My Aunt Lillian was my mother’s oldest sister. Lillian was blind, deaf and had dementia. Unfortunately, she became blind and deaf as an older adult, so she never learned sign language or brail. Imagine trying to communicate with her, then add dementia on top of that.
Lillian was a very small woman who was sort of a misfit. She was 4’ 8” tall and weighed about 80 pounds. Despite her diminutive size, she could eat a lumberjack under the table. We think she had an undiagnosed thyroid problem because she ate such large meals and never gained weight.
Lillian never married and didn’t have children but she loved her nieces and nephews. She worked as a domestic for the same family her entire adult life. The family she worked for provided insurance and vacation time. Lillian was a devout member of the AME church and never missed a service until she became disabled.