by Jennifer Winchester

Created on: July 12, 2008

Alzheimer's Disease is such a devastating challenge for families, and the precise logistics of the disorder are still quite unknown. There are no cures, and even the etiology is hazy. While it would certainly depend upon the child's age, it is absolutely important that families understand this disease as best they can, and that would include the young children whose grandparents are suffering from Alzheimer's. If the child has had a relationship with the grandparent, it could be more hurtful for the child not to see him/her before the disease, or another ailment, takes their life. Such obstruction could leave the child asking many questions and missing their grandparent tremendously because they were withheld from any kind of visitation. There are certain things in this society that children should be sheltered from - drugs, alcohol, rape, disparity - but a disease of the brain is not one of them. The key to understanding and accepting Alzheimer's is education and research, and who better to educate than our nation's children?

People with Alzheimer's Disease may likely forget your name, their own name, where they've put things, and a great portion of their life in general. What they can feel, and hold onto, is love. They need to know that you care because as far as they are concerned, they don't know much of anything else at all. They can truly feel the love from an embrace or from a smiling child. Introduce your child to the circumstances through literature. There are some fantastic books on the subject including "What's Wrong With Grandma? A Family Experience With Alzheimer's", "Remember Me", and "Through Tara's Eyes: Helping Children Cope With Alzheimer's Disease". If there is concern over how the child will handle their grandparent forgetting them, then educate the child on the process if they are able to understand.

Younger children can participate in the care of their grandparent but helping to create a memory box, or a scrap book. Have the child fill a memory box with photos, specific memories, and letters. This will not only help your loved one cope with the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease but will also help the grandchild feel as though they are helping as well. These concepts also help to put a positive spin on a tragic situation. Adolescents and older children can handle more detailed information on the life expectancy and details of the disorder. However, they can also be extremely helpful and that would help to make them feel better about the situation. They can read stories to their grandparent or simply help around the home. They are also old enough to have significant memories of their grandparent and telling stories could help keep those positive memories on the front burner as their grandparents' time nears the end.

Just because they are children does not mean they don't deserve a certain level of respect and affection. Too often parents try to protect their children from a multitude of things and the children lose independence, strength, and understanding on a variety of topics. Surely the parents think they are doing what is best for their children, and that is commendable. However, there is a real world out there and they will, God willing, be participating citizens. There is no such thing as a time too early to educate one's child.

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