Enjoy another wonderful poem by one of our community members. Jennifer Wolk shares what it’s like to care for both parents diagnosed with dementia. THANK YOU, JENNIFER!

If you are interested in reading more poems, articles, or submitting one of your own to Alzheimer’s Speaks please visit https://alzheimersspeaks.com/community-contributions-poetry-articles/

Pieces of you start to fade

your memories, your laugh, your smile.

I hold on to you

while you try to hold on to yourself.

Conversations that once lasted hours

slowly become silence

and blank stares.

Still, I hold on to the pieces of you

while you hold on to what remains.

The strength of your touch,

Once was so sure,

begins to weaken

but we still hold on.

Your love,

the love that once filled a room,

still fills our hearts  

Bits and pieces may slowly fade,

but your love, your endless love

will never fade.

Written by Jennifer Wolk

Both of Jennifer Wolk’s parents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Her mom was diagnosed 7 years ago, shortly after she had her daughter.  She is now at the later stages of Alzheimer’s and is on hospice care.

Jennifer’s dad was recently diagnosed 6 months ago and is still in the beginning stages. She wrote this poem as a way to get her thoughts and feelings out on paper, as the past several years have brought a lot of sadness, and now they are going to go through the same heartache again with my dad.

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