Contact: Adam Cothes, WinePress Publishing Group, 360-802-9758, adam@winepressgroup.com
ENUMCLAW, Wash., Dec. 10 /Christian Newswire/ -- We are afraid of losing ourselves--of losing our mental capacity. Unfortunately for many in the aging baby boomer population, our greatest fear will come true; nearly 50 percent of American seniors will develop some form of dementia.
Floyd Fought and his wife, Wilma, were victims of this statistical probability. After nearly 50 years of ministry in the United Methodist Church, the Foughts retired and moved into their newly-renovated home on the shore of Lake Erie. They dreamed of travel, winters in Florida, and visits with their four children. They had lived full lives; now it was time to savor the benefits of retirement.
One month after they retired, their physician diagnosed Wilma with early-stage Alzheimer's. The couple's journey into a happy future was thrown into confusion and chaos. "We were at the beginning of this degenerative, debilitating disease that robs its victims of every skill and ability until there is nothing left but a breathing, non-comprehending, non-communicating shell of a human being," recalls Floyd Fought.
His most painful experience came the day Wilma no longer recognized her children. "It was as though the person I married in 1946 no longer existed." Unwilling to give in to this devastating disease the affects nearly 6 million people, Floyd thought "outside the box" and willingly devoted himself to 24/7 caregiving. "The quality of volunteer home care, in many cases, exceeds the quality of institutional care," he believes.
In his new book, "The Long Road to Goodbye," Fought recounts his and Wilma's pilgrimage through Alzheimer's, explaining how his caregiving "was a transfer from caring for a congregation to caring for one single individual." In addition to detailing his personal experiences, Fought offers hands-on tips for others who are journeying through Alzheimer's. "The difficulties of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's is limited only by the caregiver's imagination," he asserts. Fought advises families how to evaluate health care options, cope with the demands of in-home caregiving, plan an estate, build a support team, and seek respite care.
Fought says his experience with Alzheimer's profoundly impacted--and anchored--his faith in God. "My life was out of control... I chose to surrender my need to control to God. In return, I gained an unbelievable sense of security. Nothing I could say or do would drive God away."
For a media review copy or to schedule an interview please contact Adam Cothes.
