The DAWN method taught me that with dementia, 3 primary skills are being lost, and 3 primary skills are being kept. Knowing this helps us understand the way a person experiencing dementia behaves.
Two examples of this are:
- Losing memory skills – which means they can reminisce well about the past, but lose connection with what just happened.
- Diminishing rational thinking skills – meaning they have difficulty planning or anticipating the future.
This is why it is so important to remove that cognitive clutter and live in the moment of now.
Living in the moment of now with our companions experiencing dementia allows us a bit of a break. It opens up space to notice more, connect deeper, and enjoy our time together. Check out more in the video.
