Caregiver stories show love, duty and the need for some help
February 27, 2021
When their mom first showed signs of dementia, Debbie Mortensen and her six siblings decided they’d help her where they could, but let her be as independent as possible. Then it became clear 2½ years ago that Mary Thornton, now 80, needed more than occasional help and Thornton’s husband, who was older, was himself physically too frail to address all her needs.
Mortensen said the siblings assessed how each could contribute. Her gift was presence. Mortensen, 52, had the most flexibility. She owned her own cosmetic company franchise and basically worked for herself. Her husband Gordon was in law enforcement, but was nearing retirement. They decided it was feasible, if not altogether desirable, to leave their home of 27 years in Fillmore, Utah, and move two hours north to Grantsville to live with and care for her mother.
