Old Timers: The One That Got Away!

Elizabeth Levin is a professor of psychology at Laurentian University.

Do you know someone with Alzheimer’s disease? Do you want to share
with a child something about what it means to have Alzheimer’s? If so,
then this short story may be for you. It concerns a 10-year-old boy
going to visit his grandfather, who has Alzheimer’s. At first, the boy
thinks his grandfather has “Old Timers” (a play on the word
“Alzheimer’s”). Even after being shown photos, grandpa doesn’t
remember anything, even his grandson. The boy concludes that even though
grandpa won’t get better, at least he still has his memories of
himself and grandpa together. The story is told with warmth and the
illustrations are perfect accompaniments. Recommended for readers for
whom the subject matter has particular relevance.