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In this powerful and emotional third episode of a four-part series, RuthAnn and Shawn continue their conversation, exploring Shawn’s transition from caregiver to advocate for his elderly neighbor, Robert, who has Alzheimer’s. Shawn shares vivid stories of the safety measures he was forced to take and why it was so risky for Robert to live alone. He realized later that Robert had been downplaying his symptoms and explaining them away, a common neurological symptom of Alzheimer’s. 

After the event that forced Robert from his home, Shawn recounts placing him in care homes, facing poor conditions in one, and a false accusation in another when Robert’s Alzheimer’s wasn’t reported. Shawn opens up about the financial toll this has taken on his family because he missed so much work. This is a huge sacrifice to make for a neighbor, but there was nobody else willing to step up and Shawn couldn’t, in good conscience, leave Robert to fend for himself.

These stories highlight some of the concerns of elderly people living alone in remote areas, and why it’s especially important in these situations for loved ones to stay vigilant. 

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