Sunday, April 24, 2016

Helping Your Loved One When They Are Very Confused

Today, I had a nice day with grandma. We played basketball!  Things were going well until grandma got confused.  She thought my dad was her husband.  My father told grandma that he is not her husband but he is married to my mom. ( I would not have done that!). Then grandma asked us where her husband is located.  She seemed upset and worried.(My grandpa died in 2008.)  I did NOT tell her the TRUTH.  That would be the worst thing!  Instead, I said, that grandpa is at work, he will see her later. Grandma immediately calmed down.  My grandpa used to work very long hours. He owned a liquor store in the Village in NYC.  Grandma was used to grandpa working long hours. It was a memory that was strong in her brain.  If we told her the truth, she would have been so sad!  She really loved grandpa and she probably would start to cry.  Then she may forget what we tell her, and then we would have to keep reminding her that her beloved husband was dead, over and over and over again. It was much better to just tell her that he is "working and will be home soon."  She smiled after we told her, and the rest of the afternoon was nice!

Tips


1. Remember to always think with your heart.
2. Protect your loved one from pain from "too much truth"
3. Go into the world of Alzheimer's disease, don't force the loved one into your world.


Saturday, April 16, 2016

Rock Music

Music is a great way to get people with Alzheimer's disease involved in activities. There are many documentaries that show how happy people with dementia feel after listening to music. Grandma and I went to a museum that had a Ramones exhibit.  My mom LOVES the Ramones, so she took me and grandma to see the exhibit  and listen to the music. Grandma and I were rocking out to the Ramones. Listening to music a wonderful activity to share. 

Monday, April 11, 2016

Casino Card Game

Grandma and I like to play an old fashioned card game called: Casino. She taught me how to play it. Grandma used to play cards all the time. Many seniors love to play cards and I know that a lot of them play Casino. Nowadays, I am usually the one who plays cards with her. It is a lot of fun. Because grandma has dementia, she often forgets the rules, and where we left off. It is okay. Remember, if your loved one is confused, you have to go into THEIR world. So I play along with grandma and she loves it!


Tips


1) Many seniors enjoyed playing cards. Try to find a card game to play
2) Do not worry about HOW to play the game, JUST PLAY IT!
3) Laugh with each other
4) If the loved one doesn't remember how to play the game, make up a NEW GAME
5) Match colors
6) Match numbers
7) Invent an easy game, BE CREATIVE!
8) The whole point is to get your loved one to do some activity with you!

Radio Show

Hello Everyone!

I was on a radio show: Love By Intuition. There is a special segment: Kids For Love Project.
I was talking about my web blog and my role as assistant director at Puzzles To Remember.
I explain a little bit about about what made me decide to start Kid Caregivers.
I hope that all kids realize that they can make a big difference in this world!
I would like to thank Max Wallack from: Puzzles To Remember (puzzlestoremember.org) for inspiring me and giving me my important job at his charitable organization.
I would also like to thank Ms. Deborah Beauvais, Founder/Owner of the Dreavisions 7 Radio Network for giving me the opportunity of being on her radio show.



Here is the link if you would like to listen to the show!  https://www.sendthisfile.com/FqsMNGIrlFlvbxTHhBUiWZ8o

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Helping Other Caregivers

Today I took another friend to the nursing home to solve puzzles and spend time with the seniors.  We  saw an elderly woman with her son, they were visitors.  They were very sad because her husband had a stroke and is not doing well. The elderly woman and her son were very quiet and seemed very unhappy. We asked them if they would like to help solve the puzzle with grandma. Even though they do not have dementia, it made them feel better to think about something else. We were all very happy when the puzzle was solved.  Sometimes, caregivers need to give other caregivers some "care".  We are not alone!  We all go through tough times and it makes us feel good to support each other!!