The past year has certainly been a difficult year for us all, and difficult times are when we must be resilient.  When my grandmother suddenly passed away of COVID-19 last month, I knew I had to stay strong for the rest of my family.  But sometimes we can’t be strong; sometimes we must break down.  And that does not mean that we are not resilient.  As a matter of fact, showing our vulnerabilities is actually a huge part of resilience.  Exposing our weaknesses proves that we have the strength to reveal even the innermost parts of ourselves.  

My grandmother, Rayna, was an extremely strong woman.  She was domestically abused by an absent husband, who soon left my newborn father and grandmother alone to fend for themselves.  Both of her parents died of Alzheimers, and even though she was heartbroken by their slow deterioration, she stayed strong for my father.   She had cancer not once, but twice, and through all of these hardships, Grandma was the strongest person I have ever known.  Throughout her life, she never let any of these obstacles dim her witty, sage, and vivacious personality.

As Sweet Readers, we must always remain resilient when faced with the adversities of interacting with elders who have alzheimers.  It can be difficult to not become sad, or pitiful of the adults.  But remaining resilient is the most imperative job of a good Sweet Reader.  

And so, whether you are in one of our programs, a parent, or just reading this newsletter to remain informed, I urge you all to remember the strength of those around you during these difficult times, and to also remember that there is an abundance of strength in revealing your weaknesses.