Page 2 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - August 2019 - 26-08

Page 2 Senior Times - August 2019
THE VOICE OF DEMENTIA
By: Tim Mitchell, Fund Development Coordinator, Senior Care Partners PACE
As we live longer as a society, the number of people, and their families, living with dementia continues to grow. A staggering 7.7 million new cases are diagnosed every year, with 47.5 million people living with dementia worldwide. Within the United States, there are at least five million people currently living with age-related dementias and that number is expected to triple in the next 30 years. One source estimates there is a diagnosis of demen- tia every 66 seconds in the US alone.
diminishing and I am losing my ability to sequence, plan, and prepare. I hate packing – I pick up one thing, put it down, look for another thing, then look for the first thing I put down and it’s not there. You end up not knowing where anything is. You try to be logical, but you cannot be logical when you’ve got Alzheimer’s.”
3. Be realistic in your expectations for yourself and your loved one. Expect the unexpected and don’t become discouraged when things don’t go as planned. Understanding the progression of the disease will help you manage expectations.
It has sadly been referred to as “the disease of a long good-bye” because it takes over one’s life gradually, usually over a period of years. It’s very difficult and heart-wrenching to watch a family member gripped by a condition that is nonrevers- ible and gets progressively worse.
5. Live with them in the now. Don’t try to change them back to the person you remember. It is important to grieve the loss of that person
and love them for the person they are in the moment.
We often read information about the struggles caregivers have when dealing with family mem- bers with dementia. However, it is not often we hear a person with this disease talk about it from their perspective. Below are a few statements from older adults currently struggling with some form of dementia. You might say, this is the voice of dementia.
It’s not the person; it’s the disease. Yes, dealing with loved ones with dementia can be difficult on the caregiver, but there is also tre- mendous stress on the dementia patient.
6. Take care of yourself and don’t hesitate to rely on others. Caregiver burnout is very real. If you are under great stress it will diminish your abil- ity to care for your loved one. Allow yourself permission to go do other things that make you feel good. Your friends and family members will likely be very willing to care for your loved one to give you short breaks. Don’t be afraid to ask them. Also, seek out community resources that can help you during this journey.
“It’s just frightening. I get hallucinations where I think there are ghosts living in our garden. But my world seems to take on several dimensions. So I don’t know which house I’m in.”
7. Have fun with your loved one. They may still enjoy trips to the park, museum, mall, or simply watching a sunset. Enjoy every moment you have with them because those moments will become some of your fondest memories.
“I seem to live in a state of constant anxiety because of not being able to cope with crossing the road, going shopping, or taking a shower. The day- to-day things have been more and more stressful and cause me to panic. What does it feel like when I know that the slow progression is creeping in
and getting more and more frequent? Frightening. Scary. I doubt myself.”
This advice came from a dementia patient to caregivers, “You must be prepared for when the dementia takes over. There will be days when we are angry, and days when we forget where we are in time. The more that you understand that it’s not the person with dementia that is angry with you, the more you will bear what is to come.”
4. Develop predictable routines and schedules. This can help eliminate confusion and frustra- tion for your loved one and it becomes more important as the disease progresses.
“Words might make sense inside your head but they don’t make sense when they come out and I think, ‘That’s not what I wanted to say.’”
How can family members, friends and care- givers help them? Below are a few ways you can make their life, and yours, more meaningful when dealing with this disease.
1. Become educated about the disease. Learn
Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. is here to help you when dealing with a family member with dementia. Our entire team of healthcare profession- als is trained to help individuals suffering from this very difficult condition. Knowing each person is unique, a personalized plan of care is established for each participant, based on their individual needs.
“I’m a different person compared to the one my wife married... I can’t get through to the part of my brain that wants to ask her how she is or give her a kiss and a hug.”
as much as you can about the progression of dementia. This will help you empathize with and better understand your loved one.
“Dementia is more than memory. My brain and body are so tired that I can hardly cook my dinner.”
2. Don’t argue with your loved one. Be willing to let things go. Arguing will only upset them more and further frustrate you. Instead of arguing,
try changing the subject or redirecting them to something more pleasant.
To learn more about Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. and how we can help you or a family member, please call us at (269) 441-9319 or visit us at www.seniorcarepartnersmi.org.
“Something strange has been happening to me over the last four or five months. I’m waking up so early in the morning.”
“My abilities to be able to cook are steadily
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• Physical and Occupational • Quality Medical Care • Socialization
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Call us to find out if Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. is right for you or someone you love.
(269) 441-9319 or visit www.seniorcarepartnersmi.org
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