Jane Mikita Gneiser’s Reason to Hope –Alzheimer’s – Optimum Senior Care – Chicago In Home Caregivers
For most Chicago Blackhawk fans, Stan Mikita is a hockey legend. Whether you were impressed by the curved blade, watched his team win the 1961 Stanley Cup finals, or even passed his statue outside the United Center, everyone has a Stan Mikita story. In 2015, the hockey legend was diagnosed with suspected dementia with Lewy bodies. His daughter, Chicago native Jane Mikita Gneiser, shares the story of her family’s journey with dementia.
What were the first signs of the disease?
I would say the first signs were when my dad would start losing his train of thought, or he would forget a word mid-sentence. He was never a “look at me” kind of person, but we noticed he definitely became quieter. In social settings, he had become a bit more withdrawn, which is when I noticed something had changed.
What has been your biggest challenge as a daughter?
I struggled a lot in the very beginning. In 2015, my dad was not doing well and he was declining. I cried a lot, because I could tell my dad was changing dramatically. He repeated questions and his fun and witty expressions appeared less and less. We decided as a family that it would be best if my parents came home to Chicago. They needed to be surrounded by their friends and family. It was devastating to me and my siblings. We all kept our lines of communications open as we knew we had to help and be strong for our mom.
How did you come to be involved with the Alzheimer’s Association?
We actually called the Alzheimer’s Association toll-free number when my dad was diagnosed. The Association was great. We narrowed down our location for in-home health care as well as homes/facilities to care for our dad.
What is your reason to hope?
That one day a cure is found for the disease. I wouldn’t wish this disease on anyone.
What advice would you give to someone who does not know muchabout dementia?
The advice I would give is to read and do your research. This is what my family did, and it helped us a lot. Unfortunately, it is a relatively unknown disease. It seems that more and more people are exhibiting signs of dementia with Lewy bodies. We need to raise awareness and bring attention to this disease to help find a cure.
Purchase a limited edition photo print of the Blackhawks Ambassadors in honor of Stan Mikita or make a donation to Reason to Hope.