If you’ve lost a loved one to dementia, it’s hard to find the words to express how you’re feeling. Sometimes it’s helpful to use someone else’s words instead. We’ve put together a collection of funeral poems about dementia and Alzheimer’s that you could read at their funeral or share at their wake. We hope you find a poem that helps you in some way.
A short poem about dementia
I Am At Peace by Jennifer Alderton
Alderton’s short poem is a reassuring first-person account that reminds you to remember the times you had together “before the illness”. Even though the person talking throughout has had memories stolen, the poem ends on an optimistic line, “I am at Peace now, I am me. At rest for all eternity.”
A poem about a mother with dementia
Two Mothers Remembered by Joann Snow Duncanson
Joann Snow Duncanson wrote this poem about her own experience with her mother and how the disease changed their relationship over time. It captures the shift that happens between mother and daughter and the strength it takes to take care of an ill parent.
Tragically, Joann passed away in October 2021 due to dementia. She leaves behind a body of work in her columns, poetry and prose.
Poems about dementia and love
Those Hands That Once Held Mine by Dean Harrison (in memory of Patricia Shelton)
Dean Harrison traces his journey with his mother through important life events and moments they held hands. It’s a touching tribute and one that Dean wanted to share with others in his position. He shares his experience and his poem in full here.
It’s A Long Goodbye by Anonymous
Even though the author is unknown this poem is a brief look into the feelings you may feel when a loved one’s memories start to fade. The relationship between the writer and the woman in the poem is unknown but what’s clear is how much they care for her.
She’s leaving me, little by little, I wish she wouldn’t go.
I will be there as long as she needs me. How do I let her know?
I’d like to hold on to the memories, I’d also like to share.
But she’s further away, getting further away. And yet, she’s always there.
Funeral poems about Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s by Richard Underwood
This poem may help you say goodbye to a loved one with Alzheimer’s. It focuses on remembering the person when their mind was fit and well, helping you to reflect on all the memories you had together earlier in life.
You can read this funeral poem about Alzheimer’s on Richard Underwood’s website. It’s part of his full collection of poems called Pebbles.
The Long Goodbye by Ellen Miller
This poem could be read as a tribute to a father or grandfather. It describes the cruelty of Alzheimer’s but also offers hope, that the man in the poem is now free from the disease.
We pledge to remember the man that you once were;
A good hearted, giving man is all that will be heard.
And every night when we look up and see a certain star...
We will know within our hearts exactly where you are.
If you’re struggling to cope after the loss of a loved one who had dementia or Alzheimer’s, Dementia UK and the Alzheimer’s Society have free resources that may help.
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