Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body and other memory loss dementia’s can be challenging. Some days our loved ones’ seem okay, the next, they are way off the mark. They ask for something for lunch, and when you make it and serve it, they say they don’t want it, didn’t ask for it, or think you are poisoning them. They can be thoughtful one minute, and the next, something will pop out of their mouth you simply cannot believe. Why does this happen? When the frontal lobe of the brain is affected, we will observe lapse of judgment, lack of impulse control, lack of filter for what is said. This is probably one of the hardest issues for my #Caregivernation.
In the support group which I facilitate, social media and from my radio audience (Dementia Resilience with Jill Lorentz) I hear this and more all the time. I am curious to know if any of you have any fabulous redirection skills which you would like to share. Even though I have over 20 years experience working with friends who are diagnosed and their caregivers, I love hearing what the people on the front lines think. Families struggle with the uncertainty of what each day may hold. I have many ideas to help, but I want to hear from all of you!
I saw the 10 Absolutes posted by the FB Love Style page from April 2017 which evoked 17K people who told their stories and many angrily wrote their own thoughts on how they don’t like being a caregiver, while others lamented the loved ones’ they’ve lost. I was surprised at many of the comments.
I look forward to hearing from all of you!
By the way, sorry for being a day late on this blog post, I was sick over the weekend.
