Trials and Triumphs in a Struggle with Alzheimer's Disease
By John Williamson

At first, it was little things – a forgotten event, number or name. Yet as Frank Houser's memory worsened, Helen Houser, '82, began suspecting a deeper problem than the basic memory loss that often comes with old age. Eventually, Frank Houser refused to sleep in the same bed as Helen Houser. In his mind, he knew four different Helens and he could not tell which one was his wife. Soon, Helen Houser's suspicions were confirmed. Her husband had Alzheimer's.

Frank Houser – who taught sociology at Whitworth University for 28 years – now lives at the Avalon Care Center in Spokane. Nearly every day, Helen Houser still visits her husband, serving him lunch or helping him cut his fingernails and clean his electric shaver.

"I try to see him as often as I can, not only for his sake but for my sake," she said.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting over 4 million Americans, with the number projected to rise drastically over the next 50 years. Around 3 percent of men and women between 65 and 74 years old and nearly half of those 85 and older have Alzheimer's, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Helen Houser's personal religious faith in Jesus Christ helps her find a sense of peace in dealing with her husband's Alzheimer's.

"When people think, 'This is terrible, how could God let this happen?' I think 'God let his own son die.'"

Helen Houser's theology also involves taking off rose-colored glasses and understanding how trials are inescapable.

"It is a belief in God's goodness and that he wants the best for us – not necessarily our physical good, but it may be our spiritual good," she said. "Bad things happen to Christians and non-Christians."

For several years, Helen Houser took care of her husband at home, but eventually his condition became too much to handle. Now she splits her days between visiting Frank Houser and spending time on her own -- whether shopping or going to dinner and the Spokane Symphony with friends.

"I live in two worlds," Helen Houser said. "One is t he world of a widow, but I'm not a widow."

Undeniably, Alzheimer caregivers face many challenges. The disease affects thought, memory and language, and patients are often unable to perform basic household tasks or relate to family members. Over 80 percent of Alzheimer caregivers reported they often feel highly stressed, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

"For family caregivers, it is a 24-7 experience," said Joel Loiacono, executive director of the Alzheimer's Association Inland Northwest Chapter. "It is hard when you are dealing with someone who you knew as your spouse or parent and who is not the same person as two years ago or five years ago."

In 2003, Alzheimer's was the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Despite recent scientific advances, the exact causes of Alzheimer's disease remain unknown and there is no cure.

"The hardest part of this job is dealing with those families who have been out there without any help -- because once they get in contact with us, there is so much we can do for them," Loiacono said.

Once Helen Houser's friends and family learned about her husband's Alzheimer's, they brought over dinners and did handyman jobs at the Housers' home. A fellow member from Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church came over once a week and spent time with Frank Houser.

"You don't have to do this by yourself," Helen Houser said. "God can use other people to help your loved one, and you must take care of yourself, too."

She also appreciated other church members' spiritual support.

"I don't know how many times someone would come to me and say 'I just wanted to let you know, I'm praying for you.' That meant a lot."

Several years ago, Helen Houser got a golden retriever to keep her company.

"I would recommend it to everybody – get a dog or a cat," she said. "Lots of times I hug my dog, Lola, because I can't hug my husband very much anymore."

Besides relational and emotional challenges, families with Alzheimer patients often face large caretaker expenses. The average yearly cost for nursing-home care in the United States is upwards of $42,000 and climbing, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Although Medicare helps some, the program does not pay for all the full-time care necessary for many later-stage Alzheimer patients.

The Housers started receiving Medicaid several years ago, but finances remain tight.

"The financial issue is a struggle," Helen Houser said. "I am now limited in how much I can earn, and limited to necessities."

Yet for many Alzheimer's patients and caretakers, the hope of finding a cure seems more real than ever before. In recent years, scientists have made many new discoveries related to Alzheimer's causes and symptoms.

"Now there are three or four medications out there to help with symptoms," Loiacono said. "We don't have a cure right now, but we are much further along."

Even as Frank Houser's memory steadily slips away, Helen Houser remains grateful that her husband suffers no physical pain and is not confined in a wheelchair. She realizes illness and death are unavoidable and knows many others face similar struggles.

"I hope our lives can be a testimony to someone," Helen Houser said. "This life is a time to prepare for heaven. We're here to bring glory to God – perhaps through suffering."

[The Alzheimer's Association provides caretaker support groups, a local and 24-hour hotline, and an identification program to help find and return wandering Alzheimer's patients. For more information, contact the Inland Northwest Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association at (509) 483-8456 or visit www.alz.org.]