The extra tasks when caregiving in a cold climate

“I’ve never been so cold in my life.”

I recently visited Washington, D.C., and it was cold — perhaps not by the standards of northern states, but bitter compared with my home in South Florida. Now, I’ve been colder in my life, but the quotation above pumped through my mind while I was there, prompting a warm memory of my mother.

She said those words early in her dementia journey and my caregiving adventure when, a year or so after my father’s passing, his only brother passed away, too. My mother wanted to pay her respects and say goodbye, so she, my sister, and I boarded a flight to Chicago from South Florida. It was our first and only flight following our mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, and as you might imagine, it was quite a trip.

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We arrived at O’Hare International Airport, deplaned, and made our way to the shuttle bus. Mom was bundled against the cold, but we were less so. Having concentrated on keeping our mother warm, my sister, Ruth, and I didn’t have an impressive cold-weather wardrobe, given that we were typically in such a warm climate. We pushed our mother’s wheelchair out of the airport and into the outdoor cold to await shuttle transportation. It was night, and we waited for what seemed a long time.

There, waiting in that frigid air, was where my mother began repeating, “I’ve never been so cold in my life.” I expect her short-term memory prompted her to offer the sentence at measured intervals. Either way, my sister and I giggled each time she said it.

Fast-forward to this month. Standing on a street in Washington, wearing my mother’s goose-down coat, I found myself smiling and remembering her words: “I’ve never been so cold in my life.” Snow lay deep on the ground, the temperature was below freezing, yet I thought of my mother and felt warm inside.

The special breed of cold-climate caregivers

My recent visit to the nation’s capital made me think of caregivers who help loved ones in cold-weather states. While I’ve taken it for granted all these years, keeping loved ones warm, whether inside or outside the house, can be a chore. Dressing warmly involves constantly pulling layers on and off, so simply helping a parent in the bathroom could be a challenge.

If you’re a caregiver who braves such tasks throughout the winter, my hat’s off to you.

Admittedly, I haven’t given it much thought until recently. Doctor appointments always present a challenge, but transporting a wheelchair or walker over an icy sidewalk requires careful planning. I suppose it’s standard to bundle up an older loved one before climbing into the car and unbundling them at the doctor’s office, only to bundle them up again for the ride home.

If your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, all of the above is coupled with explaining and explaining again why it’s necessary to go out into the cold.

Seasons change

Caregiving duties are primarily the same from season to season, but gratefully, seasons change. For everything, there is a season, even caregiving.

When attending to Alzheimer’s disease, caregiving through winter can seem as dim and bleak as the season’s bare trees. Perhaps you’ve never felt this cold in your life. But have hope, loving caregivers; one day you’ll look back and feel warm inside. Winter doesn’t last too long — just long enough.

Note: Alzheimer’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Alzheimer’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Alzheimer’s disease.