EARLY, WITH DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES.
♪ >> IT WAS GOOD, REALLY A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
HE WAS HAPPY.
I WAS HAPPY.
>> LIFE WAS GOOD FOR HER AND HER HUSBAND.
HE WAS A FIXTURE IN WATERTOWN, A POPULAR BARTENDER, DIRECTOR OF THE FOOD PANTRY, AND YOUTH SOCCER COACH, BLESSED WITH TWO DAUGHTERS, A SHARED LOVE OF FISHING, BUT WHEN THEY EMBARKED
ON A HOME RENOVATION PRODUCT -- PROJECT, ALFREDO BEGAN ACTING UNUSUALLY.
>> I WENT TO BUY SOME CURTAINS, AND MY CREDIT CARD WAS DECLINED, AND I WAS CONFUSED, AND I WENT TO THE BANK, AND EVERYTHING WAS GONE, AND I WENT TO THE ATM TO PAY CASH, AND IT WAS GONE.
>> SHE NOTICED HER HUSBAND GETTING CONFUSED WITH DIRECTIONS, HIS MOOD AND TEMPORA RATTED, AND NOW, HE HAD WIPED OUT HIS SAVINGS -- HIS MOOD AND TEMPER ERATIC.
SHE FOUND THAT HE HAD TOTALLY MISMANAGED THE RENOVATION, BUYING SOME ITEMS REPEATEDLY, MAXING OUT CREDIT CARDS, TAPPING INTO A HIGH INTEREST LOAN.
>> IT WAS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT.
HE TOOK THE GIRLS’ ACCOUNTS.
MASS CONFUSION.
>> WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WOULD BE YEARS OF CONFUSION AND MISDIAGNOSIS UNTIL IT WAS CONFIRMED HE HAD ALZHEIMER'S AT THE AGE OF 48, AND THE DISEASE WAS PROGRESSING RAPIDLY.
>> HE JUST WOULD WALK OUT THE DOOR AND NOT KNOW WHY AND THEN NOT BE ABLE TO TURN AROUND AND COME BACK AT THE HOUSE.
I MEAN, LITERALLY, WE FOUND HIM AND HE JUST DID NOT HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO COME BACK IN.
>> MANAGING TO DEAL WITH WORK, HER DAUGHTERS, AND HIS STIFF DECLINE.
>> HE WAS SHOWING UP WITH FIVE SHIRTS ON, YOU KNOW, A SOCK AND ONE SHOE, AND YOU WOULD SAY, "GEE, THAT IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO WORK," AND HE WOULD LOOK AT YOU LIKE, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH
THIS?" >> IT IS ESTIMATED TO BE FIVE POINT MILLION AMERICANS WITH ALZHEIMER’S, MOST OVER 65, AND APPROXIMATELY 200,000 PEOPLE FALL IN THE YOUNGER ONSET
CATEGORY, LIKE ALFREDO, AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS STAGGERING.
ALZHEIMER'S WILL COST 290 BILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR.
THAT WILL RISE TO MORE THAN $1 TRILLION BY THE YEAR 2050, AND, OF COURSE, THERE IS THE EMOTIONAL TOLL ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS, MOST OF WHOM AND UP AS CAREGIVERS.
>> THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I THINK I CANNOT DO THIS.
I CANNOT DO THIS.
I CANNOT GET THE HELP THAT I NEED HERE.
IT WAS REALLY, REALLY HARD.
I DO NOT WISH IT ON ANYOE.
ANTHONY: WITH HIM RAPIDLY DECLINING, A DANGER TO HIMSELF AND OTHERS, SHE WAS BOXED INTO A DIFFICULT CORNER.
THE ONLY AVENUE OUT WAS TO CONSIDER PLACING HIM IN LONG-TERM CARE.
>> IT WAS EMOTIONAL, DEVASTATING, AND I CRIED.
YOU KNOW, FOR A WEEK.
BEFORE I MADE THE MOVE.
ANTHONY: THAT WAS SEPTEMBER 2018, WHEN ALFREDO WAS JUST 53.
>> I JUST TELL THE GIRLS, WE GOT DEALT A REALLY CRAPPY DECK OF CARDS.
HE WAS SUCH A TERRIFIC DAD, SUCH A TERRIFIC HUSBAND.
SHAYNA: WOW.
AND AS DIFFICULT AS THE JOURNEY HAS BEEN FOR HER, SHE HAS MANAGED TO TURN HER PAIN INTO JUST LAID OF ACTION.
ANTHONY: YES, THE ALZHEIMER’S ACT WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR LAST YEAR, SETTING STANDARDS FOR MEDICAL FIELDS.
HE IS ACTUALLY HEALTHY.
HE HAS LOST SOME WEIGHT AND IS PHYSICALLY ACTIVE AND IS COGNITIVELY STABLE AND WILL BE TAKING PART IN A STUDY THAT ULTIMATELY MAY NOT HEL