There is an elderly gentleman at a long-term care facility in Ottawa. I have not met him, but I have seen his photograph. At 99, he still has a spark in his eye. He looks much more robust than his biological age would suggest and his features retain the handsomeness I imagine he possessed as a younger man.

Recently, I spoke with his daughter, who I’ll call Leah. Leah is keenly aware of the disconnect between how people may perceive her father – living to an age most of us will only dream of, still in decent physical shape, happy and smiling – and her awareness that he once was so much more.

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http://www.ottawajewishbulletin.com/2014/02/values-ethics-community-loved-ones-of-dementia-patients-must-learn-to-enter-their-reality/