My Husband Has Alzheimer’s

My husband has Alzheimer's just like millions of other men and women in the world. He was diagnosed in 2011. Both of our lives are drastically affected. Frank is mostly aware, healthy, funny, and recognizes close friends and family.

Throughout the 2020-2021 Covid-19 pandemic he became mentally more withdrawn and deteriorated more physically. And as consequence of the pandemic, this series became more focused for me. I started posting daily in March of 2020 on Instagram with a photo from our daily walk and snippets of conversation we have. It is a way to focus my lens on the personal experience and as my way of navigating these changes and being with him at the same time. It is also a way of sharing the journey with the wider world.

These days things goes awry quickly. Outwardly, to others he seems "fine." It's what's invisible that sometimes makes my life more heartbreaking. He desperately needs a lot of attention, affection and reassurance.

The average life expectancy from diagnosis to death is 8-10 years. He is defying those odds spectacularly. For this I am grateful.

I am photographing this journey and posting photographs with snippets of our conversations on Instagram at : www.instagram.com/janeparadisephoto

--

Radio interview on The Dune Tramp with Jane Paradise on WOMR: https://womr.org/podcast/photographer-jane-paradise