69: Fighting Alzheimer's Disease with Comedy | Lauren Miller Rogen

Diagnosis

Lauren Miller Rogen shares the early signs and diagnosis of her mother's Alzheimer's disease, which began when her mother was just 52 years old. Lauren recalls the initial shock and unpreparedness of the family, despite her mother's frequent mentions of potentially developing the disease. She describes the slow and painful decline, noting that her mother was officially diagnosed at 55 and has since lost the ability to walk, talk, or care for herself 1 2.

It's not really like a specific thing. It's just sort of like a feeling. It's like I said, like a tone.

--- Lauren Miller Rogen

Lauren also highlights the difficulty in recognizing the symptoms early on, as her mother was still actively teaching and living a seemingly normal life 2.

   

Family Impact

The impact of Lauren's mother's condition on the family was profound and multifaceted. Lauren recounts moments when she first noticed something was wrong, such as her mother's inability to perform simple tasks like making a salad. These instances marked the beginning of a long and painful journey for the family 3.

It's like once, you know, you look back and you're like, oh, there was that. Oh, that thing. And, oh, that thing.

--- Lauren Miller Rogen

The family had to navigate the emotional and logistical challenges of caregiving, with Lauren and her brother urging their father to seek medical help for their mother 4.

   

Caregiving

Caregiving for Lauren's mother presented numerous challenges and took a significant emotional toll on the family. Lauren describes the relentless nature of the disease, comparing it to caring for a baby who never matures and only regresses 5.

It's forgetting everything that is to be a person.

--- Lauren Miller Rogen

The family eventually moved Lauren's parents to a duplex in Los Angeles to provide better care, but the journey remained fraught with difficulties, including her mother's seizures and eventual loss of verbal communication 6.