'We well know that death shall come
And our future is unknown:
stealthy as a thief he comes
and body and soul he does part
So be of trust and confidence:
Be not too much afraid of death,
For if you fear him overmuch
Joy you nevermore shall touch.'
Polonius in Hamlet
What would you do if you noticed that your mother, father, husband or wife is developing the first signs of Alzheimer's Disease? Here is somebody who has given most of her recent life to the care and love of her mother.
Teresa Cruz Almeida has looked after every aspect of her mother’s care since she lost touch with the world some 12 years ago. Her mother has such severe Alzheimer’s Disease that she is no longer able to communicate to herself and to others. She can do nothing for herself. Teresa sees her mother as living in her own world, catching only fleeting glimpses of the world around her. She has an extremely healthy appetite! Teresa cares for her as she would a small baby.
Teresa hates the way people see her mother as a problem. People think the aged lady would be better off in heaven, but Teresa has chosen to look after her mother and continue her own life looking after paying guests at her farmhouse in central Portugal. Teresa is saddened by those people around her, including her own family, who do not value her mother’s continuing existence. In a way her persistent living and breathing helps us question what our existence is really about.
Update: Teresa's mother has since died. Summer 2009
