Seagulls

In this conversation, Dad talks about the “seagull relatives” and so-called helpers who occasionally dropped in during the Alzheimer’s caregiving journey. They swooped in under the pretense of helping Grandma, offered opinions, stirred up chaos, and then disappeared—leaving the real caregivers to clean up the mess. If you’ve ever dealt with family members or friends who criticize but don’t contribute, you’ll recognize these common family dynamics in dementia care.