Couple uses artwork to cope with Alzheimer's diagnosis

When Sandra Lee Groepler was moved to a care home last year, she was separated from the love of her life and her love of artwork.

Richard Widdifield and his partner, Groepler, have been together creating art for almost 30 years.

In 2011, the pair received some devastating news: Groepler was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

"It was very difficult," said Widdifield. "She had often kind of thought about it, and I wouldn't want to say expected it, but in some ways she did really because of the diagnosis of father years before."

Last year, Groepler was relocated from her home in Radisson, Sask., to the Parkridge Centre in Saskatoon for more care.

"It's quite a change to be suddenly, as they say, involuntarily separated," Widdifield said.

Two Lives: One Love

Now, their love and work is on display for all to see.

"What I've assembled is an exhibition," Widdifield said. "A sort of retrospective of work of both Sandra and myself from the past just about 30 years of being together."

The collection of artwork is currently displayed at the Parkridge Centre Atrium, an area in the care home where Groepler frequents daily.

Widdifield said this was the first time the two had ever had their work shown together.

"This exhibition has kind of brought us together again in a different sense," he said. "It's been great for me to connect again with all the work that we've done over the years and to see them both on display together."

The exhibition, called Two Lives: One Love, will be on display until the end of November.