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12 HE ALTH • Spring 2022 facility and she was there for about a year, not even," Cosquete said. "She got more aggressive in the beginning because it was a whole new change of scenery." Once again, the language barrier proved challenging for Cosquete and her family. "There were no Portuguese speaking staff, so they would call me if my mom was acting out, and I would have to go down there and try to calm her down." The calls became more frequent as time went on. "They had her admitted for a psych evaluation, which landed G loria Cosquete began taking care of her mother long before she exhibited any signs of dementia. "We are Portuguese," she shared. "So, in a way, my sisters and I have always watched over her because of the language barrier." When Cosquete first recognized the decline in her mother's memory, she faced significant hurdles obtaining a diagnosis. "I can't translate clinical words in Portuguese, so in hindsight, important details were certainly lost," she explained, adding, "Alzheimer's is an awful, awful disease. My mom was a very strong, independent woman immigrating to this country and taking great care of her family by finding excellent jobs that always supported us. And now, to see her basically turning into a child, to see her become a shadow of the woman she was—it's very sad." Soon, Cosquete's mother moved into her Milford home and enrolled in a nearby adult daycare. "My husband would make sure she got on the bus in the morning when I went into the office—we had a great routine," she recalled. "But, the adult daycare shut down when the pandemic hit." Working from home made it impossible for Cosquete to provide the full-time care her mother needed. "I got her into an assisted living Fading memories • By Sarah Connell Sanders • 1 in 3 seniors dies from Alzheimer's or another dementia • More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's • Between 2000 and 2019, deaths from heart disease have decreased 7.3% while deaths from Alzheimer's have increased 145% • Alzheimer's and dementia deaths have increased 16% during the COVID-19 pandemic Discrimination is a barrier to Alzheimer's and dementia care. These populations reported discrimination when seeking health care: Race Percentage Black Americans 50% Native Americans 42% Asian Americans 34% Hispanic Americans 33% How COVID-19 and isolation complicated dementia care Dementia numbers at a glance 1 in 3 seniors die from Alzheimer's or another dementia PHOTO | ISTOCK.COM Source: The Alzheimer's Association

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