"Travelers, there is no path, paths are made by walking." Antonio Machado
Probably each of us comes to a point in life where life calls us to go beyond any path we have previously trod. I felt that way when my first marriage came to a point where it could not be reconciled, and I have felt that way many times since. In caring for someone with dementia, a caregiver must make her or his own path. No one can tell us how to do it, and if we allow others to impose their opinions on us, it will kill our spirit. When we became aware that we were dealing with dementia, I consciously chose to provide care for as long as was feasible for me, and to provide care with dignity, respect and graciousness. There came a time when I was not able to do that any more, and that was the time for other options of care. Whatever decisions you have before you, no one can tell you which path to take. Only you can decide what is right and true for you, and then you make your own path -- with the love and support of those who can see that you have chosen rightly.
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