Grace Kirkland: Case Presentation

Grace Kirkland was a caring wife and mother, an accomplished seamstress, a generous hostess and an excellent cook. She generously gave of herself to church activities and to welcoming new members to the congregation. Her lovely vivacious personality and quick smile made people respond positively to her.

When Grace was 66 years old her family noted memory problems. In church, the choir director noticed a deterioration in her highly regarded music ability. The family physician, in consultation with a neurologist, suggested a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. 

She would often misplace her car in crowded parking lots and would not recognize friends that she met unexpectedly.

At age 72, Grace was having difficulty preparing meals. A year later, she was no longer independently participating in family life. At times, she sat and stared into space, or cried for no particular reason. Dramatic and abrupt mood swings were continuous. At 74 years of age, Grace had nearly total absence of short-term memory and she could no longer be left at home alone safely. She attended an adult day care center until her behavior became too disruptive for the staff to handle.

Ten years after the diagnosis, Grace no longer talked except for a rare word. She would pace up and back to the kitchen or sit quietly in an armchair. Through this period Glenn cared for Grace in their home. In these later years, his responsibilities included all domestic chores and personal care of Grace who was no longer able to look after her own needs. Despite her deterioration, Glenn made extensive efforts to involve Grace in family life, and to challenge her to participate in such activities as dressing. He continued to provide daily cognitive stimulation.

After retiring from his career as a physicist, Glenn became very involved in statewide and national educational efforts on Alzheimer's disease, sharing his personal story and his caregiving tips.

Glenn was faced with the prospect
of placing Grace in a different environment for the final stages
of the disease.

This is the most difficult decision for all family caregivers. In the 11th year from the time of diagnosis, Glenn placed Grace in a foster care home. On weekends he brought Grace home and they enjoyed walks together.

On May 22, 1990, at age 79, Grace Kirkland died peacefully in her sleep. Glenn Kirkland continued to work with great energy to educate the community and professional audiences on Alzheimer's disease until his death on August 11, 2008.

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