Live In The Real World

November 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

We have to live in the real world, don’t we? Yes, usually, most of us do.

But the best piece of advice I ever got  when my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, was ‘live in his reality’.

Think about it. Asking the same question, pressuring you about a pair of socks might sound ridiculous but not to the patient.

Patience, empathy, and the real world gets in the way, but you have to figure it out for yourself.

My husband is now fine. We were one of the few lucky ones, they reversed the diagnosis seven years later.

I never forgot that advice, and I’m passing it along to you. Think about it and use it when you have to.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Behind The Mask by Helene Moore

September 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

To all those who bought my book a huge thank you. The responses to my book have been awesome. When you stand in someone’s shoes, you get to know their feelings, thoughts and emotions. I never tried to make my story a story, I just wrote it day by day to vent my emotions.The sudden diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease was so unexpected, so fast and so devastating.

I always tried to smile for my husband, and the struggle was enormous at times. It strengthened our love affair, and it brought us closer together. We shared our days and cried at night in the darkness of the bedroom, holding each other. We knew it was going to be a tough future, but together we would get through it. My love and kisses and his humor helped get us through the rough days. And there were plenty of them.

But then, the Alzheimer’s diagnosis was changed by the doctor. We were free.

That is how Adopt A Caregiver began.  To help caregivers, to be their friend, when the need one so desperately.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them you friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Breakthroughs

August 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

We are making remarkable progress and breakthroughs on Alzheimer’s Disease and other diseases as well. But, we are not making enough of a breakthrough for the caregiver!

For the person on call 24/7 who is lonely and feels emotional distress is the caregiver. We are paying attention to the patient, but not the caregiver.

Be a friend, email someone you know who is a caregiver. Tell them you want to support them, be their friend, email them, and keep in touch. Do not judge, for you have not stood in their shoes.

That’s why I published Behind The Mask by Helene Moore to show what it’s like to stand in a caregiver’s shoes, and feel her emotions and share her thoughts.

Support the caregiver. Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Caregivers On My Mind

June 30, 2009 By 2 Comments

Caregivers have been on my mind. There have been so many new studies and findings in Alzheimer’s Disease, as seen on many websites. One I like is the Alzheimer’s Daily News. There are so many, too many to list, but for those who just want simple articles can do in depth with the above website.

One of the big shoe companies is making a GPS tracking chip that can be used for Alzheimer’s patients who are wandeing around. The chip makes finding these people quickly a huge factor in preventing accidents.

Other news is more and more people are being diagnosed, many early onset, meaning by the age of 63. I believe in early diagnosis and doing everything you can aggressively to slow down the progress of the disease.

So, what about the caregivers? Some people are caregivers by nature. But what about the others who are thrust into the position sometimes with no warning. These people are overwhelmed, alone, feeling abandoned, scared of the future, not knowing which way to turn. We can help.

What does it take to support a caregiver. Look into your own community and find a caregiver. A community is where you work, live, go to school, play bridge, golf, or attend a social club, church,  or synagogue. It only takes a few minutes to send an email, offer to be his/her friend, let someone introduce you, someone who knows this person. Start a friendship, you remember how to do that, don’t you? Listen, learn, feel. Do not judge.

If you don’t know how it feels to be standing in a caregivers shoes, read Behind The Mask by Helene Moore. This is my secret journal written during the seven years my husband had the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. We were one of the very rare few who had the diagnosis changed. We are blessed and this is my way of giving back.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene Moore sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life Helene

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Support Caregivers

May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Do you have any idea how a new caregiver feels? How alone, scared, and the kind of feeling that no one understands, so there isn’t anyone to talk to?

That is why I published my secret journal, Behind The Mask. So ordinary people can read my book and understand the obstacles that confront the new caregiver.

We were the lucky ones, the doctor changed the Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis seven long hard years later, to Age Associated Memory Impairment. After my book was published, I wanted to give something back, so I started my Adopt A Caregiver journey.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them your friend Helene sent you. There is a caregiver in your own community. Find him/her. Send an email, offer to be their friend.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Another Wonderful Family Day

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I do hope the family doesn’t get tired of us. I really enjoy being with them.

We need to be home for the delivery of some chairs and lamps we ordered, and after that we need to go to Costco.

In the meantime, I’m trying to catch up as well as do some R&R. The R&R is working out just fine, the catching up is proving to be much harder.

I’m looking for groups to talk to in Orange County, I’m ready to speak out about Adopt A Caregiver. It’s the gift that lasts forever, and costs nothing. Just an email to a caregiver in your community, to show support and become a friend.

If you don’t know what it’s like to stand in a new caregiver’s shoes, my book Behind The Mask will explain it all. It was my secret journal written when we were given the sudden diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease, and we had to keep it a secret. Find out why in my book.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Earthquake: 4.7 Welcome To California

May 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Sitting in our chairs watching television last night, the whole room started to rattle and shake. It  felt like the whole building was shaking, and believe me those 16 seconds felt like minutes! Welcome to California.  Well, doesn’t matter, I’m here to stay! Family is family, after all and we are closer than ever.

Exciting news: I’ve found a writing buddy. We are exhanging chapters and are reviewing them for each other. Thanks Tamara.

I’m reading a novel called ‘Still Alice’ by Lisa Genova. This book brings back many memories and worries about Alzheimer’s Disease, and about being alone. The caregiver is  alone. That’s why Adopt A Caregiver is so important to me. I can’t wait to get started on making some contacts and speaking to groups, this message is meant to be heard.

There is a caregiver in your community, and he/she is scared, lonely, feels alone and deserted, and is overwhelmed by the responsibilities she has inherited. All it takes is one friend, send an email, explain that you understand/you want to understand, and you will not desert her as so many do. Let her vent, do not judge, encourage her to journal, to open up and talk about what’s on her mind. She won’t want to, but if you stay and become her friend, she/he might open up to you.

If you want to know what it’s like to be in a new caregiver’s shoes, read my book, Behind The Mask, available at Amazon, and on my website. It was my secret journal that I wrote, when my husband was suddenly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Because we were the lucky ones, (seven years later, the doctors changed the diagnosis, and today my husband is fine) I’ve decided to spend the rest of my life supporting caregivers.

Give the gift that lasts forever, and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Behind The Mask

March 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Behind The Mask was written as a secret journal when my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 1993. We wre strongly advised to keep this diagnosis a secret so he could keep his consulting jobs and his position on the Board Of Directors at Toys R Us.

I had no one to talk to; I didn’t want to burden my children, as they had small children of their own. I started a secret journal on my computer and knew that no one would ever see it.

Seven years later the doctor changed his diagnosis to Age Associated Memory Impairment. I don’t think anyone knew what was going on during those seven years. Howard and I thought Alzheimer’s was really happening.

I was frightened, angry, alone, depressed and worried. I was going to lose the man I loved even though he would still look like Howard, walk like Howard, his voice would be Howard’s and yet the one thing he prized the most, his mind would be gone.

I tried to smile and keep my fears away from him; he had his own fears and rightfully so.

When I was sure that Alzheimer’s wasn’t going to happen, I showed Howard my journal. With tears in his eyes he said, “This is beautiful, it’s you, it’s our love story and maybe it will help someone else. Publish it.”

It took me a long time but I finally said to myself why not. If reading my story and standing in my shoes for a few hours would help someone I was all for doing it. I self published the book last year, and I am still getting comments that make me cry.

After hearing some of these comments, I realized that I could do more. And so I started my Adopt A Caregiver journey. It starts in your own community, there is always a caregiver who feels alone and depressed, someone who needs a friend.

All it takes is an email. A few minutes of your time to help support someone who badly needs someone to talk to.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene.

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Anne Frank Said

January 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Anne Frank said, “I want to write, but more than that, I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried in my heart.”

Wow, when I was her age, I thought maybe I’d like to be a writer, but who was I to dream that big? No teacher, no parent ever encouraged me, or asked me what I wanted. I was just goody two shoes.

Twenty years ago, while living in New York, a friend of a friend called me and said she would like to see our kissing art collection. I said okay. When she left she said that a book was bubbling in my heart and I should get it out on paper.

Boy, was that food for thought. I had a computer and around Thanksgiving time I thought about writing. I fooled with it, but didn’t know the craft or how to construct the story.

It wasn’t until we moved to California in 1990 that I decided for real that I wanted to learn how to write. So I joined the Orange County Romance Writers Of America and I tried to learn.  I admit it came hard to me, but I had several friends who helped me, and I am still in touch with two of them.

When we moved to Las Vegas, I started Sun City Anthem Authors in February, 2000. That was the best thing that happened to me. I blossomed, I learned and I found that writing from the heart is the only way I can write.

Behind The Mask, my secret journal written when my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 1993 was published this year. You see, in 2000, they changed his diagnosis, and I finally showed him my journal which no one had ever seen. He said to publish it, it might help someone else.

I think this was the most Bershert (‘meant to be) thing that ever happened in my life. Because what lies buried in my heart is all the caregivers going through their grief. I started a new journey, Adopt A Caregiver, and this year I will devote my passion, and my vision to making my dream of wiping away some of the caregivers tears, a reality.

With a little bit of help, I can do it. Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Three Things To Be Grateful For

November 11, 2008 By Leave a Comment

There are many more than three, but I’ll name the top three.

Husband, family, and Adopt A Caregiver.

Now that surprised me, I was going to say something else for number three, and Adopt A Caregiver just came tumbling out on the computer. It’s interesting how our minds work, isn’t it?

I gave an interview for a closed circuit TV in our Sun City today, maybe that was on my mind. Also writing has been on my mind, since I’m taking a Journaling Course for Caregivers, given by www.WritersAdvice.com. It’s been interesting, they know I’m no longer a caregiver, but it has given me lots of thoughts. About writing, about care giving, about not being a caregiver any more.

Many things in my life come back to: I want: I want to do a query letter for a writing book, I want to get Adopt A Caregiver some national attention, I want my journey of Adopt A Caregiver to be something everyone wants to do. I want to help the caregivers, wipe away some of their tears. I want the stigma to Alzheimer’s Disease to be gone. I don’t want to leave any caregiver all alone in their misery.  I want to give them the attention they deserve and desperately need. They need a friend, can you be that person?

Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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