Choices to be Made When Dealing with Dementia Patients
Dealing with dementia is all about the choices you make
There are at least two ways I can choose to feel when I go to visit my aunt, who is in the throes of the effects of dementia and residing in an Assisted Living Facility. I can be sad and depressed and on the verge of tears because it’s hard to recognize the person in front of me as my aunt. She was always very prim and proper with the same neat, short hairstyle forever and a very basic, plain style of dressing. The only flamboyancy I ever saw her express over the years was her purchase of a few convertible cars.
Another choice I have besides sadness is to look for a little humor in the person she has become. Gone is the neat hairstyle of the past, and in its place is a rather scary, unkempt Richard Lewis look. The plain, but color coordinated outfits have been replaced with some really bad clothing choices. The effects of dementia causes her to ignore two closets filled with clothing and opts to wear basically the same thing every day—topped off with shoes with no socks. Her socks, and other items, disappear on a regular basis. The staff at the facility thinks she throws them out. Initially, I found myself getting upset about things that went missing. Now, I just replace them.
The effects of dementia is causing my aunt to steadily lose her vocabulary. I have learned it is best to ask questions that can be answered simply—yes or no if possible. She no longer turns the television in her room on, but recently while waiting to be called for an appointment in a doctor‘s office, she was watching the national news channel that was on. She expressed extreme dislike of the green Geiko Gecko character, and when she saw George W. Bush, she announced to everyone in the waiting room, “I know that guy.” I had to chuckle. There are blogs devoted to finding some humor in the daily lives of Alzheimer and Dementia patients. I find them to be an affirmation that there are choices we can make when dealing with dementia and our loved ones affected by the disease.
Operations Manager, Barton Home Care