Living Well With Dementia/LWWD/Tools/Activity
In this activity you are required to read the scenario and consider the best ways to responds. You can use the forum below or write your answers on a separate piece of paper.
From: The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer Carebestfriendsapproach.com
Contents
1.Coping with forgetting:
Resident states: “I just can’t remember anything! What are my grandchildren’s names?
What are helpful things to say?
2.Hallucinating:
A woman with Alzheimer’s disease comes up to her son in the family room looking upset, claiming. “There’s a big cat in my bedroom. He may hurt me!”
What are helpful things to say?
3.Wanting to go home:
A wife is perplexed that her husband wants to go home, even though he is at the house he has lived in for 40 years. He cannot imagine why he feels like a stranger in his own home.
What are helpful things to say?
4.Being Overwhelmed by questions
A family who cares for their grandfather at home finds most of the days pleasant and easy. Yet old friends who are not sensitive to Alzheimer’s disease come by several times a week and often ask a string of difficult to answer questions. The family notices increased anxiety and restlessness in the grandfather after the friends’ visit,
What are helpful things to say?
5.Wanting to stay busy
Many older adults remember a time when the workdays were long and the paychecks were small. Despite these conditions, the work ethic was strong. One woman with Alzheimer’s disease always want to keep busy—clean the house, sweep the porch, .and fold clothes. The nursing facility activities staff found themselves growing impatient and exasperated at times because their planned activities did not interest her.
What are helpful things to say?
6.Confusing past and present
Because of the failing memory and confusion that accompanies dementia, often the person will become confused about past and present. A mother might say to her daughter, “I’m waiting for Manuel. I’m sure he’ll be home any minute,” despite the fact that he is long deceased.
What are helpful things to say?
7.Coping with inappropriate sexual behavior
One of the most upsetting experiences to a caregiver is when the person makes an inappropriate sexual advance. What should happen if a man with Alzheimer’s disease makes a sexual advance toward his daughter?
What are helpful things to say?
8.Handling angry outbursts
Because of the confusion and frustration that can accompany Alzheimer’s disease, person may sometimes become angry and even strike out at caregivers. This can be very upsetting, perhaps even placing the caregiver at risk for injury. However, anger often has an identifiable cause. If the person is being bathes for example, and becomes angry it might be out of fear (e.g. fear of being undressed by someone the person may not remember, fear of drowning)
What are helpful things to say?
9.Coping with repetition
People with Alzheimer’s disease often repeat questions or requests. This can, of course, be extremely annoying to caregivers and can cause caregivers to lose their temper. A typical situation might be when the person asks, “When do we have lunch?’ over and over again.
What are helpful things to say?
