-remain
individuals in the
garden of homo sapiens.

Although, their past is erased,
the present-they live on
borrowed time
let their life have meaning
let them live their life to
the fullest;
belittle or denigrate them not,
rather, praise and honor them.

When angry, show empathy
when agitated, never aggravate
engage them, but never task;
involve them, expect little or
nothing.

Draw them out in love,
show them kindness,
when inactive-offer help
results-do not anticipate,
rather, prepare for
disappointments as their
condition worsening and
decline followed

Regardless, give those
Living with Alzheimer love
show individual living with
Alzheimer understanding,
dignity, do not take away,
self-respect, never deny.

Treat them not like figures,
treat them not like babies,
but let their self-worth
reside with them.

Show Alzheimer love-
to make them live AGAIN.

Written by Silas Abayomi – Austin, Texas

Feature Photo by Jake Thacker