The Trail That Became a Metaphor: Caregiver Michael N. Rediscovers the World
- After six years of caring for his wife, Michael N. used a Road Scholar Caregiver Grant to rediscover the world on a guided hiking adventure in New York’s Adirondack Mountains.
- Dementia, often called “The Caregiver’s Disease,” takes a heavy physical and emotional toll on loved ones providing full-time care.
- Hiking Cascade Mountain with fellow Road Scholars gave Michael camaraderie, purpose and renewed hope.
- Donor-funded Caregiver Grants make transformative learning adventures accessible, helping Michael honor his wife’s memory and begin a new chapter.
For six years, Michael N. was the full-time caregiver for his wife, Colleen, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration just before her 59th birthday. The disease gradually stole her speech, her mobility and the vibrant life they once shared. Through it all, Michael cared for her at home with unwavering love until her passing in 2023.
The Caregiver’s Disease
“Dementia is often called ‘The Caregiver’s Disease’ because of the heavy toll, physically and emotionally, that it takes on the loved one providing care,” says Michael. “There’s a strain on the spouse or life partner living with someone who has a progressive neurological disease — one with no cure or approved treatment, one that robs a person of speech, independence, movement and memory ... in short, all the things that make us human.”
In the months that followed Colleen’s passing, Michael began searching for ways to rediscover the wider world he had set aside. When he learned about and applied for a Road Scholar’s Caregiver Grant, it marked a big step forward toward that goal.
A Walk in the Woods
Thanks to the support of a Road Scholar Caregiver Grant, last August, Michael joined 29 other adventurous Road Scholars at the trailhead of a sun-dappled forest path in New York’s Adirondack Mountains for Choose Your Pace: Hiking the Adirondacks. For Michael, this wasn’t simply the start of a hike — it was a powerful turning point, the first step to restart his life after a demanding and emotionally draining journey of caring for Colleen.
The week was filled with exploration and camaraderie — something he hadn’t experienced in years. But one moment stood out. With his fellow hikers, Michael climbed to the 4,095-foot summit of Cascade Mountain.
“The literal high point of the week for me was hiking to the summit of Cascade Mountain, one of the aptly named High Peaks inside Adirondack Park,” says Michael. “Some people climb mountains for the personal challenge, others for the achievement itself. But as a former caregiver, I’m drawn to high places so I can see greater distances and find new horizons. The trail became a metaphor for hope and fulfillment, difficult and exhilarating with every vertical step. And doing it with other spirited hikers made the journey incredibly special.”
A meaningful hike for Michael was around Clear Pond on Colleen’s birthday. “I could feel her presence and approval when we paused on the shore near a field of bright purple pickerelweed,” he says. Colleen had always loved the forests of her native Maine and the Allegany woods of western New York, and my program choice was a way to honor the memory of our life together.”
Grateful to Road Scholar Donors
For Michael, a trail in the woods has always been his respite of choice. “This Road Scholar program gave me an ideal opportunity to continue the exploration of what I’m calling my version 2.0 self, to feel solid ground beneath my feet again, to breathe deeply again, to meet new friends and discover new places,” explains Michael. “I am grateful to the Road Scholar donors who allowed me to live a dream that surpassed my expectations.”
Marion McParland joined Road Scholar in 2023, bringing a rich editorial and nonprofit background — and a genuine passion for storytelling. Her writing has appeared in Lifelong Learning & Adventure Magazine, Redbook, Boston Magazine, The Boston Herald Sunday Magazine, Practical Homeowner, Better Homes & Gardens and The Philadelphia Inquirer. A lifelong equestrian and friend to animals, she lives near Philadelphia with her three dogs and a chatty Harlequin Macaw.