Man in China, 32, quits job to travel with & care for mum, 58, with dementia

A 32-year-old man in China quit his job to care for and travel with his dementia-stricken mother full-time.

Zhang Zhi, who used to run a start-up company, was raised by his mother after his parents divorced when he was a child.

He left his job in October 2021 to care for his mother, 58-year-old Yuan, who suffers from dementia.

She now has the mental capacity of a two-year-old, reported the South China Morning Post.

Together, they have visited over a dozen cities across China, which Zhang says helps to keep her mind active.

He currently has no plans to marry and wants to devote his time and energy to caring for his mum.

“When I was young, my mother took care of me. Now, I care for her the same way,” said Zhang.

No cure

Once an accomplished obstetrician, Yuan was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia about a decade ago.

The illness causes drastic personality shifts, behaviour issues, and loss of language skills.

There is no cure.

Yuan now no longer recognises familiar faces and suffers from incontinence and compulsive eating.

Once, she secretly ate a large amount of salt at home and had to be hospitalised.

She can also behave in an unpredictable manner, having taken food from strangers, left stores without paying, and once relieved herself in a hotel hallway.

As her carer, Zhang has had to deal with the police numerous times.

He has also had to offer apologies and compensation to people on his mother's behalf.

Caring for his mum

To keep her safe, Zhang has set up surveillance cameras and installed an iron gate at their front door.

He cares for her by carefully cutting her food into small pieces and keeping their home free of sharp, fragile, or dangerous items.

He also uses a wrist-link when they go out to ensure that they stay together at all times.

While he previously relied on his savings, he now live-streams their life together to support their lifestyle.

"Her condition rules out surgery or major treatment. All I can do is give her the best life I possibly can," he said.

Top image from Douyin