DAWN Method dementia supportive care is how we preserve the skill, ability, and, most importantly, well-being of folks experiencing dementia. DAWN dementia supportive care looks like us enjoying time with a person doing things that are meaningful and beautiful to them to bring personal sensory and social stimulation, and also tending to the practical and physical aspects of their life such…
Keeping track of the days of the week and the months of the year can be very important for some folks experiencing dementia. They might need our support in helping them feel like they are indeed keeping track.
We recently have had the privilege of walking through end-of-life care with several of our companions. I have been reminded of how different the end-of-life journey is when someone is experiencing dementia. With dementia, they do not necessarily have the cognitive ability to advocate for themselves as their ability to understand how they are feeling and what to do about…
If your companions experiencing dementia repeat the same stories over and over, remember this:
The DAWN method taught me that folks living with dementia will benefit from feeling a sense of love, admiration, and respect. But in the same way, caregiver spouses need this too! Pushing a caregiver spouse toward what we believe they need doesn’t work - instead, we need to show them love, admiration, and respect. We need to give them the…
In December I shared a blog on long-term care insurance, you can read that here. In continuing the conversation with an individual, we discussed how benefits can pay well but only if the person moves into a facility. Long-term care benefits do not pay well when someone remains in their home. But research shows us these people want to remain…
How do we speak about dementia with our loved ones who have dementia? The short answer: we don't. Check out this video for more info! Let me know if this was helpful and what other topics you'd love to have me cover! https://www.instagram.com/p/CkbzE3JgKxC/
Four years ago, I started Better People Care because I believed we could do better when caring for folks living with dementia. Recently we were selected by the Better Business Bureau to receive the Spark Award! The Spark award recognizes business leaders based on their character, the culture of the business they run, and the community they commit to support. …
Our good friend Carol passed away this week, surrounded by friends and family. Her best friend and care partner loved her through the dementia journey, in their own home, until her last week of life when inpatient hospice was the way to help her be comfortable. Carol was a remarkable woman; an accomplished musician, a mom of six, one who…
The typical pattern for how the medical system addresses dementia these days includes a visit to the doctor, and then a referral to a neuropsychologist for a neuropsychological assessment. This neuropsychological assessment typically involves about three hours of cognitive testing for the person with suspected cognitive change. A report follows, which outlines the specific areas of cognition assessed and which…
