CARE GIVING FOR DEMENTIA

Once again this week I was on
Facebook. I was in some of the caregiving for dementia support group’s, and
I’ve got a few questions that I had answered and I thought I would just make an
episode out of the questions.

1:33 – 4:40         The 1st question that I come upon was, someone had
said something about getting their loved one in iPhone and iPad or an android.
I wasn’t really sure why they were talking about it, but my advice to the
writer was, don’t do that. Here in the house, Mama has times when she likes to
throw things and if we were to get her something like that. Mama is not a very
techie person, but if we were to get her something like that and she got into
this mood where she would want to throw it. She would just throw it not
realizing what it was or how expensive it was. You’re not only out the money of
the gadget, but you’re also out the money for the contract that you have to
have. Plus you would be out the money to get whatever it was fixed. So I
suggested due to the fact of the expense not to get an iPhone, iPad, or android
for this person.

4:40 – 8:00         Someone was talking about bringing their kids, or grandkids,
or great grandkids, to see their loved one in a nursing home. I suggested to
the writer to bring the children around as much as possible. You see, we now
have a lady from our church come in and sit with mom of 2 days a week. There
are times when this lady needs to bring her grandbaby with her, who is only
about a year old. Mama seems to perk up, Mama seems to be more alert, more
awake. Long story short, Mama seems to be more live with the child in the
house.

8:00 – 10:52       I also suggested to the writer, though if the children were
not able to come around, for the writer to get a baby doll about the size of a
new born baby for their loved one to play with. It’ll also stimulate them to
where they are more alive.

10:52 – 12:20     I’ve seen some film for Facebook, where people have give their
loved one, a newborn size doll baby and their reaction to that doll, and now
I’m not to put Mama on film for Facebook are you to be the one. I’ve been asked
not to put Mama on any kind of film for anything other than just pictures.

13:30- 16:45       Question number 3 was from another caregiving support group
page on Facebook and the question was whether or not someone with dementia
actually heard what you were saying or not? My answer to this question was, yes
they do hear you when you talk. I know every time we tell mom that we love her
we get yeah, love you too, and sometimes we get. I love me too, and then she’ll
laugh. So yeah they do hear you when you talk to them. They understand what you
say.

16:45 – 21:01 question for from of
support group page from Facebook was is it normal not to feel anything when a
loved one that you been taking care of passes. I don’t know what to say here. I
hope it’s not normal. I hope that I would feel something, but I know from the
family that has taken care of someone there seems to be a double feeling sort
of I guess yeah, there’s sadness their sorrow that there they’re gone, but
there seems to be as well. A feeling of relief, relief because it’s a lot of
pressure off with a off of you relief because it’s the blood loved one is not
suffering anymore. But yeah, there’s still the sadness there they’re still the
morning there. There’s still the sorrow there. My only advice that I was able
to give in the Facebook group was that put 1 foot in front of the other take it
day by day, moment by moment, because it gets easier as time goes on. So I’ve
been told you never forget them, but it seems to get easier as time goes on to
do things without them.21:02
– 29:00     I want to throw out a question
to everybody, the question is would you like to see caregiving for dementia
turn into a live Q&A? Do you think it
would be a better show? Do you think it would be more of a help? Or would you
rather just have me sit here and talk like I have done for the past to have
years?