← Return to Introductions: Are you caring for someone with dementia?

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@fleetwoodiv

It's hard for me, especially at night, to be alone. My wife has lived in a memory care facility since July. I can take care of all my physical and environmental needs, but the absence of human companionship, even if it's not very high quality, is hard. I am shy by nature, and have a hard time reaching out to people. My wife and I moved into a large condominium building about 2 1/2 years ago, and her condition kept me busy with her almost constantly. I have made some friends here, but they party a little harder than I can tolerate physically, although they're nice people and want to include me. I don't have children, and sometimes feel that my life has lost a sense of purpose, although I do a lot of volunteering in the community. I guess I should try to engage with my imperfect friends and in activities that I'm not very interested in, like going to church, just to be around people more often. Any other suggestions? I am close with three sisters and stay in touch with them via Zoom, phone, and texting, but they also have their own lives.

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Replies to "It's hard for me, especially at night, to be alone. My wife has lived in a..."

Just brainstorming here...

Have you got an old hobby you had to set aside? Maybe you could pick it up again.

Join a book club? Cooking club? Are you a fan of a sports team? Collect anything?

What kind of volunteering do you do? Any possible social contacts through that?

Could you mentor someone?

You never know where it can lead. After having a stroke, I learned that people found my recovery story rather compelling.

In the past few months it has led to an interview on a national podcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w3W8ekJdZk), a series of self-produced series of videos (https://www.youtube.com/@srlucado/videos), and even an invitation to speak at Texas Christian University (TCU).
And I'm just getting started.

Good luck!