Daughter Finds Meaning In Dementia Care

"I’ve parented and now I’m swivel chairing and parenting again – and I wouldn’t have it different. She’s my mom.”

Darlene Wischmeyer is from the Greece area and grew up in a three-generation household. Her grandmother had been diagnosed with dementia. More recently, her mother received the same diagnosis.

“I think I wanted to ignore something may have been wrong with my mom,” Darlene said. “My brother and I suspect that things started to go awry sooner than we even noticed.”

“It was rough to realize not only do your parents grow older, but you may lose them in a different way.”

Darlene sought help from the care team at the Memory Center at Unity.

“Going through Dr. Bruns and the Memory Center, Mom could go to one place instead of specialist after specialist,” Darlene said. “Dr. Bruns is a very soft-spoken, genuinely-caring individual. You felt that when she came into the hospital room with my mom. But she asked me how I was. That just speaks volumes, not only about her character, but how she looks at this ailment, at this disease, that it’s not just the patient but the patient’s family. That’s huge.”

“It’s okay to admit you need help,” Darlene said. “It’s okay to admit and take that help.”

“She’s held my hand, so it’s my turn.”