For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 04, 2018

That’s going to make a lot of omelets!

Remember this was drawn originally in the 1980s when dementia and Alzheimer’s were not well understood, The culture back then was both were the accepted finality of aging. today we know both are medical conditions and not all elderly get them like we thought back then. Some elderly stayed sharp until the day they die. From my perspective, I believe the key to avoiding either illness is to stay active and simulated. Exercise the brain. When elderly start hurting in the body, making quality of life difficult, they start sitting down, becoming inactive, and brain often follows. That needs to be avoided. Find ways to keep the brain active.

Mother is optimistic about this years egg crop!

I understand why he’s moving her to a home, but I still find it sad when that time comes. People in homes rarely get visitors, and they can become confused, scared, and lonely. Again: I completely understand why people have to be put in homes, but it’s still an unfortunate thing.

@ROSETTE: There are an increasing number of alternatives now, as we learn more and more about some of the diseases that actually are genetic and can appear at a much younger age than supposed. There is now a type of community called ‘co-housing’, where families move in as if its a condo (they own the ‘common area’ like the condomium does, and each family owns its own home.) But the difference is that the common area includes a residence where people can go to stay once they no longer can take care of themselves in their own home, and people in the co-housing community visit everyday, and take turns helping them with stuff like getting dressed and eating. The co-housing group can also hire caretakers to live in the residence with those in need of help. So everyone stays in the same neighborhood as they age. Another alternative is called ‘continuing care’. You move in to a community that has ‘independent living’ homes (usually small single family homes or duplexes; then, as you need more help, you are able to move into the assisted living building that is in the same development. Finally, if you reach the point where you need more intensive care, there is a nursing home on the same campus. But your family members who may still live in the independent living home or in the assisted living residence are right there and can visit as often as they, and the resident, can manage it…

@CAPRICORN9TH: As we come to know more and more about dementia and other diseases of the brain, it is found that there is a strong genetic component and onset can begin much younger. Recently our Florida State Representative, Scott Plakon, lost his 58 year old wife Susie to Alzheimer’s; she died in his arms. He tried to take care of her till the very end. He was appointed to a research committee that is looking much more deeply into how to manage these conditions. Years ago, my late Uncle Hal lost his wife Sarah, also in her 50s, to early onset. Neither of these women were sedentary. Susie had children she actively took care of and my aunt was the bookkeeper for her husband’s business. It’s always helpful to stay active at all ages, but we have much to learn about these terrible diseases…

I find this to be incredibly sad, but it’s also why I love this comic strip. It shows real life issues.

The good thing is I think they are motivated sellers. Bad thing, it’s going to take more than 30 days to clear that place out.

I’m still trying to figure out if this woman is the man’s MOTHER or his WIFE.

Hope I die before I get old!

Has anyone else noticed that the colorist is staying consistent with last Sunday’s strip? Elly has been wearing a teal outfit and Georgia is in red. No lavender or purple this week.

Reminds me of the last episode of The Sopranos where Tony finds his uncle Junior in a home. Tony tries to get his last affairs in order with his uncle who cannot remember, simply remarking “that’s nice” when Tony says “we used to run north Jersey together”. Tony does not cry, but looks like he is about to, thinking this must be a worst fate than being murdered.

As a spouse who’s increasingly becoming a caregiver, I have to say that even though a lot of this is incredibly difficult, you have to find the humor and keep things “normal” for as long as possible (i.e., don’t treat him like a patient or a child). My husband was an active musician until jut a few months ago, exercising and being active, retired college prof. But there’s still no guarantee that if you do or don’t do certain things, you won’t get Alzheimer’s. His mother had early-onset, so there’s almost certainly some genetic component.

Bearing in mind the date of the original comic, I’d be willing to bet those egg cartons were cardboard. People used to save them up until they had enough to sound proof their basements for the “rec room”.

Speaking of egg cartons, here’s a tip, if you have a fire place that burns real wood: a good fire starter: use the lint from the dryer to fill up an egg carton and when it is full use it as a fire starter in your fire place.

Yippee ! Egg cartons ! Now Phil can build that sound recording studio !!

I’ve actually done this. Those paper egg cartons make terrific sound baffling for a recording studio. Great for soundproofing a room.

Panel the walls and ceiling with them, using either staples or a mastic glue, then spray paint them whatever color you desire.

That first panel makes me want to cry! As the live-in care-giver for my elderly mother, I want to keep her here in her house as long as possible, and I’ve made some major lifestyle changes to improve my own health and lifespan to try to make that happen. It’s the best way I can honor her and repay her for all she’s done for me!

My wife’s spinster aunt was a medical doctor, but as she started succumbing mentally to mini strokes, she started saving all the styrofoam trays that meat comes in. My grandfather was on night oxygen in the nursing home, and after he died, my uncle couldn’t open his nightstand drawer, because he had shoved every one of these he could in there.

My living grandmother is heading down this path, but has been hoarding things since well before her mental decline set in. My grandfather used to like those tiny Duchess one serving pecan pies, and I found that she had saved a whole dang stack of them, and grandpa’s been gone 15 years.

I don’t see anyone drawing the line between feeding the nonexistent chickens and the punchline basement filled with egg cartons with nonexistent eggs. I would talk about the punchline, but someone might misinterpret my comment to be that I was mocking the elderly.

I am currently in a huge study (evidently international) of medications to retard or reverse the main cause of Alzheimer’s and dementia (brain plaque). After about six months, it seem that it really doesn’t help me, or that I have been on the placebo.

Not necessarily dementia…hoarders collect odd objects (lots of odd objects).