People with dementia sometimes get VERY angry. And it is no fun for them, or for those of us with them. And it seems like no matter how hard we try, we struggle to help them get un-angry. We both end up frustrated and unhappy and feeling hopeless. So it goes when we don’t understand some of the frequent triggers…
When I have the privilege of teaching folks about dementia, the goal is for them to learn about dementia so they can help their loved ones living with dementia. But that’s only half of the goal. The other half of the goal is so that the people on the team (care team, family team, etc.) of a person living with…
Giving someone a dose of their own medicine has its roots in the notion of revenge. Turns out, though, that the process often has a deeper purpose: that of determining whether the offending person is capable of developing greater empathy for you, as seen in Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-the-self/201901/should-you-give-someone-taste-their-own-medicine. When we have the privilege of using and sharing the DAWN method…
Just in case you found our first good advice blog helpful for the prevention of dementia, here’s “the rest of the story”: • Minimize your use of alcohol and drugs. I haven’t read any research that lends empirical evidence to a link between alcohol and drugs and dementia, but I’ve certainly worked with some folks with dementia who have a…
I made a big mistake with one of my companions with dementia recently. I made a decision that left them feeling uncomfortable, and insecure in my presence. It wasn’t obvious at first, but their responses later in the week made it clear that my decision had eroded trust. It’s not the first time I’ve made mistakes when providing dementia care. …
No one asks to get dementia. And all of us hope to do what we can to prevent it. But before I dive into how we as women can reduce our risk of developing dementia, I must first speak out that there is hope in dementia. I’ve watched it. I’ve lived it. The truth that when we handle correctly the…
My Mom taught me hard work and duty to family. She grew up poor with seven siblings and minimal education, married at 22, and had me at 23. She showed me what sacrifice looked like when she and my dad moved our family from Taiwan to Texas to build a better life for me and my brother because we both…
Imagine, as the reader of this post, that you realize you need a few items from the grocery store for dinner. So you make a list, put on your coat, grab your wallet, the keys, and “Oh wait! I don’t drive anymore. Now let me think. How am I going to get to the grocery store now? Hmm. Well, I’ll…
My oldest daughter got married on March 13th, just four weeks ago. The day of her lovely wedding, Corona Virus was just a hint. By the time we all flew home 2 days later, the airports were eerily empty and our country was showing signs of shutting down. While on her honeymoon, she learned that the company with whom she’d…
My friend Lana is living with dementia. And she loves to tell me the stories of “way back when”. In fact, she’s like 100% of my companions with dementia…they love to tell stories from their deep past, usually from their youth and early adulthood. And I on purpose lead them to tell those stories, because it brings them joy. But…
