Eliezer Sobel’s mother, Manya, endured a 20-year journey with Alzheimer’s disease, and he and his wife, Shari Cordon, played a critical role in her last six years by managing her at-home care until she passed away at 95. They simultaneously cared for his father, Max, who had been her chief caregiver until the age of 90. Unfortunately, he then suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury from falling backward down a stairwell, landing on his head and entering a state of dementia quite suddenly. Instantly, there were two patients to care for, both living at home. Eliezer and Shari moved into his parent’s house—his childhood home—that very night.
Gradually, over time, he discovered that in addition to the familiar tragic and sometimes violent stages of the disease progression, there were simultaneously many moments of genuine joy, laughter and deep healing that occurred for him and his family. At one point he actually found himself being grateful to Alzheimer’s for restoring the mother-son love that had been mostly strained for much of his adult life.
FROM ELIEZER:
“I sincerely hope this memoir of our caregiving years provides a balance to all the sad and often horrific accounts of Alzheimer’s that are available in abundance. Instead, my intention was to share the “silver lining” I discovered that recast my whole experience in a positive light, and I deeply want to share that possibility and opportunity with you, while not sugarcoating the many difficult trials we also endured.”
