...you won't know unless you give it a try.

"My mother in law has been in the nursing home for 6 months," a woman called Zero Tears writes on the Alzheimer's message boards. "We have had our battles but nothing too bad. She half heartily fusses to go home. Then lets it go. Until the past week. Some 'busybody' told her that there was all kinds of trash bags outside in the road in front of her house and that the neighbors were putting up christmas lights and they just knew they belonged to mother in law. My god, why do people do this? Now we are having to battle her. She demands to go home, go home, go home. She just wants to see her house, and go inside. I feel this is a big mistake. Help us."

I took my Jeanne home from the nursing home. Often. And I took her out and about. For car rides. For wheelchair rides. On shopping trips. Even when I went for a haircut, I'd load Jeanne in the wheelchair and take her with me. A one-mile ride. And often in the summertime and spring and fall we'd make the daily 6-mile round-trip in the wheelchair to be home for a few hours. Anyway, I'd try bringing mom home for a few hours. Maybe it'll work. I think it's the humane way to go. But that's just me. I'm sure there are instances where it doesn't work. But you won't know unless you give it a try. --Jim Broede