September 2023 Blog – Living with an Alzheimer’s/Dementia diagnosis

Monday, September 18, 2023

Living with Alzheimer’s and related dementia is not easy for the person with the diagnosis or their loved ones and care partners.

Although an early diagnosis is key, the diagnosis itself usually is not accompanied with any solutions or resources other than perhaps a recommendation for medications.

Early signs and symptoms includes but are not limited to:

• Behavioral changes
• Memory lapses especially short term memory
• Getting lost easily
• Loosing or misplacing household objects
• Making common daily errors such as forgetting appliances on or leave the car running
• Attention to detail is diminished
• Judgement and appropriate responses to social situations may change
• Confusion to time, place and or persons
• Increased confusion towards nightfall
• Changes in ability to complete common activities such as operate a car or cooking

It is necessary for all of us to create a safe space for our person with neuro-cognitive decline.

It is not helpful to point out “mistakes” or scold them for errors. This will cause our person to hide their needs and become fearful of not meeting our expectations or those of others in certain situations.

As a caregiver or loved one it is essential that we “meet our person where they are at”.

In other words support them in the moment with whatever they are struggling with, without highlighting their struggles.

A sentence may start like this:

Negative statement: “You forgot your appointment again!”

Try this instead:

“How can we help you remember your appointments? Let’s try this calendar by the door and mark all the important dates. I can also set an alarm to help remind you to get ready in time. OR: I can call you a few hours before the appointment to remind you.”

Another statement may sound like this:

Negative: “You have asked me the same question a thousand times already today!”

Try this instead:

“It seems as if this question and it’s answer is very important to you. Let’s write it down here where you can see it.” (Now all you have to do is refer back to the written statement and in time your person may remember the information but at least you do not have to repeat it over and over.)

Simple things like a calendar clock, using ALEXA to help time, date, weather and reminders or having a memory note book may help your person feel empowered when they are struggling to keep their thoughts organized.

Just knowing that your person is trying the best they can with what they have, and not intentionally out to annoy you or “getting things wrong on purpose” will help to frame their behavior and responses in a more positive way.

We are here to support you in your caregiver journey! Together we can do this!