Client Experience: Karry and Katherine

Karry and his siblings have been on the care giver journey since 1999 when they first began to notice memory loss and forgetfulness in their Mother, Katherine. Karry and his siblings began the slow process of discovering that Katherine has Alzheimer’s disease. Like many of our families the primary care giving is assumed by one sibling or family member; this is true for Karry’s family.

Karry’s brother was the first to assume the responsibility for caring for Katherine, which required her to relocate to another state. After a few years living out of state, Katherine moved back to Oklahoma where she is now cared for full-time by Karry.

Karry discusses the big learning curve he had to go through to understand how to care for his Mother. "I have received many resources, information, and knowledge from you [Life Stage Solutions], the plan of care, counseling and resources provided by Life Stage Solutions has been excellent."

Karry describes his experience as an adult son of an aging Mother, "at first I was angry and frustrated because I couldn’t fix it and make it like it used to be." He remembers finding pots on a heated stove that had long boiled over, and the house heated to 90, these are just a few examples of the health and safety concerns families experience when they have a parent who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

Karry also speaks candidly about his growth as an individual, "I am finally doing something meaningful in my life; every day I make a difference in her life and this is rewarding; when you are a care giver, you get to see the fruits of your labor and every once in awhile I get a glimpse of who my Mom once was."

To conclude, Karry advises families to take the early symptoms seriously and seek advice early, "You will need to accept this new reality, and get help immediately. Alzheimer’s is going to get worse, so don’t delay."

Karry and his Mom continue to benefit from the services provided by OU Nursing Life Stage Solutions.