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Tag Archives: dementia care
A tabletop that should never be in a dementia care environment
I’m sitting at the airport, typing on my Kindle Fire, and I spot something out of the corner of my eye. I reach for it, instinctively, to move it—but I cannot. It’s a bowtie, and it’s just a really crisp photograph that’s built into the tabletop. Oddly, I am slightly alarmed by this. I lookContinue reading “A tabletop that should never be in a dementia care environment”
Socialization is important for people with dementia
Jean had become pretty isolated in Assisted Living, Her dementia had progressed, and suddenly the other women were picking on her about it. Because she did not live in a Dementia Care environment, Jean’s peers were nothing like her. She stopped coming to meals, and she stopped going on outings—two things she had previously enjoyed. Continue reading “Socialization is important for people with dementia”
Comcast wants to control what you do online. Do you want to let them?
I try not to get involved in politics on my blog and in my business (although it’s really hard in this day and age, honestly) but this “Battle for the Net” issue WILL affect my business. I reach you and many other caregivers all over the world, and that’s because the Internet is accessible. What theContinue reading “Comcast wants to control what you do online. Do you want to let them?”
5 tips: visit + leave without a fight
Beverly and her husband stood at the doorway of the care community, pointing fingers (literally) and arguing. “What do you mean, you’re ‘going home!’” she cried. “I’m coming with you!” “No,” Beverly’s husband argued back. “You live here now!” We’ve all seen this same type of fight a million times, but how can you avoidContinue reading “5 tips: visit + leave without a fight”
Why the earlier stages of dementia are the hardest
Christopher had just moved into our senior living community. He was very nice and polite, but it was pretty clear to me that he wasn’t ready for our level of dementia care. It’s incredibly rare that someone moves a loved one into dementia care too early. In fact, I would say it almost never happens:Continue reading “Why the earlier stages of dementia are the hardest”
Watch my video on utilizing baby dolls and stuffed animals with your loved ones who have dementia! Directed by my talented filmmaker friend, Zane Cook.
Embracing and interacting with hallucinations
It can be pretty scary when your loved one with dementia is hallucinating. Here’s how you need to be dealing with it. Hallucinations are different than delusions: delusions are fixed false ideas, whereas hallucinations are seeing or hearing something that isn’t there. People with certain types of dementia are prone to hallucinations (like Dementia with LewyContinue reading “Embracing and interacting with hallucinations”
Let them lead, and you follow
Let’s face it: dementia care is hard. Honestly, it’s often harder for caregivers than it is for the people with dementia, especially in later stages of the disease process. No one “wants to lie” to a loved one with dementia, but that’s why I always tell families to take the word “lying” and throw it out theContinue reading “Let them lead, and you follow”
How to stop quizzing people with dementia in 5 steps
You know what it means to “quiz” someone with dementia, even if you don’t call it that. Quizzing means that you try to get your loved one with dementia to tell you something that you already know, or that you try to get them to remember something. Here are 5 steps to get you out ofContinue reading “How to stop quizzing people with dementia in 5 steps”