Tag: name

Another Way To Look At A Feared Dementia Milestone

Brett0 comment

Life-Files-Sorry-Who-are-You

The significant event that most family members fear is when the person with dementia no longer remembers your name or who you are. Often by this stage the person with dementia has already experienced the following over many years:

• increased forgetfulness
• difficulty concentrating
• decreased work performance
• difficulties managing finances
• difficulty travelling alone to new places
• have trouble completing complex tasks
• may be in denial about their symptoms
• they may withdraw from family and friends
• socialization becomes difficult
• they need assistance to complete their daily activities
(eg bathing, dressing, preparing meals)
• significant memory loss (eg forget their address etc)

Imagine what it’s like to struggle with everything above, every single day & worry about why you are doing it, and have to experience the impact it has on your friends & family. People who used to come up to you and chat, now sidestep you because they don’t understand dementia and all that comes with it. The feeling of loneliness and fear is often felt years before the person forgets your name.

Below are some positive strategies that I personally found helpful as a family member:

  1. Acknowledge the dementia and embrace it.
  2. Every time I feel sorry for myself, I think about what it has been like for the person with dementia.
  3. Find new ways to keep the emotional connection (adapt to their decline).
  4. Spend time together (this will ease the fears)
  5. Simplify everything
  6. Set the person up for success by not asking questions all the time (eg what’s my name Dad?)
  7. Learn new ways to communicate (use body language).
  8. Have Fun…..Enjoy many Memorable Moments (no matter how small they might be)
  9. Keep Living Life…

What’s In A Name?….Plenty Mate!

Brett0 comment

As I spend so much time with Dad in hospital (and at his nursing home) I often hear carers & nurses call the resident/patient “Mate”or “Buddy'”.

I personally don’t like this as it does not give the person dignity or respect. If using someone’s name makes them ‘feel’ good, then shouldn’t we make the small effort to learn their name and use it?

By calling someone ‘Mate’ we are saying to them- you are not important and you are not unique.

‘Off the Wall’ idea….What would happen if we wrote the resident’s first name on a sticker and placed it on their chest?

If they have dementia they are likely to forget things all the time. If everyone has a name tag maybe they can now call each other by their first name and create a happier place?….just a thought.