The importance of memory
I went to see my friend the other day, at the memory care facility where she lives. She has been there for several years now and, at this point, she doesn't remember who I am but I think she feels my friendship so I keep going back, about once a month. Memory is a funny thing. As she sinks deeper into dementia, the things she remembers have to do with her childhood. She can remember the address of the house she grew up in, but nothing about the lake house where she lived with her husband for the last 20 plus years. Our conversations are circular, with the same topics being covered over and over on a short loop. On that particular day she said that none of her family come to see her, except her mother. Her mother, of course, has been gone for many years. One thing that she says over and over is, "I'm not unhappy here; I have three meals a day and people to talk to, but there's no connection." By "connection" I think she means shared history, memories. Des...
