A Family Takes Care of A Mother with Dementia

While my family and I have made plans for assisted self-death if/when my dementia increases to a point where “a worthwhile life”—as our family understands—is no longer possible, I have deep respect and admiration for family that decide otherwise and care for a family member until his or her “natural” death. Here is a video of one such family. While I do not want to live like Pam White and do not want Peter to have to take care of me like Ed White takes care of his wife, I think that this choice has as much love and so-called “dignity” as any other choice a family or individual makes. The video consists of 5 chapters, each only a few minutes long. I hope you will take the time to watch it. I do suggest you watch at least chapter 4, which shows the couple’s daily life. What a portrait of love!

You may also be interested in a New York Times article by Paula Span about the same family and the film, The Genius of Marian, that the couple’s son Banker White made about his mother’s dementia.