Did this article make you cry? Did it hurt to read it? Because it sure did me. And frightening! What future lies with "us??"
I have a patient shadow me when I go in to see Mike and I very gently tell her that her room is down the hall. This happens about three times a week.
I can feel her fear. It's tragic!
Yet...one thing brings me hope. " Less Ye Be Like a Little Child, You Cannot Enter the Kingdom of Heaven." For those of us that believe, that's a good thing. For the unbelievers, what are they thinking? And feeling at reading these posts. My heart is grief.

Temper

All this makes sense, but what to do when a person has younger onset and is still aware of friends and family? He won't go to daycare and everyone we know still work. Friends come when they have free time, which is rare. I retired last year and struggle to find acceptable situations for interaction with other people. Most of the friends expect me to stay and hang out too. At this time, I cannot go out the front door without him following, or talk to a neighbor without him joining me. My first reaction is he wants to make sure that I don't say anything about Alzheimers to anyone else. But maybe there is something else?

I was an in-home caregiver for 25 years mostly to elderly. I never allowed a 'shadowing' habit to form with any of my clients. Never.
Socialization outside of the home is so important at all times of life. Even when a person has dementia. When a person gets used to not being around one person every minute of the day, a shadowing habit cannot form. That's why things like adult day care are wonderful.

Great information. These tips may help with dementia shadowing as well https://www.sagehomecare.com/shadowing-in-dementia