Ways to Improve
Billy's Quality of Life

At the age of 86, Billy, a career Navy pilot and intelligence officer, is struggling with the debilitating effects of the daily confusion and memory loss related to his diagnosis of moderate-level Alzheimer's.

He lives at home in Boca Raton, Fla., with his wife, Mary, as she strives to make the best of the time they have left together. It isn't always easy for Mary and Butch, the couple's adult son, who are Billy's primary caregivers.

The mother-and-son care team turned to Elayne Forgie, a certified geriatric care manager and president of Elder Care at Home, for some hands-on, affordable tips to keep Billy's mind active and to improve his quality of life.

Forgie, an Alzheimer's and caregiving professional, knows that caring for a loved one with early memory loss or dementia can be both painful to watch and frustrating. The goal for Forgie is to find a way this family can help Billy safely navigate his way around his home, minimize his growing confusion, and stimulate his memory.

After spending a day with family, Forgie offers a series of simple and enjoyable solutions these caregivers can implement to help Billy trigger his short-term memory and conquer everyday tasks.

In part two of our series, Forgie shows Billy's wife and son seven fun, healthy, and stimulating activities they can do together to bring joy back into Billy's world and to keep his mind sharp as long as possible.

Video Credits: For Ikana Media: Producer: Jamila Paksima; Editor: Steven Buckwalter; Camera and Sound: Warren Jones and Michael Stewart; Executive Producers: Janet Tobias and Flint Davis.