Pandemic Punctures Alzheimer's and Dementia Sufferers.

• Author: Skinner, Lisa
• Position: MIND & BODY

I believe isolation is like solitary confinement.... It's a punishment, a torture. Solitude is a terrible thing, and we weren't going to let that happen to our mother.

THE World Health Organization reports that an estimated 55,000.000 people have Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. That number is expected to increase to approximately 66,000,000 by 2030 and to more than 115,000,000 by 2050. The progression rate can vary widely. According to the Mayo Clinic, those who have Alzheimer's live an average of between three and 11 years after diagnosis. However, some with the disease live two decades or more.

"Of the over 6,000,000 people in the U.S. who have Alzheimer's disease, 70% remain at home, an option that's been shown to keep people healthier and happier and help them live longer," according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Country music singer and songwriter Phil Vassar and his two sisters agreed to share the story of their mother, Dianne, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease about five years ago. It is a heartwarming tale of a family's devotion to their mother and what led them to make their decision regarding her care as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Hey Mom, how are you doing today? Do you have your coffee?" asked Phil when he logged into FaceTime for a video call with his mom, just like he did every day. His mother lived alone in Lynchburg, Va., where he and his two sisters grew up in a very loving home. Phil and his mom enjoyed their daily coffee klatches via FaceTime, but it also was the way that he was able to check on her since her Alzheimer's diagnosis. Dianne was now in her early 70s and noticeably had been forgetting things, which was unusual for her.

Their mom had always been their rock, and the three of them worried about the number of unaccounted-for hours of the day when one of them was not visiting or speaking with her over the phone. They agreed they would implement an alternative plan once they believed she had reached that stage in her Alzheimer's disease.

During the period that Dianne lived alone, Phil would have her come stay with him in Nashville for months at a time. She really enjoyed her visits with him. Moreover, she was able to see her five grandchildren, who also lived in Nashville. Dianne loved being close to her grandchildren and being a part of their lives. It was something that she truly treasured. They all had a wonderful time together and many of Phil's friends would visit Dianne while she was...