Copy link Email Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link In 2023, Allison Hale realized her mother could no longer live on her own. Though she was relatively young at 67, her recent retirement had exacerbated a longtime struggle with drinking. She declined quickly, culminating in a diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a dementia-like condition caused by alcohol-induced brain damage. Suddenly, she needed 24/7 assistance.