Poems That Bring Awareness To Alzheimer's Disease
Published: November 2019
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. It was first established by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. At that time, less than two million people suffered from the disease. It has now grown to over five million patients in the United States alone. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, there are treatments that help slow down the progression of the disease.
The Alzheimer’s Association has wonderful resources on their website about signs of Alzheimer’s, tips for living with the disease, help for caregivers, information on research and getting involved with support groups.
Whether you have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or have a loved one fighting this disease, we hope these poems will remind you that you are not facing this alone.
November is also National Family Caregivers Month. There are millions of people who care for their loved ones. These people selflessly make sacrifices to care for those with special needs, chronic illnesses, disabilities, and aging bodies and minds. This month is a time to honor family caregivers and give them the support they need.
Be sure to check out our other Aging Poems.
17 Poems About Alzheimer's Disease For Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
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1. Dementia
Help me to remember
What I forget each day.
Don't let the dementia
Take my memories away.
Keep reminding me
What we used to do,
And always remember
I'll always love you.
You are my beautiful child,
That will never change.
Though the dementia
Will make me act strange,
It's not my fault, my love.
It's the dementia that I have.
It's what is does to you,
So try not to be sad.
Just hold my hand
And try to reassure me.
If I'm very confused
Just change the story.
At times I will be there.
I'll remember little things,
But then it will fade again
And sadness it will bring.Featured Shared StoryMy friends Dad has this. She would love this poem.
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2. Changing Places
in Aging Poems
I see the sadness in your eyes,
The times that you are knowing
What's happening to your wondrous mind,
The symptoms you are showing.
It was so hard to recognize
When they started coming through.
The little things that changed you
From the person that I knew.
The doctor's confirmation
Was so hard to accept,
To know that little could be done,
That there's no cure as of yet.
Forgive me, dear, if sometimes
I give in to my frustrations.
It's just so overwhelming,
This change in our relations.
Now I'm the one to be on guard,
To keep you safe from harm,
Protecting you the best I can
And not showing my alarm.
I hope you still can understand
How much you mean to me.
Though you curse me or forget me,
I'll accept what has to be.
For I will still remember
The joys that we once shared.
You showed me in so many ways
How very much you cared.
I pray to God to give me strength
To do what must be done,
To trust that in the future
This battle will be won.Featured Shared StoryMemories! I was 53, he 54 when the complications of Alzheimer's took him. At his prime as an exporter, his secretary fell for him. I left and visited Canada for 3 months, but on my return,...
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3. For Mum
Your time has come to leave us, Mum.
Dad called you back to him.
The ballroom floor is ready
For your dancing to begin.
Although you left some time ago,
As your memory slipped away,
I hope you were remembering
When you danced the nights away.
You did so much throughout your life
But so much you couldn't recall.
I knew it was in there somewhere,
but it was hard to find it all.
You remembered lovely flowers
And the songs you used to sing,
Dancing to the operas,
And the joy they used to bring.
But it was hard for you to remember
Just who I was to you,
And you didn't know my name, Mum;
That was hard to recall too.
Once the fog has lifted,
And it's clearer for you to see,
I hope you will remember
Just how much you meant to me.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
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4. Dearest Mother, I Will Always Love You
in Dying Poems
When dementia creeps in through the back door,
Loving is needed, like never before...
An expressionless face, an empty heart,
A once dazzling life that had lost its spark.
I saw your sad tears and felt every fear
Of foggy days that for you never cleared.
All disappeared, those happy golden years,
Memories you held, so precious, so dear.
The loveliest of smiles, gone without trace.
Who was that stranger who dwelt in your place?
Tenderness was missing, none existing.
Care and affection you were resisting.
It sure broke my heart to see you like that
When we'd shared love and friendship in the past.
My one and only forever mother,
There couldn't have been a better another.
I still pray in hope, again and again
You didn't suffer any physical pain.
As you loved and cared, like a mother should,
I cared for you, as I promised I would.
I hope that these words to heaven get through,
"Dearest Mother, I will always love you."
Mom
1920 - 2008Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
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5. Last Embers Verse II
Each day you come and see me, I wonder who you are.
You seem so happy to sit beside me and give away your time.
As you tell me stories, I sit there in a dreamlike state of mind.
I don't know if I knew you, so many memories have passed me by.
You talk to me so much, but silence is all I can reply.
As you hold my hand, I see the tears swell up in your eyes.
You seem so happy to see me, yet still I make you cry.
You sob such soft and gentle tears, but I cannot reason why.
You talk of different places, but these four walls are all I see.
These walls I sit and look at are all the comfort that I need.
The walls provide safety; the life outdoors is not for me.
My life is slow and simple, the world outside confuses me.
Each day you're next to me, familiarity at my side.
You offer me love and kindness, but I have no emotions left to give.
Your face hides so much burden; I sense the end is near.
You watch me slowly drift away, like the last embers on the fire.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
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6. Living With Dementia
My mind is not what it once was:
wilting like a rose.
One thing you must remember:
this is not the life I chose.
Memories grow more distant
each and every day.
I never once considered
that I'd end up this way.
So please hold judgement.
Let me be.
Please be patient.
I am still me.
It takes a little longer now for me to understand
but with your help, I will.
My moods and symptoms vary,
but I am human still.
Dementia comes in many forms,
we need to spread the word.
Make everyone you know aware,
as they may not have heard.
I hope we find a cure one day,
for I feel like I'm stuck.
Researchers work very hard,
I pray they have some luck.
My mind is not what it once was:
wilting like a rose.
One thing you must remember:
this is not the life I chose.Featured Shared StorySometimes you just NEED a break. My parents' assisted living center is short on staff, and I'm trying to be there more. Last night I fed them BOTH and then (with my horrible back with tumors...
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7. Last Embers Verse I
The clarity of my mind has faded.
Those vibrant thoughts, slowly washed away.
Memories once so strong, are now so distant.
Names of those I held so dear, escape me now.
My life is confused, unclear, like the darkness of the night.
The warmth of stories old, no longer take me back.
A life remembered fondly by so many, is hidden to me now.
Solemn times, so cherished and adored, no longer come to mind.
People look at me so lovingly, but I know not who they are.
Loving faces so unfamiliar, they no longer bring a smile.
No sign of love is felt, nothing lights my eyes.
How I wish I knew these people, and why I make them cry.
You hold my hand, I feel no love, no sense of who you are.
My thoughts so barren of recollection, so empty to my voice.
A life bereft of meaning, emotion and desire.
My life once so radiant, just the last few embers of the fire.Featured Shared StoryI and (I'm guessing many hundreds of thousands of) others know exactly what you mean first-hand.
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8. A Forgotten Life
She resides in a home, sits in a chair,
Nothing to bother her, make her worry or care.
Caretakers to help her wash and dress,
Doing all that they can not to cause her distress.
She smiles and accepts the care that they give,
The meals and the medicines she depends on to live.
Her mind should have memories both good and bad.
Why can't she remember the life she once had?
Not aware of the people who came to see her today
Or what they told her, or how long the stay.
Family and friends she no longer knows.
Just a flicker of remembrance occasionally shows.
The memories are gone, now just a blank, empty space,
Remembering nothing she had before she came to this place.
Is she sad and afraid? She can't let us know
Because these are emotions she's unable to show.
All that's changed is her mind. She is still there,
The same person for whom I always will care.
I'll always remember what she means to me
Because she's my mum, who else could she be?Featured Shared StoryHello. I can so relate to what you have said. and of course more than what you have said. My Dad got dementia when he was 83. He wouldn't accept that he needed help and I would take weeks...
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9. The Greatest Loss
When the time came again to visit her there,
He'd feel that dark sense of despair.
He could already picture her sweet, gentle face,
Marred by that sad, empty stare.
Sometimes he'd wonder just where she had gone.
It was as if she was only a shell.
Most of the time she'd forget who he was,
Or she'd swear he was somebody else.
It was torture for him to see her like this,
Surrounded by other lost souls.
She was gradually losing herself every day.
There was nothing that she could control.
Her good days grew less and her bad days grew worse.
It was as if she had already died.
There were days he'd be willing to tell her good-bye.
She was existing, not living a life.
But oh how he'd long to see her again.
For a moment, to just catch a glimpse
Of that wonderful woman, so special and dear,
That dear wife he so desperately missed.
The cruelty of life was undeniable,
And the reality of death was a curse.
But watching that person he adored fade away,
For him, there had been nothing worse.
He wanted so much just to hold her
And together stroll down memory lane.
But the life they once knew stopped existing for her,
And she no longer could see him the same.
He held on for years, ever loyal and true.
She was still all that mattered in life.
And despite how much farther she drifted away,
His heart kept her always close by.
When that last moment came, he was with her.
He was there sitting right by her side,
And his heart filled with joy as she looked up at him,
And their love shined so bright in her eyes.Featured Shared StoryMy fiance and the love of my life had passed from cancer one year ago. My heart is forever scared, but I must go on with my life and raise my four-year-old daughter.
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10. On Your Shoulders
in Father Poems
I remember the times
You'd flip me onto your shoulder
Freefalling skyward
Taller, older
I felt like a giant
At that great height
And felt no fear
Just sheer delight
Safe in your hands
So sure and strong
Now they're gone
It feels all wrong
No more do I fly
And reach the stars
No more do I soar
That path of ours
Up and beyond
Your own great length
Above your heart
Upon your strength
Where always you kept
Me and us all
Where you could watch us
That we'd never fall
And always you'd work
Day after day
To give us a life
We'd love each day
And though you'd grump
And gripe and groan
You'd flash a smile
At coming home
Where we would sit
And eat home food
Sing to songs
That sang of blues
Like stories you'd tell
Of your young days
And how the world
Has changed its ways
You'd reminisce
Of your own dad
The happy times
That you two had
I'd smile and think
Of you and I
And him and you
And ache to cry
For as I knew
You'd lost your own
I knew that you'd
Leave me alone
I could only hope
And wish and pray
That each day
Would not be that day
So each night that
We'd sit and talk
I'd try to capture
Every thought
And every smile
Every laugh
In my mind
Like photographs
Now I replay
Your greatest hits
From our hours together
Our best bits
These are the memories
I now love
In my heart as your picture
In my glove
And swear that until
The day I go too
I'll never forget
And I'll always love you.Featured Shared StoryThis poem so reminds me of the relationship my Daddy and I had. He had a major surgery in 1971 and because of that and the effects of the anesthesia, his decline began. It took a while for us...
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11. I Still Hear My Mama Singing
in Aging Poems
Mama with her babies in her rocking chair, she sings
The soothing sound of lullabies,
Her voice so sweetly rings.
Singing in her rocking chair,
she holds her babies tight.
The soft voice of an angel
Keeps singing through the night.
As children crawl upon her lap
And play upon her knee,
She sings the silly, joyful tunes
They love so playfully.
Mama sang the hymns of blessings,
With love and grace so tenderly.
She sang "How Far is Heaven,"
And "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me."
When young years turn to golden
And memories go back in time,
She clenches now her dolly
And sings rhythm with a rhyme.
When words of songs have been forgotten,
She hugs her dolly tight.
She tries so hard to sing the words
But just can't sing it right.
She now sings la la la la la la la,
As she holds her dolly tight,Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
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12. Fading
in Aging Poems
I know that nothing ever lasts,
and my memories, they're fading fast,
but I have my photographs,
and I know we used to laugh.
You come and sit with me each day,
and I hear most of what you say,
but sometimes I don't understand,
and I'm so glad you hold my hand.
I wish that I could let you in
to see what lies beneath my skin
and let you wander through my mind
and let you watch my dreams unwind.
I try to recognize your face,
but it has changed in many ways.
Are you the girl that I adore?
Why can't I see her anymore?
I wish that I could explain
how nothing ever feels the same.
Now I'm lost and all alone,
and I can't find my way back home.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
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13. Dementia
There are times when things seem normal again
We laugh and talk about trivial things
We enjoy each other's company
But we can't deny the thought in our minds
Unspoken words of what lingers behind
Of knowing it will come sooner than we are ready for
I don't know if I will be able to stand the sorrow
Of losing you before your body goes
And sometimes I sit and cry alone
For it is hard to watch you slowly go....Featured Shared StoryThank you so much for both of your comments on two of my poems. I wrote both from my heart and experience as I do all my poems. It is rewarding to know that I was able to convey my feelings...
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14. Get Me Outta Here
in Aging Poems
Locked in this place
I want to go home
Surrounded with people
But I am all alone
How did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh. Hello there stranger
What is your name?
Ah! I have a sister
Her name's the same
But I never see her these days
Such a shame.
Locked in this place
Losing my mind
Sentenced for life
I committed no crime
Brought nothing with me
But everything's mine.
Oh. Hello there stranger
What is your name?
Ah! I have a sister
Her name's the same
But I never see her these days
Such a shame.
Why are you angry?
Is it something I said?
I just asked a question
That popped in my head
But you're looking at me
Like you wished I was dead.
Oh. Hello there stranger
What is your name?
Ah! I have a sister
Her name's the same
But I never see her these days
Such a shame.
Who are these creatures
Patrolling my day
Are they prison wardens
With nothing to say
I just want a taxi
And to be on my way.
Oh, they brought your dinner
Now eat up your food
So I'll leave you to it
Don't want to be rude
You talk with your family
I don't wish to intrude.
Did you bring me some matches
Did you get me a pen
Do you have any paper
I have a good plan
Do you have a car?
Who is that man?
Get all these people
Out of my face
I didn't invite them
This is MY place
They're stealing my things
It's a disgrace.
Everything's mine
I bought it you see
Now let me out
Where is the key?
Or I'll bash out your brains
So don't mess with me.
Well, you can't tie me up
That's illegal restraint
So you turn now to drugs
To dumb down my complaint
Try to turn this old devil
Into a saint
So plied now with drugs
You say that you hope
This now will help me
So you ply me with dope
And try to subdue me
With chemical rope.
I know why you do it
It is best for your purse
It's cheaper this way
Than employing a nurse
But d'you know what you're doing?
You're MAKING ME
WORSE!!!!Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
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15. Silent Day
in Aging Poems
There is stillness in my mind, molecules no longer attract each other.
I peer inside, the words no longer come to me.
A void instead has taken shape
An emptiness of forlorn dread has filled the space that once was me.
I gaze but do not see, a world of movement unmeaning to me now,
As if a fog had settled in and no wind to blow it clear,
I can't remember if I thought, of what and who and where and why,
I open my eyes to another day,
I open my eyes to another day,
I open my eyes to another day.
Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
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16. She May Not Remember Tomorrow
in Aging Poems
Every morning
He helps her get up,
Get ready for a day
That she may not remember tomorrow.
Once a year,
I walk in the door,
Give her a hug
That she may not remember tomorrow.
She goes outside,
Picks berries on the farm,
Feels like a hard worker
That she may not remember tomorrow.
The neighbors come over,
Trish and Tilly.
Feels like Grandma
That she may not remember tomorrow.
She goes to Terry's
For a home cooked dinner,
Has laughs and entertainment
That she may not remember tomorrow.
Being against a harmful disease.
I thank the Lord for
All of the time that I have with her, knowing
She may not remember me tomorrowFeatured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
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17. Long Goodbyes
in Aging Poems
Nancy Reagan once said, "Alzheimer's is just another word for a long goodbye"
Doctor's told us that Alzheimer's is a horrible disease that strips you of your dignity and pride.
Nurses told us that some go back to their childhood and some act like they're five.
And we have all said, "We love her so much," but she has changed; she's just not the same.
You see, the doctors were wrong, you could never take away our mother's dignity or pride.
Did she lose her dignity by asking us to bathe her, dress her, love and care for her?
I say no, because she did all those things and more for us.
The nurses were concerned about Mom going back to childhood.
But if you could, how many of you would love to be five again?
To remember that beautiful dress that Grandmother made just for you
Or to remember that little house that you grew up in
Or to maybe remember that special friend that you have missed for so long.
So maybe being five again wasn't so bad after all.
We have all said or at least thought, "She has changed; she's just not the same."
But even with Alzheimer's, Mom's love never changed.
Mom's love stayed the same.
So, maybe Nancy Reagan was right.
Alzheimer's is a long goodbye.
But I thank God for this extra time.
Time not to say goodbye but time to love and honor her, as she did us.
So we say goodbye for now Mother, but only for a little while,
For in Heaven there are no "long goodbyes."
In Heaven there is only eternity.Featured Shared StoryMy dear grandma, Doris, left us in January. She left an awful heartache in our hearts. She let an impression on me and all my family. She was a beautiful woman with a heart of gold. Friendly...
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