Dementia Resilience with Jill Lorentz

Dementia Resilience with Jill Lorentz


DRwJL – Jill Gets Personal -Dementia Has Hit My Family Too Many Times & I’m Angry-

July 09, 2019

Jill & Her Mama Dee

This is a difficult show for me this week. I have reached a place where I am angry and frustrated, just like all of you, that the dementia rollercoaster never seems to end for my family. Younger onset, meaning before age 65, is prevalent in my family. My mom, age 56, my brother age 56, now others in my family are showing signs, again at young ages.

I am in a support group on Facebook where people find they have Alzheimer's as early as 24 years old. The entire group is part of the DIAN study for younger onset. This is a study that is worldwide and all of these brave people are involved in a research trial to try to end this horrible disease. I hear heart breaking stories like a mom with 5 kids ages 17-34 and all have Alzheimer's, passed down through their father who just passed away at age 52. I hear how nobody in some families ever reach old age.

I teach classes for people with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's (PD) and I feel for my PD friends as well. They will get rest tremors in their 20's. Talk about unfair. I love all my people out their so much and I pray for all of you often.

Eight people in my family have had some type of dementia. I am really sick of it. There I said it! It pisses me off and I want off of this ride. I never asked for it, no one did. I've centered my life around helping people live with this disease and just for today, I am screaming to the roof tops that I am tired. I will get back in the game tomorrow, after I throw myself on my bed and cry for an hour...I'll see you all again soon.