Writing with Juliet Iwelunmor

I learned about a different kind of love yesterday on NPR—a love that involves dementia and the concept of life beyond. It was about a couple who navigated dementia and their enduring love. They used to talk about everything together, always touching and staying close until dementia set in. How do you hold on to love amidst dementia? The husband said, “You literally hold on and hold hands together. You sit together and watch TV together. You eat together and don’t talk because there isn’t much to talk about. Love is a strange thing. From physical touch to talking to being and socializing, dementia doesn’t change it. It only makes one grateful. You may not be able to talk, but you can still touch. Touch in the end saves.”