Aug 1, 2014

Ted and Jan Buckley live across the hall from Roger and Eleanor Barnard at Longview, a residential senior retirement community in Ithaca, N.Y. Ted is 83 and Roger is 86. Both are suffering from different stages of dementia.

: Roger and Eleanor Barnard live in Longview, a residential senior retirement community located in Ithaca, NY. Roger, 86, has suffered from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s since 1992. Roger lies in bed as his wife Eleanor washes clothes in the bathroom. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Roger Barnard has choked before, and to avoid further problems, Eleanor Barnard began pureeing his food and feeding it to him. “It gives you a good feeling that you’re still together, and that he knows that you’re there to help him. He feels he hasn’t been abandoned,” Eleanor said. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Roger Barnard spends most of his days sleeping and was bedridden for a week or days at a time, thus getting bedsores. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Eleanor Barnard pushes Roger Barnard in the hallway of Longview. If Roger is unable to support himself it’s hard for Eleanor to help. “If he ends up on the floor I can’t pick him up,” Eleanor said. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Eleanor Barnard tries to wake Roger Barnard up after their meal in the Longview Community’s dining hall. During the course of the meal, Roger fell asleep with his head on the table. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Aides provided by the Longview community come into the Barnard’s apartment and help Eleanor Barnard with Roger Barnard. Particularly, they will help get him in and out of bed, or if he is unable to get out of bed, they will help change his diapers. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: There are limited options when Roger Barnard is bedridden, leaving him using diapers. It becomes more difficult for Eleanor Barnard and the aides that help out to keep up with Roger’s hygiene and the demands of his condition. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Eleanor Barnard looks at Roger Barnard as he sleeps on his chair mid-afternoon. Taking care of Roger exhausts Eleanor, leaving her to take daily naps. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: An aide attempts to pull Roger Barnard’s shirt off while Eleanor Barnard watches. Eleanor ends up hand washing and drying most of Roger’s clothing due to the fast rate it can become dirty. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Eleanor Barnard didn’t want to put Roger Barnard in a nursing home or be away from him. She felt it was important for her to take care of him to the best of her abilities. Roger passed away in their apartment May 2013. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Ted Buckley, left, sits and waits while his wife, Jan Buckley makes her bed in their apartment in Longview, a residential senior retirement community in Ithaca, NY. Ted is 83 and suffering from early stages of dementia. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Ted Buckley and Jan Buckley share a laugh over breakfast. “I treasure everyday that we have. I just enjoy what it is right now,” Jan said. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Ted Buckley waits in the elevator following his lunch to return to his apartment. “I know what the progression is, I know it will happen. But you can’t live that way always thinking about what’s going to happen. You have to live day by day,” his wife Jan Buckley said. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Ted Buckley walks on the treadmill. Ted has a neurological problem that additionally affects his movement. Although, when his legs are doing well, he prefers to exercise as much as possible. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Jan Buckley watches as her husband, Ted Buckley, tries to gather his thoughts as they watch TV. Jan & Ted still live together in their apartment. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Jan Buckley shows a framed picture from her and Ted Buckley’s wedding day. As a result of Ted’s early memory loss, he often repeats the story of how he met and married Jan. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

: Ted Buckley and Jan Buckley share a goodnight kiss before returning to their separate bedrooms for the night. They sleep separately because of Ted’s neurological problem. Ted is unable to sleep in a room below a certain temperature, while Jan prefers the room to be a cooler temperature. Rachel Woolf/Baltimore Sun

Alzheimer’s was something I had thought about as my grandfather began to mix up my name, or forget entire moments. I began to wonder what it would be like if it got worse. Soon after, I found Ted & Jan Buckley, the first couple that allowed me to photograph their lives together. Ted was at the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s and would tell me the same stories each time I photographed him, mainly of how he met his wife, Jan. Their neighbors Roger & Eleanor Barnard were a similar couple, but Roger was at the end stages of Alzheimer’s.

This photo essay, which I made for a Documentary Photography class at Ithaca College, encompasses both couples’ lifestyle going through Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Roger passed away in his apartment May 2013. Ted & Jan still live together in their apartment

Struggling with Alzheimer’s disease

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