Today we remembered our dear sweet Dorothy at the Catholic Mass and Memorial service that she planned herself. Today, we remembered her for the kind, loving, and the little-bit-of-fire lady that she was. Dorothy was ninety-nine and a half years old. She did not have dementia. In fact, she largely cared for her own needs until she became ill with…
In a conversation with a client’s daughter, she brought up the idea that this type of care really is using more of an offensive approach vs a defensive approach. I loved that analogy. Dementia has its own way, so we can not control the environment, but we can manage it. We can manage the environment in a dementia-supportive way so…
When spending time with one of my companions experiencing dementia, it matters how I communicate with them. They are losing contact with the recent past as their memory skills are changing. So when preparing my greeting, I thought about how I could stay in the "moment of now." For example, she will not remember the weather over the past few…
My friend Joe called me a few weeks ago. He was on the way to his mom’s home in another state; on his way to sort through the long list of things he needed to do on her behalf, as her Power of Attorney and devoted son. He was calling to say thank you; thank you for encouraging him months…
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…
The best gift we can give our companions with dementia is time, especially in conversations. When speaking with a companion experiencing dementia, don’t rush to fill the open space. Instead, be patient, watch them, and give them time to respond. Watch for a flicker of understanding that lets you know they are thinking and avoid the tendency to fill the…
This week I had the opportunity to chat with Lori La Bey from www.AlzheimersSpeaks.com. We talked about the DAWN method and the difference it is making for so many folks with dementia. If you missed the interview you can listen here! After the interview, I received a text from a friend and loyal follower of the work we are doing here. He…
Why do I talk at a slower pace? The pace at which we talk to our companions with dementia matters. It is important to make good eye contact, speak slowly and clearly, speak loudly enough that they can hear you, and articulate well! Don’t forget the impact a gentle smile can have. 😀 They have not lost intellect, they just…
If you own an insurance company or are an insurance agent, and differ with my assessment of long-term care (LTC) insurance, I welcome a conversation. If you are an adult considering purchasing long-term care insurance, please reconsider. I’ll explain my reasons why in a bit. But most importantly, if you are a caregiver for a loved one who once did…
If you have read my blog posts for a while, you know that I wonder, and I ponder sometimes. I wonder while I spend time with those living with dementia. I ponder about society and how we are doing with caring for our elders. I wonder about our society’s thoughts about life, living, end of life, and end of living.…
