November 27, 2007
Albany -- Jeanelsa Blunt cherishes the moments she shares with her mother Mary because each day a piece of her slips away.
"I have just accepted it's the disease and not her. And I understand that there will come a time where she will not remember me. And that's okay," said Blunt.
Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2004 and is still in the early stages of the disease.
"They may remember things of long ago and may not remember what they did five minutes ago," said Blunt.
During the day she gets care at the Albany Outreach center.
"Without her having an outlet it would have been very difficult with her. And I think she would have progressed a lot faster if it weren't for these people and the things they do here at the center," said Blunt.
"We do things like reminiscent therapy so they can remember things from the past. We conduct exercise programs and a lot of games," said Administrative Assistant, Miriam Burgess.
They provide care that is as beneficial to Jeanelsa as it is to Mary. "Don't get me wrong. I have had some challenging and stressful days," said Blunt.
"They need those breaks because it's a 24/7 job, non-stop. And if they don't have any help its just overwhelming after a while," said Burgess.
A stress reliever that allows Jeanelsa to get the most of what time she has left of her mother's remaining memories.
For more information on Alzheimer's care click here.
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