Posts

Welcome to the blog site for Marc Alderdice.

Don’t Forget to Dance tells our story. It shows how Mary and I were different when we met and how our backgrounds affected how we approached life and Alzheimer’s, both before and after diagnosis. The book shows what we did or didn’t do, what worked or didn’t work, for our circumstances. It’s written so that others can feel what we felt and see why certain decisions were made, as opposed to an attempt to tell others what they might do under similar circumstances.

These blogs are to take our experiences beyond just our story and to attempt to provide helpful insights for others. Some posts will relate to dealing with specifics of Alzheimer’s. Others will expand on an experience or concept covered in the book or an important event, such as the pandemic, that occurred after the book was completed. Some will be related to how to prepare for a happier life that can apply whether Alzheimer’s is in someone’s future or not. There are steps that can be taken, whether before or after diagnosis, that can help ensure as much happiness as possible regardless of what’s in the future—even blissful as noted in the subtitle.

Please feel free to send me comments or ideas for topics you would like to see addressed.

Knowledge and Preparation

By Marc Alderdice / August 19, 2023 / 0 Comments

One concept I’ve learned in my experience with Alzheimer’s patients is the importance of combining these two words: knowledge and preparation. Simply put, the more you know about Alzheimer’s, the […]

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Two Mugs

By Marc Alderdice / May 30, 2022 / 0 Comments

There’s an expression that “a picture paints a thousand words,” implying that a photo, painting or image can convey a complex idea in a way that would take many words […]

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The Pandemic, Alzheimer’s, My Wife

By Marc Alderdice / July 29, 2021 / 0 Comments

The following article was published in Pen In Hand (a publication of the Maryland Writer’s Association) in July 2021: Assisted living facilities and nursing homes have been hit hard by […]

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Caregivers as Angels

By Marc Alderdice / May 10, 2021 / 0 Comments

I’ve learned that prayers are answered in different ways…sometimes overtly, sometimes subtly, sometimes through our own efforts, sometimes through other people. Often, we don’t even realize what’s happening until we […]

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Buffer the Bad Times with a Blessings List

By Marc Alderdice / April 11, 2021 / 0 Comments

My wife Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease over eleven years ago, and she has needed to be in an assisted living memory care facility for nearly nine years. There […]

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A Small Miracle with a Big Meaning

By Marc Alderdice / March 20, 2021 / 0 Comments

The following article was published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Navigating Eldercare & Dementia (June 2021): My wife Mary was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease over ten years ago […]

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Alzheimer’s Isolation in COVID-19 Times

By Marc Alderdice / June 20, 2020 / 0 Comments

Assisted living facilities and nursing homes have been hit hard by COVID-19, resulting in total lockdowns with residents and families not able to see each other, some residents even dying […]

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