Alzheimer’s and Dementia (Part I): What It Is and What It Isn’t. Thought of the Day


Offers practical and achievable prevention strategies for senior moments.
Coming October 2023!
Offers practical and achievable prevention strategies for senior moments.
Coming October 2023!
Hi Stan, I am very impressed on your write-up. It is very helpful for us to know how people thinks of Dementia. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Currently, I am working in a hospice in Malaysia. I would like to ask whether can I share in FB and credit to you? So that many people can be help with reading your blogs.
Hi April,
Thank you for your kind comments. Feel free to share any of my articles on Facebook or other social medias. When I was a bedside hospice volunteer I found that people serving patients with Alzheimer’s were often at a loss for what to do since normal communication was disrupted. I’m glad my articles are helpful.
Take Care,
Stan
Stan, here’s a very interesting interview with Terry Pratchett, who was diagnosed with Alzeheimer’s in 2007. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG2Uc3ZGZDs
From talking with other folks it seems also that the surroundings of a person with dementia are extremely important. That is to say that the surroundings must be consistent. To move a person from their apartment to an assisted living situation can be extremely disturbing and frustrating for a person with dementia. Consistent surroundings seems to be most important.
You’re right about consistent surroundings. By “consistent” I mean identifying specific items that are transportable (e.g., a set of golf clubs, etc.) I’ll write more about this in Part II
My mother suffered from Lewey Body Dementia. She became confused with every step of a different environment. The first hospital stay was the worse. She reacted very strangely to a narcotic pain medication. She was fine 1 week before and was evening working part time. After this stay, she remained confused at home but not as severe. She then moved into a small apartment …again she became confused… then came assisted living again…. confusion. the last move was the nursing home and she remained confused and very lost. She passed away after 1 month in nursing home. We always made sure she had things that she knew were hers with every move. And my aunt and I visited her as much as we could.
Hi April,
I know how hard it is when you want to help a loved one and feel powerless. I hope this series of articles and others I’ll be writing on Alzheimer’s will help people who are about to undergo what you had to.
Dr. Goldberg,
Thank you so much for all you do with your blogs and other writings. I know from my heart it helps many people who don’t understand about their loved ones disease . You are a very special person and caring person. It is so rare to find people in today’s world that care.
Your words are very humbling April. Thank you.
Stan