The “Why” Behind the “What:” Mixed-up Memories
Avoid quizzing the person with dementia. Logic does not work. Arguing does not work.
How Caregiver “Vibes” Can Affect Persons with Dementia
Your moods can be felt by the person with dementia.
Crash Course in Dementia-Centric Communication
Dementia-Centric Communication Dementia-centric communication is the ability to interact with people who have dementia in a respectful and meaningful way. I hear, over and over again, “I don’t know what to say to a person with dementia.” “What if I do something wrong?” Fear not, I am here to help […]
Is my spouse turning into a jerk or is it dementia?
Frontotemporal Dementia & The Jerk Factor When I say “dementia,” most people think “Alzheimer’s Disease.” The truth is that in people under 65, the more common dementia is “frontotemporal dementia” for FTD. FTD refers to a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases that include behavioral, motor, and/or speech symptoms. The one I am talking […]
Dementia and “Entering Their Reality:” Combining Elements of Truth with Preserving Dignity
Think of “Entering Their Reality” as a gentle and kind approach to delivering truth with dignity
Crankiness and Irritability in Persons with Dementia
There is a very good reason why people with dementia may seem more irritable or cranky: “laid off” workers!
What to Do When People with Dementia Cannot Eat
“I’m so distraught over my father. He has a Peg tube in, and hasn’t had any solid food for over 2 months.” So what does one doe when people with dementia cannot eat? Our reader Denise wrote: “I’m so distraught over my father. Has a Peg tube and hasn’t had any […]
Flowers and Salmon Patties: How To Slow Down Loss of Function in Persons with Dementia
Well-meaning family and formal caregivers sometimes start to “overdo” for persons with dementia. “I don’t want her to get hurt” or “I don’t want him to feel embarrassed” or “It is just so much easier if I do (fill in the blank).” What people do not realize is that once a person with dementia forgets how to do an activity or task, he or she is rarely able to relearn it. There just aren’t enough nerve cells to knit together a new memory.
Dementia and Disasters…What May Happen and How to Handle the Behavior(s)
Formal and family caregivers of persons with dementia are dealing with the realities of Hurricane Harvey right now. As if their jobs were not difficult enough.
Meet the Dementias: Alzheimer’s Disease
All cases of Alzheimer’s Disease are dementia, but not all dementia are Alzheimer’s Disease.