I am Michele DeSocio. Welcome to Mindful Dementia Stories. I am a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and daughter. I am also a devoted caregiver. My passion is support and awareness of Dementia challenges. In 1999 I became a caregiver to my mother, Jean DelCampo. The bravest woman I have ever known. Mom was 58, being treated for a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder. She moved in with my family, and we became primary caregivers. Slowly our caregiver duties increased as her condition progressed. Mom was fighting to maintain her activities of daily living. Five years of living in turmoil passed. We were all struggling to understand what was happening. Then, mom was diagnosed with a dementia related disease. At that turning point, mom showed her courage. She chose placement in a facility. She didn’t want to ‘burden’ her children. This is the most unselfish act of love I have ever experienced. It is the primary driver of my mission.
Mom was told she had less than 3 years to live. That was 11 years ago, I am still caring for mom.
This undertaking has brought me to an incredible place in my life. I have found my purpose. My voice is that of a Dementia advocate. I fulfill that purpose in many meaningful and rewarding ways.
I am an administrator for Memory People, a dementia support group on Facebook. I am honored to be caregiver blogger for agingcare.com. You can read our story in their Fade To Blank Project.
My mother’s courageous battle has inspired me. It has given me the strength to share Mindful Dementia Stories. I want to encourage families to embrace their loved ones journey with dementia. It would be a gift to become a chapter in your story.