DementiAbility strives to remove the focus that is often placed on disability in dementia - replacing it with a focus on ABILITY through education & resources.
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Articles by Gail Elliot
Dementia Robbed Me Of My Mother, But My Memories Of Her Won't Fade (Blog)
I am writing this blog with a heavy heart. My long journey of caring for my mother has come to an end. In fact, it came to an end more than six months ago. I've tried finishing this blog many times, but I found it very hard to say, "It's done." I miss my mother more than I could ever have imagined. Each person who supports a loved one with dementia has a different story. Some are better, easier, than others. This is mine.
Compassion Fatigue Is A Reality Of Dementia Caregiving
Dementia care is provided by people who are paid staff (including all types of health care providers) as well as family, friends, volunteers and neighbours (to name a few). In dementia care, we provide many different types of support and care. "Care" can include anything from helping with household tasks to addressing basic social needs (e.g. a phone call or chat) to helping with tasks of daily life (such as getting dressed or finding the toilet).
It’s About Time: Creating Agendas For Individuals Living With Dementia
The hallmark feature of dementia is memory loss. Supporting memory loss must therefore be a high priority in dementia care. This blog is about how we can use practical ideas such as using an agenda to support memory loss. An agenda offers the benefits of providing important details, and predictability, related to daily routines. Many of us use an agenda to support our memory. Think about it – we use an agenda, yet we don't have dementia.
Dining With Dignity In Long-Term Care
When you think about an evening with friends and family do you think about the "dine and dash" type of dining or the "sit, relax, chat and enjoy" type of dining experience? When you eat with family at home, which do you prefer? Do you like to "grab and go" or do you expect the family to sit and eat the meal that someone so lovingly prepared? How do you define a "good" dining experience? If you were living in long-term care, what would you want and expect? What would make a "great" day for you?
How Should You Feel When A Loved One Is Placed In A Nursing Home?
People who support and care for loved ones with dementia experience many ups and downs throughout their caregiving journey. It can be heartbreaking to watch someone they love decline and become someone that they no longer understand or recognize. While some become easier to be with, others may become increasingly difficult, and of course there is everything in between. There can definitely be the best of times -- and the worst of times.
Conversation Prompts For People With Dementia
As discussed in previous blogs, communicating with people who are living dementia can sometimes be difficult. I want to thank those of you who told us about the successes you have had with our resource that we have called "Let's Chat". Your stories were heartfelt. I love hearing about how people with dementia start talking, reminiscing and engaging socially with others when the right prompts are provided.
How To Create Holiday Joy For Someone With Dementia
Families are often looking for practical tips and creative activities that can be used to engage and support loved ones with dementia during the holiday season. This blog provides a few ideas that are aimed at helping to make everyone's holiday season the "Most wonderful time of the year"! Work Together! A common expression uttered throughout the holiday season is, 'There is so much to do -- so little time'.
Maintaining Meaningful Conversations With People Living With Dementia
Do you find it difficult to maintain a conversation with older adults who are living with dementia? Many people find that once they get past talking about the weather, how they slept that night or what they had to eat today, they struggle to find ways to stimulate conversation in a way that is meaningful, interesting and mutually rewarding.
People Living With Dementia Need Their Feelings Validated
Do you find it difficult to know what to say when an individual with dementia is focused on "leaving" or doing things they did in the past, but can't do now (such as driving or heading out on their own)? The following points provide a few basics for you to consider when the person with dementia is in need of having his/her feelings validated and discussed. It is important to address feelings first.
The Value Of Roles And Routines In Dementia Care
If you were asked to make a list of everything you have to do today, this week, this month and even this year, how long would that list be? For most of us, just thinking about all we have to do can make us feel overwhelmed and exhausted. No wonder we often feel tired and worn down. Now think for a minute about those living with dementia. What jobs, tasks and activities would you find on their list? When you take away the time they spend eating, sleeping and engaging in personal care, what is left?
Can Activities Reduce Behavioural Symptoms Of Dementia?
Shortly after my latest blog, entitled "I'm Engaged," I was delighted and honoured to receive an email from Dr. Laura Gitlin, Professor & Director of the Center for Innovative Care in Aging, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, I am quite familiar with Dr. Gitlin's exceptional work and decided to email her to ask if she would be interested in being interviewed for my next blog.
Activities That Add Meaning To Each Day For People With Dementia
Many people who are living with dementia are bored. Read on to find out how you can help to change this to a world where they can truly say, "I'm engaged!"Along with the diagnosis of dementia there often comes an expectation that abilities are diminished. The focus shifts to what this person can no longer do rather than focusing on the remaining abilities and what the person is still able to do.
Why Do We React So Differently To A Diagnosis Of Dementia?
Have you ever wondered why some people will acknowledge that they have dementia, yet others will clearly deny there is anything wrong? Why do some people argue with the diagnosis? Why do some people know they have dementia but refuse to tell anyone? Why do some discuss openly? Let's explore.Why are some people so certain there is nothing wrong?One reason some people are sure they do not have dementia (even with a confirmed diagnosis) can be due to where the damage is in the brain.
Acknowledging The Silent Contributions Of Personal Support Workers
"To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world." - Unknown Which jobs tend to receive the most attention and the highest and greatest accolades? Is it doctors, lawyers, statesmen and women, fashion designers, inventors, researchers, athletes, singers, actors or is it CEOs of large corporations? Are these the people that are most often noticed for their exemplary contributions to our world?
Showing Compassion: Doll Therapy And Dementia
Is doll therapy a compassionate or a childish way of addressing the needs of those living with dementia? Some people have the opinion that using dolls in dementia care is wrong (the term most often used is infantalization, where the belief is that dolls treat the person like a child). Let me convince you otherwise. People of all ages collect things, including dolls, stuffed animals, stamps, toy trucks and model trains.
Innovative practice: Conversational use of English in bilingual adults with dementia
Regression to mother tongue is common in those with dementia. In two long-term care facilities, we explored the use of bilinguals’ two languages for five older adults with mild-moderate dementia who have begun to regress to Greek. We also examined the role of Montessori DementiAbility Methods: The Montessori Way-based English language activities in fostering conversational use of English. Over 10 sessions, participants’ vocabulary or grammatical structure in English did not improve.
Must-Have Tips for Dementia Caregivers
Recognize that all behaviour has meaning. Many of the behaviours we see in dementia arise because a person's needs are left unmet. When you observe the behaviour, you need to figure out what it is telling you. Here are some examples:Grabbing: If a person with dementia constantly reaches out and grabs people who come close it may be an indication that he/she needs something or somebody.
Implementing Montessori Methods for Dementia™ in Ontario long-term care homes: Recreation staff and multidisciplinary consultants’ perceptions of policy and practice issues
Montessori-based activities use a person-centred approach to benefit persons living with dementia by increasing their participation in, and enjoyment of, daily life. This study investigated recreation staff and multidisciplinary consultants’ perceptions of factors that affected implementing Montessori Methods for Dementia™ in long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada. Qualitative data were obtained during semi-structured telephone interviews with 17 participants who worked in these homes.
10 Common Myths About Dementia
If I have problems with memory I have dementia - FALSE Everyone encounters situations where they forget details such as where they put their keys or the date and time of their next doctor's appointment. The difference between a 'memory slip' and a diagnosis of dementia is that dementia significantly impacts social and daily functioning.
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