Naomi Feil, founder of Validation therapy, shares a breakthrough moment of communication with Gladys Wilson, a woman who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2000 and was virtually non-verbal. Our Next Step staff has been fortunate enough to receive training from Naomi through the Validation Institute. Our hope is that we are able to share with our families this power of love. More info: www.memorybridge.org The Jewish Standard
"God's Love: Naomi Feil, a Jewish woman, sings Christian hymns for Gladys, who has Alzheimer's and was unable to speak. Watch what happens at the end, when Mrs. Feil opens her heart and gives Ms. Gladys what she needs so deeply." #Alzheimers, #SeniorHealth, #MusicTherapy, #Religion, #Judaism, #Christianity, #Godslove, #Validationtherapy
9 Comments
Now that you’re paying attention and looking for subtle and not-so-subtle changes in your aging loved one, you may be wondering, what’s “normal” and what’s not? How do you know the difference between typical “senior moments”, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the early stages of dementia? Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined by deficits in memory that do not significantly impact daily functioning. Memory problems may be minimal to mild and hardly noticeable to the individual. Writing reminders and taking notes allow a person to compensate for memory difficulties. To the untrained eye, the signs are not obvious, especially because people with good coping skills hide their frailties well.
Subtle Change in Short-Term Memory Your elderly relative may be able to remember years past, but not what they had for breakfast. Short-term memory loss includes forgetting where they left something, struggling to remember why they went into a particular room, or forgetting what they were supposed to do on any given day. Difficulty Finding the Right Words Struggling to communicate thoughts the way you want to, is beyond not being able to recollect a certain word. This may mean that a person can’t seem to explain things. They may reach for the right words, but just can’t seem to grasp them, and the words don’t “come to them” as they often do for others. Confusion Someone in the early stages of dementia may often show signs of confusion. When memory, thinking, or judgment lapses, confusion arises as your loved one can no longer remember faces, find the right words, or interact with people normally. Confusion can also be brought on by dehydration, urinary tract infections or drug interactions. Difficulty Following Storylines Just as finding and using the right words becomes difficult, people with dementia also sometimes forget the meanings of words they hear. Struggling to follow along with conversations or TV programs is a classic early warning sign. A Failing Sense of Direction Sense of direction and spatial orientation is a common function of thinking that starts to deteriorate with the onset of dementia. This can mean not recognizing once-familiar landmarks and forgetting regularly used directions. It also becomes more difficult to follow series of directions and step-by-step instructions. Being Repetitive You might notice your elderly parent or loved one repeat daily tasks like shaving or collecting items obsessively. They also may repeat the same questions in a conversation after you’ve already answered them. Struggling to Adapt to Change For someone in the early stages of dementia, the experience is frightening. Suddenly they can’t remember people they know or follow what others are saying. They can’t remember why they went to the store and get lost on the way home. Because of this, they might crave routine and not want to try new things. Schedule a Family Meeting
Together we discuss how to create an individualized plan of services that will best support your daily living needs. We're here to help. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan designated November as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month . At the time, fewer than 2 million Americans had Alzheimer’s. Today, the number of people with the disease has soared to over 5 million; 1 in 10 adults are caring for someone with Alzheimer's and accounting for approximately 18 billion hours of unpaid care. This November, join us during National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month by showing the Power of Purple. There are many ways you can get involved:
For Alzheimer's and Caregiving resources, visit our Resources & Support Services page and The Alzheimer's Association website
Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 10. You talk too much -- instead try taking my hand and leading the way. I need a guide not a person to nag me all the time. Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 9. Sometimes you talk to me like I am a child or an idiot. How would you like it if I did that to you? Go to your room and think about this. Don't come back and tell me you are sorry, I won't know what you are talking about. Just stop doing it and we will get along very well, and probably better than you think. Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 8. My attention span and ability to pay attention are not as good as they once were, please make eye contact with me before you start talking. A nice smile always gets my attention. Did I mention that before? Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 7. Make sure you have my attention before you start blabbering away. What is going to happen if you start blabbering away and you don't have my attention, or confuse me? I am going to say No - count on it. Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 6. Slow down. And don't sneak up on me and start talking. Did I tell you I like smiles? Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 5. You know what I am going to say if you go off into long winded explanations on why we should do something? I am going to say No, because I can never be certain if you are asking me to do something I like, or drink a bottle of castor oil. So I'll just say No to be safe. Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 4. Please try to understand and remember it is my short term memory, my right now memory, that is gone -- don't talk so fast, or use so many words. Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ A recent study found that people tended to identify the “seat of their selves” as either residing in their hearts or their brains. And as you may already suspect, people who self-identified as emotional and sympathetic felt their essences resided in their hearts and those who self-identified as logical and rational thought their essences were brain-bound. What’s most striking about these findings is that the two organs associated with self-identity are the same ones that are most affected by the ravages of the aging process. As we get older, arteries may harden, and our brains can undergo a slow, age-related decline. To say that this is a frightening prospect is an understatement. The good news is that there is AIM BarleyLife. It’s chock full of vitamins and minerals that benefit both the heart and the brain. For example, research by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology that looked at nearly 1,000 adults and their eating habits for over a decade found that test subjects who ate one or two servings of leafy green vegetables per day had the mental faculties of someone a decade younger than those who consumed none. The researchers accredit these health benefits to the vitamin K, lutein, folate and beta-carotene content found in leafy green vegetables. While most of these nutrients have been linked to cognitive health before, this is the first study in history that looked for both and found a link between vitamin K and brain health. BarleyLife contains 10% of your daily folate needs and 100% of vitamin K. As far as heart health goes, a study published in April 2015 in the Journal Of Clinical Nutrition examined the mortality rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) sufferers.The most common cause of death for people with CKD is cardiovascular disease due to increased arterial calcification. By analyzing data in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, scientists were able to determine that those CKD patients who consumed adequate amounts of vitamin K were less likely to die and significantly less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have also linked vitamin K to a reduction in arterial calcification. It doesn’t matter whether you identify with your heart or your brain, drinking BarleyLife is a boon to both. It’s a smart decision that will leave you feeling good. Don’t forget the Folate! Folate also plays a big role in heart and brain health. Folate consumption has been linked to lower homocysteine levels, a factor in determining the risk of cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. Low folate levels have also been linked to depression. Reprinted with permission of AIM International Inc, Nampa, Idaho Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 3. Instead of getting all bent out of shape when I do something that seems perfectly normal to me, and perfectly nutty to you, why not just smile at me? It will take the edge off the situation all the way around. Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ Dotty had dementia. Her words of wisdom apply to all styles of communication but are especially helpful when speaking to a person with dementia. Try these tips to improve your relationships. 2. Did you ever consider this? When you get tense and uptight it makes me feel tense and uptight. Dotty went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.
We found her tips at the Alzheimer’s Reading Room http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/ Recently, a friend of my mother's suggested she read The 36 Hour Day by Nancy L. Mace. When I heard about it, I was relieved to find a resource that would give insights into everyday living and interacting with a memory-impaired person. I was also thankful my local public library had a copy available. How we communicate with a memory-impaired person is so different from how we have been communicating for several years. Without understanding, it's easy to offend and be offended. This book thoroughly addresses the daily challenges of living with and caring for a person with Dementia, Alzheimers or other memory-impairment. Fortunately, I read it shortly after the diagnosis and am now able to enjoy time with my dad without becoming frustrated. -Melissa The more I understand how everyday situations can potentially affect my memory-impaired father, the better prepared I am to minimize his confusion and respond well to him in his confusion. "The Complete Guide To Alzheimer's Proofing Your Home" by Mark L. Warner prepared me for this unexpected season of my life. This book is an excellent resource with practical suggestions and listing of helpful items and where they can be purchased. Many suggestions do not require a purchase; they are simple changes, such as adjusting the air vents to not blow on the curtains, which may cause one to think there is someone hiding behind them. Or, adhering colored tape (painters tape) to the floor to direct a path to the bathroom. In this book, you will discover small ways to consider your loved one as they journey this path within themselves. -Melissa |
Details
Archives
February 2023
|