Thousands of Rockfordians remember Rod MacDonald as “Roddy Mac,” the funny, tassled-hat-wearing star of thousands of WREX-TV kids shows in the 1950s and ’60s.
Robert Greenblatt, NBC entertainment chairman, remembers him as the Boylan Catholic High School theater director in the 1970s who was a big influence on his career.
Richard Raether, Artists’ Ensemble Theater artistic director, remembers Rod in 2007 playing a completely believable actor lying in bed, dying, in a show at Rockford College.
While fond memories of Rod, 87, abound, Rod himself isn’t remembering so well these days. He has Alzheimer’s disease.
And the disease — the fifth-leading cause of death for those age 65 and older — is splitting his family. It’s an all-too-common side effect of the devastating disease.
At issue is who should care for Rod and where, and it’s the subject of a court battle between his wife and his children.
Jessica MacDonald, Rod’s wife of 23 years, placed him nearly two months ago in the LaSalle Veterans Home, which operates an Alzheimer’s wing. It’s a 90-minute drive south of Rockford and is more affordable than facilities closer to here, Jessica said.
Rod gave her power of attorney in 1998 to act on his behalf.
But his three children from his marriage to Ginny, who died of cancer, want their father to return to Rockford. They want him to be closer, in more familiar, stimulating surroundings, cared for by family.
Scott MacDonald, his son, has filed a lawsuit in Winnebago County court to gain guardianship of his father, and Jessica has countered. The next court hearing is Friday.
Rod’s daughter Sarah Aumann of Rockford has taken the children’s case to Facebook, creating a Friends of Rod MacDonald page.
The page features video that daughter Kate MacDonald of Wofford Heights, Calif., shot at the veterans home with Scott and Sarah at Rod’s side. In it, he talks about wanting to go home and threatens to hurt himself if that doesn’t happen.
Jessica said Rod is lucid at times, but at other times doesn’t recognize her or others or know where home is.
Scott told me he wants to care for his dad at Scott’s home in Rockford. He said he would quit his Better Business Bureau job to care for him if need be.
“It is not a wise plan,” Jessica told me.
She believes Rod needs 24-hour care and supervision by professionals. At their Rockford home, Rod nearly drank cleaning agent, thinking it was soda, Jessica said. And he put a Pepsi can in the microwave.
She worries that Rod’s $2,100 monthly income in Social Security and pension money wouldn’t be enough for Scott to live on and to care for Rod around the clock.
Sarah said her brother can handle it. She cared for her dad at his home here while Jessica worked at her job as special events coordinator at Midway Village Museum. Scott cared for his paternal grandparents when they were ill.
The children haven’t been in contact with their dad lately. Jessica said doctors have told her Rod needs to adjust to his surroundings at the veterans home, and it’s best to limit visits for now.
“My siblings and I are very concerned about our dad’s welfare, since we are no longer allowed contact with him,” Kate said.
The three children and Jessica say their relationship was just fine before the decision for him to live at the veterans home.
Such angst among family members isn’t unheard of, said Melanie Chavin, vice president of program services for the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Illinois Chapter.
The group recommends families and the person with the disease discuss options soon after diagnosis. Even so, if the person with the disease says he prefers to be cared for in a facility, the question of timing can still arise.
“I think he is ready,” one family member says. “I don’t think he is,” another says.
In 2010, 83,494 Americans died of Alzheimer’s. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of deaths attributed to Alzheimer’s rose 68 percent.
Jessica and Rod’s children remember gentler times. Years ago, Kate made a video montage for her dad featuring his children. It was set to a favorite song of his by Louis Armstrong, whom Rod met around 1958: “It’s a Wonderful World.”
If only Rod and his wife and children could unite around the lyrics — “And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”
Georgette Braun: 815-987-1331; gbraun@rrstar.com; @georgettebraun
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNH-sQp1Ta83eyaM75P3RT2wsxNgTg&url=http://www.rrstar.com/updates/x1629902567/Georgette-Braun-Alzheimer-s-tears-at-family-of-admired-local-actor
0 comments:
Post a Comment