June 13, 2020
“Yesterday I fought again with my wife. We’ve had a really good marriage until lately and I don’t know what is going on with her. She keeps telling me I’m wrong when I know I’m right. First, its little things like, “Don’t go out for a drive at three in the morning. I can’t sleep, why can’t I go for a drive if I want?” She got
June 12, 2020
One of the most difficult aspects of caring for someone with dementia is coping with difficult or conflictive behavior. All the literature says don’t take this personally, they can’t help themselves; it is their condition. But it affects us when someone screams at us or says ugly things. We immediately react before we can rationally understand this isn’t them saying or doing those hurtful things. In normal
June 10, 2020
Katya & Frank After working long hours in understaffed facilities with a multitude of patients, many eldercare professionals often emotionally and physically burn out. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence, and in an attempt to prevent it, some facilities encourage emotional detachment. Home health staff experiences something similar. Many have minimal eldercare training especially about dementia and are sent from one client to another. It is difficult
June 10, 2020
“I Am My Mother” I am my mother She’s a part of me My courageous spirit The best I can be She traveled a twisted, rocky road. No loving spouse to lighten the load. In a concrete city with skies of gray Three hungry mouths to feed each day She did her best, the best she could. Sometimes wrong, sometimes times good. She never gave up, never
June 9, 2020
Marilynn was watching television with her husband. Her eye caught some movement in the corner of the room. She screamed, “Harold, a bunch of little people running all over the bedroom!” Harold was used to Marilynn’s hallucinations; she had several a day, usually little people. Harold was used to hearing about Marilynn’s hallucinations; she had several a day, usually little people. He understood her diagnosis of dementia
June 6, 2020
(doorway memory loss) Ever walk into a room with some purpose in mind, only to forget what it was? People with dementia walk into a room and often forget where they are or how they got there. Interestingly, walking through a doorway can cause memory lapses. Your brain files the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the next. This location-updating
June 4, 2020
When words begin to fail during dementia those who care for them must learn other methods to communicate. One of those methods is to understand non-verbal communication (body language). We continuously send and receive body signals, both consciously and subconsciously, whether accompanied by words or not. Our gestures and body positioning communicate a great deal of information. Our gestures can substitute or accentuate what we are attempting
