Keeping it Simple

We don’t always have to come up with grand things to do with our companions who are experiencing dementia.  Going somewhere as simple as the hardware store can create a rich place for sensory and social experiences. Even while some of their cognitive skills are diminishing, their brains still benefit from some stimulation! https://www.instagram.com/p/CzEjYg1OaS6/

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Strength-Based Care

Our companions with dementia have lost some significant cognitive skills, but we can set the environment up to accommodate those losses and support their strengths. For example, one of my companions has a very important cognitive strength that he gets to live out with our help. He gets to enjoy the beauty of his life and specifically his backyard and…

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Adapting to Changes

A quick story about how what I learned with the DAWN method has helped me better understand the actions of my companions with dementia. What I have learned allows me to suggest things that improve their quality of life and adapt to their changing cognitive state.  https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctjqva5gNZl/

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Preserving Dignity

The DAWN method taught me the sacred balance between safety and selfhood. I am so grateful to Judy Cornish and all that I have learned. In my experience with my companions with dementia, I have learned first-hand that full-time care is not always the answer. I have seen how the right care, in the right amounts, at the right time,…

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Honoring A Good Man

“Thank you for your service, Sir.”  He served in the United States Army, as a Field Artillery soldier.  And he served for decades in the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, helping preserve wildlife and wild lands for people to enjoy for generations to come.   In his later years, he took up painting and was good at it, too.  He continued riding…

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