Deterioration

My father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease a number of years ago.  Up until how he has been living at home, with my mother looking after him.  Dad is going to be 84 next spring and physically is in pretty good shape for his age.  But this horrible illness has taken him away from us all.  In the past six months his mental condition has drastically deteriorated.  Up until fairly recently a person could still carry on a simple conversation with him.  He got a little mixed up from time to time, but there was still a pretty good level of understanding.  Now even that is gone and he can not comprehend or concentrate on even the simplest things.  My brothers and I have been pleading with my mother for the last few years for her to get some help in looking after Dad.  He needs attention 24/7 and she has been the sole caregiver for all these years.  With this recent deterioration the time has come to put Dad into long term care, and Mom has finally given in.  These are very difficult times for Mom and I'm sure she has reservations and feels some guilt over what she has had to do.  But, my brothers and I fully support the decision and recognize that there is no other choice.  Dad has been placed into a long term care facility just a couple miles away from the acreage on Windermere Drive.  This past weekend my brother Greg and I started moving some of Dad's furnishings over to the new place.  His room won't be ready for a couple of days, but this coming week he will move in.  I'm hoping that he takes it well and accepts his new home.  I know the man that my father was would not want to burden my mother with this curse of looking after him in this condition.  If he was capable of understanding this situation and recognizing how difficult it is, he would be the first to check himself into long term care.  But the man that he has become is very mixed up and irritable, so it may take some time for him to settle in.  This certainly has not been an enjoyable time as we help Mom to get things set up for Dad....   But, Mom can not continue to do this and is getting really burnt out.  She can live independently for some time to come, even out on the acreage, but not with the burden of constantly being on watch over Dad.  He will be in place where he is kept comfortable and safe and will be well looked after.  And, it is very close by and convenient for us to all drop in and see him, and take him out from time to time.  I took this portrait of Dad in 2008.  Sad but true.... but all good things must come to an end...