Alzheimer's honors Mullenbach family

Choking back tears, Jason Mullenbach recalled the day he realized his father’s dementia wasn’t going to get any better.

Don Mullenbach taught his son things throughout his entire life. He could fix anything and knew everything.

But one day, a couple of years after being diagnosed, Jason was working in the garage with his dad and realized he was suddenly teaching Don.

“That was the day I went, this isn’t good,” Jason said.

The Mullenbachs will be the honorary family at this year’s Steele County Alzheimer's Walk on Sept. 14.

“Don and I were very surprised, honored and humbled to be selected as hosts for the Alzheimer’s Walk,” Don’s wife, Sue, said. “While it is our first walk, it won’t be our last involvement in the Alzheimer’s Association.”

The diagnosis

Sue became concerned a little more than a decade ago, when Don got lost driving in Owatonna. He went for tests and received the devastating diagnosis.

“During the early-onset years, there were very few signs of the disease,” Sue said. “It has been a slow progression, but it is a progressive disease. He now has almost no short-term memory but memories from past years are still vivid.”

Sue said he recognizes his two sons and six grandchildren, but “new friends are hard to recall.”

For decades, Don held various positions in the community: assistant manager of the Owatonna Eagles Club, the VFW club manager, and for a decade, manager of the liquor store in Claremont, where the Mullenbachs live.

“After he left the hospitality career, he started DM Bricking working with local contractors,” Sue said. “He loved math, carpentry, and could fix anything! Now those things are a challenge for him.”

Help is available

Like everyone else, Sue hopes one day there will be a cure for Alzheimer’s.

“I sincerely hope advances in medicine and Alzheimer’s research help create future survivors,” she said.

But until then, she knows there is a lot of help to support families like hers.

“I attend a support group once a month which has been a great help,” she said. “Also, Don and I go to the Memory Café sponsored by the Steele County Historical Society. The Memory Café is a social group with a program, crafts, and of course, food.”

She said the disease “manifests differently in each person,” but there is one common thread.

“This disease affects the whole family and friend network. It is very hard to do caregiving alone,” Sue said. “I have been very lucky to have the support of my family, friends, community, VA, and local programs to support me. My advice to others would be to reach out. There is help.”

For Jason, his role is to help his mom, who in return can care for his dad.

Living in the moment

While the projects his father would once be able to do easily aren’t easy anymore, Jason said he tries to come up with different things for Don to do.

In his view, it's a way to support his mom, giving her a break, despite her being a strong woman, he said.

“She is very capable. Come hell or high water, she’s taking care of dad,” Jason said.

But there is also another benefit, the opportunity to spend quality time with his father.

“I think for me personally (it’s) to just take the opportunity to live in the moment with dad,” he said.

DROP QUOTE:

“I sincerely hope advances in medicine and Alzheimer’s research help create future survivors.”

14. Sue Mullenbach

Touched by Alzheimer’s

Walk to End Alzheimer’s

• Saturday, Sept. 14
• 10 a.m.: Ceremony and walk
• Steele County Historical Society
• Register or donate at www.alz.org/walk