ARIZONA NEWS
Valley couple endures hardships of coronavirus and Alzheimer’s disease
PHOENIX — One Valley couple is enduring the hardships of both the coronavirus and Alzheimer’s disease.
Three years go, 54-year-old Amy Adams was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. Her husband, Steve, has been her primary caregiver since the diagnosis.
“Very short-term memory, repeating things, not remembering things on a short-term basis,” Steve said as he told KTAR News 92.3 FM about his wife’s day-to-day symptoms.
On April 1st, Steve underwent multilevel laminectomy back surgery.
While Steve recovered from surgery, he and Amy lived with her parents for about one week.
During that time, both Steve and his father-in-law contracted COVID-19.
“I’m not really 100% sure Amy has grasped the magnitude of all this,” Steve said.
“My concern with her is that I don’t see the same kind of reaction that maybe someone without Alzheimer’s would have if they knew their dad was in the hospital and fighting for his life.”
Steve and Amy returned to their home once he was well enough to care for each of them. They been quarantined together for over a week while Steve continues to recover both from COVID-19 and back surgery.
“If I ask her to do me a favor … she’ll give me a look like, what’s the matter? Can’t you do it yourself?” Steve said.
“I know I’m not battling this alone and I know there are other people out there. The one thing we have to continue to have regardless of what obstacles we face is patience.”
The Alzheimer’s Association Helpline offers free support to Alzheimer’s caregivers or family members online or by phone: 800.272.3900.
