....and it was devastating to her, yes, but also extremely devastating to me and my family as we saw her decline right here, every day, as the center-piece of our home life. She had little awareness in the last year of her life, often having no clue who I (or anyone else) was. We did our best to make her last time on this Earth comfortable and loving, but it was a constant struggle as daily she lost the ability to do the daily tasks of living. I am so fortunate to have such a loving, supportive husband and grown (college age) children. I can imagine many marriages and families strained to breaking under this kind of stress.
So I have decided I never want to do this to my family. If I am ever diagnosed with this awful disease, I want the choice to check out early. There are ten states where physician assisted suicide is legal. This will be my choice. Google it if you are interested. It's sad that this is where we are in this country, but it's wrong that children and other family members have to give up their lives to care for a loved one 24/7 whose quality of life is long gone and there is literally NOTHING you can do to make it better for them, while it tears your own life apart.
Another major issue is that there is almost nothing available in the way of REAL support for family members taking on this gargantuan responsibility. Respite care is extremely difficult to find, and the cost of in-home care is staggering. Memory care facilities (by and large) do not give adequate care, but also charge exorbitant rates. Family members still end up at the facility often daily to monitor and supervise care. It's just an awful situation all the way around.