Living in the present

Often it is difficult to visit someone who does not remember. But does that really matter? I recently read “The Present Moment in Dementialand,” which explains: You probably don’t remember your first birthday party, but your parents celebrated it.

Is creating a memory the only reason to do something? “Live in the moment,” the author advises. I can relate. After a day of many visitors, I recall my loved one saying, “I don’t know those people but you sure had a fun party!”

There was no need to explain who they were. All that mattered was that she enjoyed herself.

– Betsie Gambel, The New Orleans 100