Gilbert man shares wife’s journey with Alzheimer’s to raise awareness
A Gilbert man hopes to raise awareness by sharing the story of his wife's journey with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Steve Adams, a Gilbert man, has shared his wife's journey with Arizona's Family to raise awareness of early-onset Alzheimer's. The Alzheimer's Association has reported that Arizona has the second-highest growth rate for Alzheimer's in the country, with 15% of Arizonans aged 45 and up experiencing memory problems. However, more than 44% of these individuals have not seen a doctor. Amy Adams, who started having problems with her short-term memory a year before her diagnosis, now lives in a memory care facility in Chandler with round-the-clock care. Despite her struggles, Adams remains optimistic about the future of his marriage with Alzheimer's and has learned how to be patient with her and raise money for research and resources for families.
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GILBERT, AZ (AZFamily) — According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Arizona has the second-highest growth rate for Alzheimer’s in the country.
New data shows that 15% of Arizonans ages 45 and up have memory problems. However, the report states that more than 44% have not seen a doctor.
Steve Adams, a Gilbert man whose wife was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2017 at the age of 54, shared her story with Arizona’s Family in hopes of raising awareness.
“We never had any problems in our marriage. I think part of that, where we are in our lives now, is a testament to that,” said Adams.
He said Amy started having problems with her short-term memory about a year before her diagnosis. He said she would repeatedly ask the same question and forget the answer moments later.
Adams recalled when Amy had asked him if he had fed their dogs. He said yes, but she later asked him the question again. Even though he told her a couple of times he had fed them, she later walked out with the food bowls.
Amy is now 61 and living at a memory care facility in Chandler, where she can receive round-the-clock care.
“The thing that everybody talks about is, ‘I wonder when the day is going to come that they don’t know who I am?’ That day has not come for me yet,” said Adams.
James Fitzpatrick, a spokesperson for the Alzheimer’s Association in Arizona, said there are over 150,000 people in our state diagnosed with the disease.
Nationwide, he said, there are six million people living with the disease, and the numbers continue to go up.
“I think it’s robbing somebody of their past,” said Adams.
There is no cure for the disease, but there have been strides in slowing down the progression of Alzheimer’s.
On Monday, a drug from Eli Lilly, donanemab, was endorsed by the FDA advisory panel for approval later this year. The drug could help slow down the disease in people with mild dementia.
Unfortunately, it’s not an option for Amy. ”If she could’ve stopped it a year ago, and I would have gotten a couple more years of that level, man, I would’ve taken that all day long,” said Adams.
Steve is unsure how many more years he has with his wife. He said the lifespan for people diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s is six to 10 years.
He said Amy is having trouble speaking but has discovered an untapped talent for painting. He said she has done 60 to 70 paintings, many of which are hung in his home.
“It gives me the warm and fuzzies,’' said Adams.
He said he’s learned how to be patient with her, has done a lot of research on the disease, joined support groups and has gotten involved in raising money for more research and resources for families.
“This is the hardest part of my life right now that I’ve experienced in the last 6 or 7 years,” he said. “And it’s the love that we have had before that, that helps us get through where we are now.”
If you need help finding resources or support for someone diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, here is a list of numbers you can call:
You can also go to the Desert Southwest Chapter on the Alzheimer’s Association webpage by clicking here.
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