Milt’s Hats: A Success Story

Milt and his wife of 62 years, Darlene, lived in the same Portland home since 1965. After Milt was diagnosed with dementia at age 85, Darlene chose to care for her husband in their home for about a year.

“It was horrible,” Darlene explained. In that time, Milt’s condition began to deteriorate and become dangerous as he became prone to falling and started wandering*. He had no clue where he was inside his own home, and his wife was constantly worried that he would get lost. After Milt ran out early one morning, they were forced to put a bell on the door so she could hear when it opened and closed.

Darlene wanted her husband to be in a safer, more secure environment. With the support of their daughter and the help of Liz Graves, a Housing & Care Advisor with CHOICE Advisory Services, they were able to find a lovely community that offers specialized memory care for Milt. He moved into Clackamas View Senior Living in early February of 2016.

Darlene was worried that Milt would get confused in his new environment, so she decided to stay and have lunch with him to help ease the transition. They were pleased to discover that he felt right at home, falling fast asleep after lunch! Now Darlene can rest assured that her husband is getting the care he needs in addition to the opportunity to socialize with others in the community.

Retired from Nabisco, Milt has a passion: hats. According to his wife, he has accrued a very large collection of hats over the years. Fittingly, Clackamas View celebrates National Hat Day, on which every resident dons a hat while socializing and playing games. Milt and his family were able to provide over two dozen hats, outfitting the entire group for Hat Day!

The photo below is Milt in one of his hats, courtesy of his wife.

Milt’s Hats

*Wandering is one of the most hazardous symptoms of dementia. Due to increased confusion, the wanderer is typically unable to ask for help, leaving them vulnerable to weather, traffic, and those who prey on the less fortunate.

Clackamas View Senior Living, a subsidiary of Chancellor Health Care, is located on SE Vista Lane in Milwaukie, Oregon. It is a Residential Care Facility that works with both short-term and long-term residents. They have designated dementia care, along with hospice care and transitional housing. Clackamas View is aptly named – the view into the valley below is breathtaking.