Reader's Questions

I think it is a good idea to answer questions from kids.

Here is a question that a girl named Susan (age 9) asked me. 

"My great grandpa keeps asking the same thing over and over again. He always repeats himself. It drives me crazy. I feel bad but I don't know how to stop it?"

My advice: answer him, and then immediately change the subject. For example, let's say your grandpa wants to know what he is having for supper. Tell him, "we're having chicken and rice. Grandpa, look at the picture I drew today at school. Isn't it pretty. Can you draw a picture with me?
If anyone has an other ideas PLEASE share them!  Please ask any questions and we can all try to help come up with a good answer.

Tips

1. answer the question
2. immediately change the subject
3. distract the loved one (show him/her something interesting, ask them to fold towels with you, stir the soup with you)
4. Give them a hug
5. Tell them you love them!
   

Tips For Puzzle-Solving With Dementia Patients

Here is my post from: Puzzles To Remember (www.puzzlestoremember.org).

Today, grandma and I solved puzzles with another resident. This senior, “Mr. Lee” does not have a family that visits him. I feel sad for him. He also does not speak English.  But I still was able to make him smile and feel good.

I wheeled grandma near Mr. Lee. I handed him a puzzle piece and pointed to the puzzle.  At first he was not sure what I wanted him to do. But after a while he participated!  Grandma, Mr. Lee and I enjoyed ourselves.  Even the nurses were smiling and watching us solve the puzzles.  Some seniors with dementia can solve puzzles by themselves. Grandma needs my help and Mr. Lee needed some assistance.

Tips For Puzzle-Solving With Dementia Patients

1. Try to let the seniors do it themselves
2. Ask the person, “Where do you think we should put the puzzle piece?
3. Say, “Do you think we should put it here?
4. Say what you are doing, “ I am putting the puzzle piece here…"
5. If they are not able to do it, than point to where they should put the puzzle piece
6. Smile
  

Grandma and I sing: " You Are My Sunshine"

Should Children Go To the Hospital to Visit A Loved One?

I want to talk about whether kids should go to the hospital to visit their loved one.  My grandma was in and out of the hospital at least 10 times in the past 4 years (maybe more, I lost count!)

Mom and dad were not sure if it would be a good idea if I visited grandma.  They asked many people for advice.  Finally, they decided to ask me!  I really wanted to see grandma. One time grandma had a subdural hematoma (that means bleeding in the brain) she couldn't talk but she smiled so much when she saw me. I was very scared about her being in the hospital and wanted to see for myself how she is doing.  Here is my advice about whether kids should go to the hospital.

Tips

1. Children under the age of 5 should not go to the hospital. It could be too scary!
2. Ask the kid what they would like to do. Some kids WANT to go, others do NOT
3. If the loved one is in pain and could be moaning or something, it's not a good idea to go
4. If the loved one has something contagious (like the flu) kids should not visit
5. Find the Child Life Specialist at the hospital. You can do arts and crafts with him/her!

kids who care

Kids of all ages have been caring for their love ones 

 and each day they are making a difference.

Here is my mom caring for her mother!

Books for kids

Books can help kids. My friend Max Wallack (the person who created Puzzles to Remember: http:www.puzzlestoremember.org) and his junior high school teacher, Carolyn Given, wrote a book for kids who have a loved one with Alzheimer's disease. The name of the book is:

 He got ideas for the book from stories about me and my grandma. He also got ideas for the book from things that happened with his great grandma.  It is such a good book!  Alzheimer's disease is not fun or happy. It can be scary and sad. But the authors help kids know that there are things that you can do to make it better. He also explains why the disease happens, and draws pictures of neurons in the brain!

My parents took a video of me reading the book. Here is a link to the video (It is on youtube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpF8ePDS_wc

Tips

1. Go to the library and ask the the librarian for books to help you understand what is happening with the person you love
2. Think about writing a book yourself!  All you need are: characters, a setting, a problem and a solution.  The characters could be you and your family member( you can give them fake names). The setting can be where you live, the problem (the reason why you have to care for the loved one) and the solution: how you fix the problem.  I learned about these parts of books from my teacher at school and my mom who is also a teacher!

A reader of my blog suggested the book: Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge  by Mem Fox  I read the story on the website: storylineonline.net.  It is sweet story about a woman in a nursing home losing her memory.

What books do you recommend?  Please share any books that you have read that have helped you.