January 2023- The Power of Orientation

Sunday, January 1, 2023

Botes Memory Method would like to wish their readers and clients a beautiful 2023!

As we enter into a new calendar year it is a good time to reflect on the power of orientation. The definition of orientation is the ability to determine your relative position to something or someone or to time in space.

Why is this important?

In order for me to navigate my day, my week and my life successfully , I need to be able to identify with certain expectations associated with the timeline I am operating in. I need to be able to orient myself to the correct time, day or year, as it relates to certain expectations.

It may just be the basic day to day survival activities such as when to eat, sleep or take my medications. Or it may be more complex time sensitive expectations such as shopping in advance for meals, remembering when to pay my bills and when to fill my prescriptions or keeping appointments and remembering important celebratory dates.

Losing the ability to recognize how I fit into the time continuum, impacts my feelings of being connected to my environment in a meaningful way. This may leave me feeling lost and confused.

Here are some tips to help a loved one with diminished orientation:

• Signs such as “ ….. this is your room” (insert loved one’s name)
• Consider placing a simple large digital calendar in your loved one’s room.
• Or a white board that reflects the day, date and year, as well as important happenings for the day
• Encourage your loved one to keep a day to day journal with the day, date and year as well as important commitments for that day. Including appointments, people met, hydration schedule, exercise schedule, medication schedule. Not only will your person feel comforted that they have some control over their day, they will also start making new memories as they review important day to day information.

Having a reference in the day to keep our person oriented to the environment and day to day expectations will help to relieve the stress associated with disorientation and confusion. Happy New Year!