This is the story of Shalim and Johnson. A love story that has stood the test of time, continents, and Alzheimer’s. And when it seemed their love might not continue in a Memory Care community, it actually grew stronger.

Shalim and Johnson met as children in Iran, where Johnson fell madly in love with Shalim. Throughout his life he professed his love with the simplest but most profound phrase – “I love you more than myself” and a kiss on her hand.

But once they grew up, their journeys led them separately across the world to study in a country that was completely different from anything they knew: the United States. She pursued nursing, and he studied engineering. Yet Johnson never stopped loving Shalim, and after they met again, Johson asked for her hand. They married in 1974, decided to make the US their new home and had a daughter, Sarah.

They eventually moved to Los Angeles, California, and Sarah grew up and moved to San Jose. However, what should have been their restful years took a turn in 2019 and their life changed again. Johson was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Naturally, Shalim and Johson did everything they could to maintain their life, but it became increasingly harder. He needed to sleep in a separate room. He was prone to accidents, and wandering off on his own. Sarah booked medical appointments and went to Los Angeles to help whenever she could. But it was evident everyone’s efforts weren’t enough: he needed Memory Care Shalim and Johnson’s greatest worry and fear was that they had managed to stay together for 50 years, but now in their time of greatest need, they would be separated. After much thought, Sarah and her parents decided that moving to a retirement community close to Sarah in San Jose called The Watermark at Almaden, would be the best option, even if it meant Johnson eventually will have to live separately in memory care.

In retrospect, Sarah said she wishes they had moved in sooner. After they became residents in 2021, their quality of life improved. Shalim lives in the Assisted Living area, and Johnson in Memory care. As soon as they are able, they meet first thing in the morning, and spend most of their day together. Shalim doesn’t have to worry if Johnson will wander off, or get lost, and she doesn’t have to worry about looking after him non-stop. When she is tired, she can rest, knowing the team at the memory care is there. “The team at Watermark at Almaden are so caring,” Sarah said. “I can’t say enough good things about them. And I’ve seen the difference in my mother – she’s putting on weight she lost with worry, and looking more rested.”Sarah has also experienced a change in her life — she can focus on enjoying every minute with them, instead of always trying to solve problems. She’s able to talk her mother out to lunch, and spend quality time with her father. She still books their medical appointments, and still has the worries any daughter has of aging parents – but they’re so much less. Sarah does have one regret.

“If my parents had moved in the Watermark earlier we would have had the opportunity to do so much more together while he still could have done it, especially because Watermark has so many activities to give residents a vibrant life, like outings, programs built around your interests, a swimming pool, and even a billiards table,my Dad’s favorite game. I just wish I could have done those things with him,” she said.

This year, Shalim and Johnson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and the Dining Director at Watermark prepared a special dinner for the whole family, and even made a cake with their 1974 wedding cake topper which Sarah recently found. While Johnson’s condition requires Memory Care, this new chapter in their lives gives them the chance to transform every day into a romantic date. Now, as always, Johnson declares his love to Shalim daily. “I love you more than myself,” he says, and kisses her hand.