Quote:
Originally Posted by Average Guy
Why is it that people make jokes about Alzheimer's disease? People don't seem to joke about other deadly diseases with no cure. For people who have had relatives or other loved ones suffer and die from this disease, it is hard to find the attempted humor as funny.
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Gracie's post above is excellent. My wife and I took care of my mother for more than six years in our house. Twenty four hours a day. One's mother, who back when, was one's mom who was all love, caring and wisdom. The change is radical and heart wrenching, and one of the greatest thank you's children can give in returning care and comfort.
Because we are human, and not trained as either caretakers or unfeeling robots, we need to release pressure, often with the loved one. And yes, joking is a release and a needed one. It doesn't detract from the quality of caregiving or the sadness of the overall situation - it allows one to get through it as certain times.
Maybe this is a bit off topic, but I remember, back in NYC, many many of my friends were police officers. The way they could laugh at some of the things they saw and encountered on their jobs astounded me. They made light of some really bad situations, and they told me why. It made sense, and joking and kidding in these situations makes sense too.