I recognize the sound of her footsteps in the hallway. Is she going to visit me? She’s here! I have to try to open my eyes or she’ll think I’m asleep. “Hi Mama”, she says with a bright smile. I wish I could respond to her greeting. She’s placing her hand under my chin, and turning…
Author: seniajean
Listen Up, Communication is More than Speech
Listening is essential. Your loved one may be trying to tell you something. It is important to listen.
The initial awareness of dementia brings to mind several concerns and fears both spoken and unspoken. Some are deep-seated and unconscious and others are at the surface. Not everyone is comfortable voicing their worries. Body language speaks volumes. As soon as you become aware of an issue, listen purposefully for both the verbal and non-verbal messages.
Sing, sing, singing the blues away
Are you feeling blue? Overwhelmed? Take heart – or take up singing. The almost magical affect music has on those suffering from dementia are well established, but what about those who care for them? Here’s some good news: I just read about a study that showed a wonderful side-benefit to music therapy. It seems that…
For Want of a Word
While feeding Mama her thickened juice today, I suddenly wanted to hear her voice. I wanted her to say something—anything. It has been several months since she has uttered a single word. I even tried to ask her some easy ‘yes’ questions to try to see if she would give me one of those automatic…
Jingles Trigger Fond Memories of the Good Old Days
Was your loved one raised on radio? Or TV? It’s likely that some of the jingles and theme songs played regularly on radio and television shows will be more than memorable. And anything that stirs a memory is helpful to activate something wonderful and pleasant inside your person.
The way the ball bounces
Sitting on the floor playing ‘roll-the-ball’ with my little granddaughters, I realized the fun of playing with a ball is an activity that has really stood the test of time. When my Mama lived with us she was in around the mid to late stage of dementia. One day she and I were in the…
Happy Birthdays
Today, my Mama is 84 and 1/3. It got me thinking about birthdays and how many she has had. The carehome where she resides holds a birthday party each month for all of the residents who have had a birthday in that month. Everyone loves it. The festivity always includes music, cake, party hats and…
When Caregivers ask, “Are we there yet?” Its time for Respite Care
“Are we there yet?!” What parent hasn’t heard that question? For that matter, who hasn’t muttered it themselves when a project or task seems endlessly endless? Children usually can’t read maps and understand miles per hour, so the amount of time that trips and journeys take can seem like a mystery to them.
As caregivers, we are also unable to predict the length of our loved one’s journey. Even though our intent is to finish well, there will be times that our hands will sag, our eyes will droop and our soul will sigh. We will grow weary, become exhausted and experience frustration at the whole situation. At that point, we, just like the little children will lament, “Are we there yet?”, and “How much longer?”
Singing along
One of the most surprising discoveries we made in this adventure called “Caring for Mama”, was that the ability to sing does not decline at the same rate at other abilities – even talking. It could be, as my husband says that “Music does not reside in the brain, it lives in the soul.” That…
Sometimes, the journey is long….
Caring for you loved one can be a mix of joy, duty, exhaustion, determination, honor, love and tears. What is your story? Who are you caring for? What are some of your coping strategies? Who helps you? Why do you keep going? How do you find respite? Please share any ideas, tips, helps and wisdom…