A friend of mine has recently brought her mother in to live with her because her mother’s Alzheimer’s has stepped up the pace of its attack. Her mother is highly functional and has very clear moments, but at the same time, the basic inner dynamic is that she doesn’t initiate action. She’ll eat, but not unless it’s put in front of her. She’ll bathe if taken to the shower, etc. It is as if her inner life has completely overwhelmed her daily existence. She is also starting to wander, another cause for concern and action. In mid-December, my friend awoke at 5 am to find her mother gone from the house. Four hours later they found her – about 4 miles away. I’ve seen the mother several times, but couldn’t get a sense of how old she is. I asked.

"65."

I was shocked.

My friend nodded her head ruefully. "Yup. She’s got her physical health, she’s got plenty of money (from owning and managing property), but she’s getting more and more helpless by the day."

The lesson she’s taking away: "Don’t waste a minute that you have, because sooner than you can say, it will be gone…"