Page 7 - Reedley Exponent 6-6-19 E-edition

The Reedley Exponent A37 Thursday, June 6, 2019
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H e Dementia is Hard Work for Both Sides
Recently, while at- tending an educational conference, I attended
a class taught by Laura Wayman. She has writ- ten a book on “A Loving Approach to Dementia Care.”
Dementia is not a speci c disease; it is a term used for a group of brain disorders. Many diseases can have a de- mentia component. Alzheimer’s disease is probably the most preva- lent. Recent studies show there are many more diseases that can result in dementia.
What is dementia? How can I tell if my loved one is on this path or could the problem
be recti ed? According to the Alzheimer’s As- sociation, here are some symptoms that should not be ignored. Symp- toms from the list include short-term memory loss when a person’s immedi-
By Ro Linscheid
son’s lack of ability to process thoughts and/
or activities which often leads to trouble when
a caregiver is trying to communicate. If a ques- tion is asked, an answer is expected. What happens when you cannot process the question? Anger and frustration can are up. As our loved ones move deeper into dementia, it is important to remem- ber not to ask questions. Wow, is that hard. I came back from my confer- ence and noticed how often I would interact by asking questions of the people in Sierra View Homes Marden’s Place. We naturally want to ask questions. I did nd I was successful in just talking with the resident because I got pleasant happier feedback.
e inability to process what is going on also means there is no good way for someone with dementia to tell us
what is going on with him or her. Often, their behavior is the only way to understand there is
an issue. People with dementia can be mir- rors of the emotions of their caregivers. Have you heard the phrase “it is not what you say; it is how you say it”? In life, we all have encountered times when we felt put down or that someone was angry with us. Did the words stay with you or the tone of voice that caused you to take notice? If you
are impatient and/or try to rush the dementia- related person, they will slow down. Showing you are frustrated and upset often leads to resistance and aggressive behavior. Laura stressed the im- portance of staying calm so everyone can have a better experience.
If you are a care- giver, it is extremely
important to take care of yourself. You need to
educate yourself on what to expect as the dementia progresses and to make sure you ask for help so you can step away for a few hours every so often. It is important that you keep yourself healthy and have the ability to cope with the situation. All too often, the caregiver becomes “worn out” and passes away too early.
ere is no cure for people with dementia. Studies show there are many more ways to get dementia than we previ- ously thought. As the Baby-Boomer population ages we will see more people with a disease that has a dementia factor. Laura Wayman shared with those of us in her class the importance of continuing to be educated about dementia. e care of the dementia-related person is di cult, but
the approach you use can signi cantly help you.
ate memory is being chal- lenged. Another issue can be the loss of the ability to process everyday ac- tivities which creates dif- culty performing famil- iar tasks such as cooking, making a telephone call or remembering how to play a game. Struggling with words can be a sign of a problem. Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease often forget simple words or substitute an unusual word leaving the listener confused as to what is being said. Signi cant mood and/or behavior or personality changes could be a reason to be tested. We all have times when these symptoms are pres- ent. It could be brought on by medication, ex-
Now What?
haustion, or stress. If
you or your loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms for an extend- ed period of time, seek help from a doctor who specializes in diagnosing dementia. For most of us, the symptoms will disap- pear when we take care of ourselves.
Laura Wayman talked about the caregiver of someone with de- mentia. She spoke about her mother’s journey
as her father’s caregiver and shared insights she learned from watching them.
One of the issues for caregivers is the
dementia-related per-
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