Widening the Circle of Care
Dementia slipped into JT’s life slowly. First it was forgetfulness, common enough among people in their 70s. Then getting lost while driving familiar routes. Sometimes she’d become paranoid, thinking a friend took her jewellery. Later, she’d stare listlessly at anything on TV, even columns of stock prices.
For a time, MT (JT’s husband of 60 years) found relief at the Circle of Care Adult Day Program (ADP), which offers evidence-based support for people with dementia, including cognitive, physical, emotional, spiritual and social programming. The program also gave him time to meet friends for coffee and take care of his own health needs. But then, JT was hospitalized for other medical reasons, and hospital staff decided that because of her health issues, she needed emergency placement in a nursing home.
However, MT quickly realized his wife was not ready for long-term care. “After three weeks, she was broken and so was I,” he says. Suffering terrible guilt, he showed up at the home one day and packed her things. MT had been in touch with an ADP social worker for support and help, so the decision to bring her back to the program was natural. Ever since, she has been home with him in North York, and spends two days a week at the ADP, part of Sinai Health System. Read More.
This story was published in Sinai Health – Autumn/Winter 2017, a publication of Sinai Health Foundation.
