Advice Column: Dear Rose

Dear Rose,
How can a man date only one woman, when there are so many good-looking women out there?
Wonder…lust

Dear Wonder,
The answer to your question depends on where it is coming from. Is it coming from a single person who is not ready to settle down? Then, of course, the answer would be that you have not found the right one yet. If this is coming from a married person, then it might be smart to think about what drew you to your wife in the first place. Questions like this may indicate that you are not in love with her any longer. The solution: love is a commitment. Consider couples counseling, marriage is a very serious covenant, it should not be broken lightly. The grass always looks greener on the other side, but if you ask the multitude of divorced people, they will tell you that it is a mirage.

Dear Rose,
My mother has been kind of scatter-brained and forgetful for years, but lately she is getting worse. She is seventy years old. My father passed away three years ago, so she lives alone. She will call me and tell me something, and then call an hour later and tell me the same thing. She doesn’t remember calling before. Should I be worried about Alzheimer’s Disease?
Worried about mom

Dear Worried,
Yes, you should be concerned about Alzheimer’s Disease. Here are the seven warning signs:
The seven warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease are:
1. Asking the same question over and over again.
2. Repeating the same story, word for word, again and again.
3. Forgetting how to cook, or how to make repairs, or how to play cards — activities that were previously done with ease and regularity.
4. Losing one’s ability to pay bills or balance one’s checkbook.
5. Getting lost in familiar surroundings, or misplacing household objects.
6. Neglecting to bathe, or wearing the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean.
7. Relying on someone else, such as a spouse, to make decisions or answer questions they previously would have handled themselves.
It is advisable to take your mom to her physician for a physical and tell him what you have told me. This must be a difficult time for you. There is support on the Alzheimer’s website at www.alzheimers.org. To contact the local Alzheimer’s Association, telephone: 865-544-6288. The address is: The Alzheimers Association; 2200 Sutherland Avenue; Knoxville, TN 37919.