Day-to-Day Ditties

Most of what has happened around here has been a little of this, a little of that, but not enough for a very long post. So, I’m combining the little happenings into one post.......

One evening, Mom took her shower and washed her hair. She went to bed soon afterward.
The next morning, she came out of her bathroom and sat down in the kitchen where I was getting some coffee. She looked kind of bewildered.

What’s wrong, Mom?
My hair turned white!
Your hair turned white? What do you mean?
Look! My hair turned white when I washed it last night!
Oh my gosh! You’re right! It IS white! Wow!

I wasn’t going to argue and tell her that her hair has been white for nearly 20 years-- ya gotta pick your battles.
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A few days ago, after 3 very dry and windy days, I decided to water the trees. One spindly tree had several dead limbs, from another old tree, laying on the ground near it.

Mom, I’m going out to water the trees.
Well, do me a favor. Those limbs that are laying out there-- will you take some string and tie the limbs to that little tree? That way they will grow onto it.
Mom, it doesn’t work that way. Those limbs belonged to another tree and they are dead, they won’t grow again.
Ok!! Whatever you think!
And she, angrily, stomped off to her room.
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Mom had been very jumpy for a few days. Every sound-- the closing of a car door outside, a tree limb scratching the side of the house, a noise from the neighbors-- She would jump and loudly proclaim “What was that?” Sis or I would calmly tell her what each sound was. This went on for awhile.

Finally, I asked her, “Mom, why are you so jumpy and nervous lately?”
I don’t know! I think I’m going through menopause!”

(Yeh, Mom, that’s probably it.)
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Which brings me to an incident that happened one afternoon between Sis and I.
She was fixing herself a ham sandwich and I was microwaving some hot tea.

She gets out the sandwich makings then, while putting it all away, she asked me why the tartar sauce was out? I told her “You got it out!” She just shook her head in exasperation.

In the meantime, I had put a teabag in a cup and popped in the microwave. When it beeped, I took it out of the microwave and discovered I hadn‘t put any water in it!

Jeesh! How can 2 menopausal maniacs, with memory lapses, take care of their Mom who has dementia? Blind leading the blind!
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---What you have read is the God’s honest truth. Trust me, I couldn’t make this stuff up!---

I'm Melting!

And, yes, I’ve somehow become the Wicked Witch of the West!

This past Wednesday, the temperature had soared to 80 degrees! I would be fine with this for a day or 2 but checked the 10-day weather report and it was going to be HOT for a week with a little break for a couple days then HOT again for days and days.

This mobile home is the typical ‘metal box’ and heat absorbed into it in no time. We had the screen on the front door and that was all. None of the windows (old roll-out type) open in this house except for one in my bedroom. They are all rusted/corroded shut and haven’t been open in over 20 years. I just don’t ‘get that’! How can someone live without ever opening their windows for fresh air?

I told Mom the weather forecast and suggested we get the air conditioning going. She said it was way too early in the season and we always have snow on Easter so, no, we weren’t going to turn it on yet. I explained, again, the weather report --no more snow, just hot, hot, hot! She insisted it was going to snow and that’s the end of that!

I tried to just shut up and take the heat but by afternoon, I was pouring sweat. Add the occasional hot flash and I was miserable. I put the fan in the living room but all it did was stir around the hot air. Mom was sweating,  also, and changed into shorts and a sleeveless blouse but still sweating and uncomfortable and still adamant that there was no need for the AC yet. Sis came over later and said “My God! It feels like a furnace in here, why don’t you have the AC on?” I told her to ask Mom. She did, and got the same argument. She told Mom it didn’t matter if it was going to snow on Easter, it was hot NOW and she needed to get that AC on.

Sis called brother N to come down and do the yearly maintenance on the AC and get it turned on. He came in and exclaimed about how hot it was in here. Mom said nothing to him. But, while he was outside getting the AC ready, she told me and Sis and that he could do the maintenance on it but we were NOT going to turn it on! “I’ve never in my life ever turned on the AC in April! I never turn it on until June!” We argued that there was no way we were waiting until June, we’d have a heat stroke!

N came in later and said it was ready to go. Mom said, “Don’t you turn that on! It’s too early!” So, he had pretty much the same argument us girls had with her and she just sighed and clammed up. N turned on the AC and we had blessed relief within minutes.

Mom has always paid N for whatever work he does around the house but later, during a card game, she asked me how much I was going to pay him!!! I very calmly stated “Whatever he wants!!” I was not going to play her game!

She didn’t speak to me or Sis for 2 days and the atmosphere was very tense. We were evil beings who dared to defy her kingdom! But, all is well, now, and she is appreciating the cool air.

Tomorrow is Easter --- weather forecast is a high of 90 and sunny.

Mom’s Shallow-minded Beauty Tips

Over these past few months, I have learned that Mom is very shallow-minded and judgmental. She is obsessed with people’s looks.

I wear my hair long. It is past my shoulders and it is straight and fine. I, occasionally, wear it in a ponytail or a bun. When I first arrived here, to take care of Mom, I’d worn my hair up in a bun due to the July heat. The next morning, I brushed it out and left it down. Later that day, Sis and I were going to the store. We were both wearing sweatpants and t-shirts. Sis’s shoulder length hair was in a ponytail --her usual style.

As we were ready to go out the door, Mom said to me, “Aren’t you going to wear your hair up or curl it? Where’s your makeup? You have no makeup on!” I told her no, it wasn’t hot enough to wear my hair up, I‘m not going to curl it when it‘ll be straight in another 5 minutes, and I don‘t wear makeup.

Then she commented on my style of dress. “You’re going to town dressed like that?” Like what?!!  I realized right then what was going on. I said, “Mom, this is who I am. This is how I dress. This is how I wear my hair. I am who I am and if people don’t like it, well, that’s too bad.”
She’s never brought it up to me again and Sis told me she had said the same to Mom years ago so that’s why Mom didn’t say anything to her.

Now, brother D is home for a few days and I have to listen to her complain about his looks constantly -- but never to him! D has longish hair kept back in a ponytail and he has a full beard and moustache --very hippie/70’s looking. He is 50 years old and not about to change.

Every single time, D has left to go somewhere, I get to hear:

“I wish he’d cut his hair!”
“I wish he’d shave that beard!”
“I wish he’d wear nice jeans and a shirt instead of those ratty jeans and t-shirts!”
“I wish he’d buy a decent coat instead of wearing that damn jean jacket!”

After months of hearing this, on and off, I’d had enough!

D left for town this morning and I got the endearing pleasure of listening to her tirade again!
Now, Mom has a way of avoiding discussions or arguments by always saying “OK” in a very sweet, little voice. That means she ‘agrees’ so no use to continue the conversation --it maddens me beyond belief!

So, after her little outburst, I said “Mom! Clothes do not make the person! Looks do not matter! It’s what is in a person’s heart that matters and the kind of person they are that counts!”

“ok.”

Gr-r-r-r! I want her to have a conversation with me about her shallow thinking and her prejudices
(that’s a whole other subject) so I can try to explain how crude her thinking is in this day and age. But, she cuts me off with that ‘OK’ so I end up feeling very frustrated!

So, if anyone comes to visit, I hope they’re dressed to the ‘nines’ or else I’ll be hearing how dreadful they are. Over and over again.

The High Cost of Toilet Paper

The other day Mom and I was going over our grocery list to see what was needed. I told her we needed to add toilet paper to the list.
Toilet paper?! We just bought toilet paper 2 weeks ago!
I know, Mom, but there’s only 2 rolls left and that won’t last for another week.
Just how much toilet paper do you use?
Well, when I lived alone, I averaged using about 3 or 4 rolls per week.
3 or 4 ROLLS PER WEEK!!!!!!!! My god, Barbara! That is so wasteful!!
No it’s not, Mom. That is average for most women. Actually I know many women who use a lot more than that. I, also, use it for Kleenex to blow my nose you know. A 4-roll pack only costs 99 cents.
99 CENTS!! OUTRAGEOUS!!! Prices these days are ridiculous!!
Mom, that’s the cheap generic brand. Other brands are twice as expensive and, besides, I buy my own toilet paper. It doesn’t come out of your money.
That doesn’t matter. You shouldn’t spend your money like that, you know it doesn’t last forever!
Gee, Mom, you might want to think about that when you buy 2 puzzle books a week at $3 and $4 per book!
I need my puzzle books!
Well, I’m pretty sure I need my toilet paper!

(( Ok, readers, help me out here. How much toilet paper do you use per week?))
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When we went to the eye doctor for Mom’s checkup on her Glaucoma, he said the drops weren’t lowering the pressure very much.

Mrs. P, I’m afraid I have to strongly suggest having surgery for the glaucoma. We can do a combined Glaucoma/Cataract surgery so you only have to do it one time.
I’m not having surgery at my age. I’m 87 years old.
Mrs. P, I have 4 patients who are over 100 and very thankful to be able to see clearly again.
I don’t care! I’m not having surgery!
Ok, Mrs. P, I’ll honor your wishes. I’m going to add 2 more eye drop medicines to your routine and see if those help to get your pressure down. But, if they don’t help, then I will press for surgery.
I’m not having surgery. Period.
Well, I will still press for it.

((Yeh. Good luck with that Doc!))

Tearing My Hair Out!

Mom’s been doing good since she got on the eye drop therapy for her glaucoma. The drug plan she joined costs her $25.00 per month and the co-pay for the eye drops costs her $35.00 per month. Without this coverage, her drops would cost $190.00 per month!!!!
She was happy with this arrangement until she got her current bill.

Since she didn’t sign up for drug coverage when she first got on Medicare, she has to pay a penalty for that. The penalty is an extra $13.00 per month on her drug plan which ups the total monthly payment to $38.00. She threw a bit of a hissy fit when this happened but Sis J and I talked her down and she finally agreed that $38.00 per month was still way cheaper than $190.00.

Well, this current bill charged her the $13.00 each for January, February, and March all in one bill which brought the total to $64.00. Oh my God! She just blew! She cussed up a storm declaring she was NOT going to pay that bill. I explained to her that they were catching up on the penalty fees from the last 2 months plus this one that is due in March, then after that it will go back to the $38.00.

I am not paying it! I’m sick to death of all these bills! To hell with it! I’m dropping the whole thing.
Mom, you can’t drop the whole thing or you’ll get penalized for that, too!
Why are they charging me a penalty anyway?
Medicare is charging you the penalty because you didn’t sign up for drug care when you first signed up for Medicare years ago.
I didn’t need drugs then! Why would I sign up for it then?
Mom, I agree with you there. If it was me and I didn’t need any drugs, I’d probably not sign up for it either. But, the reality is--this is Medicare’s rule and there is nothing you can do about it.
Yes there is something I can do about it--I’ll stop this whole drug plan. I won’t pay the bill. What can they do to me?
Mom, you have to keep the plan. Those eye drops cost $190.00 for a month’s prescription and you can’t afford that!
I’ll make myself afford it! I won’t put up with this crap!
Mom, if you can make yourself afford $190.00 then why can’t you simply make yourself afford the $64.00 for now, then the $38.00 from now on. I don’t get your logic.

She got quiet after that. When Sis J came over later, I recounted the conversation with Mom and she told her the same thing I told her.
It’s all a bunch of shit but I guess I have no choice in the matter.

Mom has an appointment this coming Monday to have her eyes checked to see if the drops are helping her eye pressure. I sure hope they are! If they’re not and Doc says she has to have surgery we will have an even bigger blow-up on our hands!

I have to go pick up the clumps of my hair from the floor now............

Back To Normal

Brother D left 2 weeks ago to start his new truck-driving job. Yay!

Mom and I have certainly been enjoying the peace and quiet, and getting our schedule back to where it was. She is calmer, sleeping better, and eating good again. I feel much more relaxed but am still dealing with the IBS though it has lessened somewhat. It takes time for my body to get back to normal (whatever that is).

However, the week after D left, he called and asked Mom for money to get through until his first paycheck. She had Sis go to Western Union and wire it right away (I didn’t know where it was).
This made me so angry! Mom lives on Social Security--only--with very little savings put back. She can’t afford to be giving money to him when he had $700 while he was here for 5 weeks and blew nearly all of it on alcohol!

Mom bought the groceries for all of us to eat on and he is a BIG eater! He bought his cigarettes and alcohol only--nothing else. He smokes very little so that was a lot of money spent on booze! I was angry at Mom for giving him her hard-earned money! She was angry for having to do it.

Mom, I wouldn’t have given it to him!
I had to! He doesn’t have any left!
Too bad, he should have thought of that while he was here and saved his money.
Well, he sat here drinking for over a month and did nothing else around here but he’s my son. I have to help him out.
Mom, he is a 50-year-old grown man capable of taking care of himself. You could have told him you couldn’t afford to send him any money and he’d have to fend for himself. I bet he’d never do it again!
That wouldn’t work, he’s always been like this! I have to help him!
He’s always been like this because you’ve always helped him. If you’d let him suffer--just once--he’d learn to be more careful with his money.

In reality, would he? I doubt it. Alcoholics have only that next drink on their mind. They have no sense of responsibility to themselves or others. Lots of experience in that area!!

Goody Update: The first 3 days D was gone, Goody would go into his room looking for him or lay in front of his bedroom doorway as if she was waiting for him. She’s now back to her normal routine also and she sleeping with Mom again like she used to do.

Brotherly Loathe

Three days before Christmas, Sis and I were wrapping gifts to put under our little tree. We were looking forward to the holiday as it would be the first time in 20 years that we’d all be together--a time for rejoicing. Brother D was still out on the road driving for Arrow Trucking, the company he worked for, but would be home for a few days the following week.

Later that afternoon, we heard D’s semi-truck pull into the driveway. What?? Maybe he was surprising us because it certainly was! He came in, sat down, and proceeded to tell us he’d lost his job. Mom’s first statement was “They finally caught you, huh? You were drinking while driving!”
D ignored her remark then told us that the company had shut down--closed it’s doors with no notice until today. All of the truckers got the message via their truck computers...’Go to the nearest dealer and turn in your trucks and go home. We are no longer operating.’

As the weeks have gone by, it’s become quite the nightmare for D and for us. It turns out that many drivers were stranded all over the States with no way to get home. Many tried to drive home in their trucks only to run out of gas and find out the company gas cards were cut off. The federal government has charges against Arrow Trucking for racketeering and many other charges. The owners of the company are no where to be found. Two weeks of pay wasn’t given to the drivers, they can’t get to their 401K accounts due to no paperwork forthcoming from Arrow, many are finding it hard to get new jobs with other companies because of no work history files for them to check. Of course, D is devastated and we feel really bad for him.

But! He is handling his problems with alcohol. D has been an alcoholic all of his adult life just as our Dad was before his death last year. D starts drinking in the morning, rarely eats any meals, and is totally wasted by nightfall. He sits in his room, playing video games and yelling and cussing at the game all day long. When Mom and I go to bed, he is still in there until nearly midnight and he could care less that we are trying to sleep.

One night, I’d had enough and I went into his room and stated very calmly and quietly “D! We’re trying to rest!” He said ‘Oh, sorry’ (as if he didn’t know that--- both of us had told him goodnight when we went to bed). Then I said, “Can you not play that game without all of the cussing and yelling?” Then walked out closing the door. He had no reply. At least, I didn’t scream at him like I really wanted to do. He did quiet down and has been quiet each night since then.

Previously, Mom wouldn’t let me say anything to him because she didn’t want a big argument and more tension. But, I had enough and couldn’t hold back. While it affects my mother’s health and well-being I feel the need to put a stop to it. This is HER house and HER needs come first but, alas, she is the one stopping from acting on this issue.
Since I’d finally spoken up and all stayed calm, Mom now asks me to say things to D that she’s afraid to say such as “You need to eat something before hitting that bottle.” “You aren’t going to sit here drinking all day, start finding a job.” “You need to be quiet when we go to bed, we need our rest.” And so on. As long as I stay calm and speak quietly, he doesn’t take it as a threat and he complies with my requests.

This is very hard on both Mom and me. We both lived with abusive alcoholics and when each of us left our husbands, we had vowed to never live with another alcoholic. Well, this our brother/son and we are at a loss on how to deal with his behavior. Mom is reacting by not getting her sleep at night due to worrying about him hence she is taking several naps a day to make up for it instead of just one afternoon nap, her appetite is low, and she’s nervous a lot.

I’m reacting the same way I did when I was married--very stressed and tense which has kicked in IBS and an old ulcer recurring after many, many years of not having either problem. I feel so enraged inside at the unfairness of having to live with this kind of behavior again. I very much want to throw him out but Mom says, “He’s my little boy. I can’t do that to him.”

So, I take my ulcer and IBS medicines,  try to stay calm, and pray he finds work soon---please VERY soon!
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Goody Update: What’s weird is that Goody just loves D!  She has never wanted to play with me or Mom or any toys. Very lazy, fat, old cat. But, with D, she is playful and he loves playing with her. She must have been a man’s cat before she was dumped on the streets.

She sleeps with Mom every night now. She used to sleep with me so I don’t know why she changed her habit. Maybe she’s watching over Mom--??

To Give is to Receive

The past month, Mom kept bringing up the fact that she had so many pretty coats and dresses, etc. that were taking up space in the closet and she hadn’t worn them in years. She wanted to sell them in a garage sale. Sis and I told her it wasn’t feasible to have a garage sale as we live out in the country and would get very few people stopping by. We told her we’d be glad to take them and donate them to the Salvation Army.

“No way! I’m not giving my pretty clothes to some one who doesn’t deserve them! You know how those Salvation Army stores are. They sell to anybody and some drunken, drugged up woman will get them.”

“Mom, the Salvation Army store is for the poor so they can buy clothes they need at very cheap prices. There are many poor people who need them.”

“No, that’s what they say but it doesn’t really happen that way. The slobs of society buy there the most.”

Sis and I decided to close that subject before we let out our anger at Mom’s words. Mom is very prejudiced and believed her clothes wouldn’t go to the ’right’ people. A couple weeks ago, I called the local women’s shelter and asked if they accepted donations of clothing. The woman I talked to was thrilled. She said they get so few donations as most people donate to Salvation Army, Goodwill and the more well-known places like that. She told me the address of the drop-off place where we could take the clothes and thanked me for thinking of them.

Sis dug into her closet and bagged up 6 large trash bags full of clothing and shoes. They filled the back seat of my car. I had very little to donate as I'd sold/donated everything before I'd moved here. We went into the house and talked to Mom about donating her items and she liked the idea of donating to the women’s shelter. She deemed them ‘worthy’ of the clothing. She went through her closets, drawers, and boxes of stored clothing, shoes, and purses. We bagged and boxed all of it and took it out to the car. Mom’s items filled the trunk and the back floor of the car. Sis held onto 2 boxes in her lap for the trip to the drop-off.

We arrived to the drop-off and was greeted by a lovely woman who was so excited to see us. I opened the trunk and the back doors of the car and her eyes grew huge in the wondrous sight before her! She was ecstatic and stated they had never received such a generous donation before. This donation would clothe many, many women in their time of need. Mom’s dressy items would be wonderful for some woman trying to find a job. She would look very nice for an interview.

She hugged us profusely and had the most wonderful smile on her face and a few tears in her eyes. We drove off with tears in our eyes. What a wonderful feeling!

Please donate what you can to those in need. You’ll give someone something that is badly needed and you will receive such gratitude. It will make your heart full.

Waste Not--Want Not

Thanksgiving was a hectic yet wonderful family day as I hope everyone’s was. It was the first Thanksgiving I’d celebrated with my family in years. I was always working at the retirement home and I worked the holidays so I could be with the residents. Hence, I haven’t cooked a big meal in a long, long time. Brother N did a lot of the cooking with me. I was totally exhausted by the time it was all over.

When it came time to clean up the kitchen and divide up all the leftovers, the guys went into the living room and watched football--of course--and Sis, Mom, and I started in. Sis divided up the side dishes and I divided up the meats and desserts.  We removed the foil off of the meats and other dishes that we put it over to keep food warm and laid it aside.

Sis glanced over to see Mom at the sink washing off all the used foil. She was washing it to re-use it! Sis told her that was not necessary, foil is cheap and to just throw it away! Mom wouldn’t hear of it so we just left her alone and let her wash the foil.

I got out the box of plastic storage bags to divide some dinner rolls into and found several used bags stuffed into the top of the box. Some of them still had old dried food particles in them. Sis and I looked at each other in horror! Jeez, Mom could get food poisoning using these! I had never noticed it in the time I’d been here. We went through the cabinet and found used foil folded up and found old food particles on some of those.

Right then, Mom was trying to find a small bowl to put the leftover corn in--all 2 tablespoons of it. We told her to just throw it away, it wasn’t enough for anyone for a meal. She threw a fit saying she wasn’t gonna do it. So, instead, she ate the rest of the corn which was fine. I scraped the leftover mashed potatoes into a storage bowl except for the burned bits that stuck to the bottom of the pan. I tool the pan over to the trashcan to scrape it in there and Mom got in an uproar again. I just acted like I didn’t hear her.

Next thing we know, Mom is washing the Chinet paper plates we’d eaten on! That did it! Sis threw her hands up in the air and took Mom into the living room and gave her a puzzle book to work on. We had to get her out of the kitchen so we could go through everything and see what else she was hoarding.

We didn’t find anything and we threw away the ‘washed’ foil (still having food particles on them), we threw away all plastic storage bags that had been used, then we cleaned out the fridge of food she’d kept in there for 2 weeks. I knew the food had been in there and every time I’d try to throw it out, Mom would fight with me. So everyday I would take out the food and smell it to see if it was still good hopefully to keep Mom from being poisoned. Sis and I took this opportunity to get rid of everything. We made sure family members got the majority of the Thanksgiving leftovers. If it was too much for us, Mom would have had us eating it for a month or until it spoiled--whichever came first.

Now I make it a daily habit to check the food, the foil/storage bags, and the paper plates. I throw them away when I find any that have been used. Mom hasn’t missed any of it so far!

A Poem about Alzheimers'

I want to take the opportunity to introduce you to a poetress I have met recently. I have used two of her poems on my 3B Digital Art site.

She sent me the link to this poem she wrote about Alzheimer's Disease and I wanted to share it with all of you....

A LIFE SUSPENDED

In and out they seem to fade
I'm gazing at a faded page;
I reach for faces,
They become currents before me
In the river of my memories,
Then surface clearly,
The sunlight's rays sparkling
On their smiles;

I am a child once again,
Lost
Where is my home?
Just beyond my grasp
There it is!
Somewhere..

Apple pie I smell,
It's sweet aroma of cinnamon
Filling my nostrils;
Laughter I hear,
Is it my own
My children's
Is it of times gone by?

I am within a kaleidoscope
Pieces of colored glass;
Who turns the wheel?
Ever changing in my vision,

Be patient with me
I am the same within,
Though expression wans,

I remember,
I remember
Yes,
I remember
Love.

Nancy Ellen Crossland
6/19/2009
**Dedicated to the victims of Alzheimer's and their loved ones

Dealing with Dementia

Dealing with people who have dementia is so very hard. It requires much patience and understanding.
I deal with people who have dementia, on a daily basis, at work. Of the 80 residents we have, over 75% of them have dementia in one stage or another. It can be heartbreaking. I don’t know how family members deal with it. I can’t imagine my own mother not knowing who I am! The feeling must be devastating.
There are many residents that I’m very close to and have know the past 5 years.
It’s very sad when they don’t know my name. They know who I am, they see me every day, and I have wonderful interactions with them. But, five minutes later, it is as if it never happened.
Sometimes, it’s less than five minutes. We have one table of four ladies who have Alzheimer’s. I’ll take their lunch order, go to the next table to take their order and they call me back over to ask “When are you going to take our order?” I have to explain that I took their order and the cook is working on it. I walk away, to turn in my orders and fix their drinks, etc. but every time I walk by their table, I am asked again–and again–about their order so I have to repeat my self again–and again. Yes, it can be frustrating. Patience! Patience! Deep breaths!
One resident there is so much fun. I’ve known her for over 2 years, since she moved in. She is a cusser, she pulls no punches, she says it like it is. I just love her! She used to be the Head Surgical Nurse at our local hospital, very dignified, very tough. Sadly, her secret life caught up with her as she has alcohol-related dementia. She is only 60-plus. She doesn’t even look like she should be here, she looks so young. When she sees me, she just lights up. She banters with me and acts all tough then she’ll hug me so tight and laugh and we’ll joke with each other. She is not like that with anyone else. She remembers how she interacts with me but she doesn’t remember my name.
Then there’s one lady who is simply just ‘lost’. She knows her own name but that’s about it. You have to take her to her table, show her how to sit down, show her how to use her silverware. She doesn’t understand the concept of eating anymore. Every meal, she must be instructed through the entire process again. Between meals, she just sits in the lobby “reading” the same magazine over and over. If she’s allowed to stay in her room, she will just get into bed and stay there. So, we all try to keep her active but it’s pretty much a lost cause.
But, I keep taking care of them in the dining room, I chat with their families (when and if they come to visit)and let them know how they are doing. I love them, I feel bad for them–these lost wandering souls who have no memories. So sad.
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These are some things I have learned, over the years, through our Dementia Training classes that might interest others……
Dementia definition: Dementia is a mental disorder characterized by a general loss of intellectual abilities involving impairment of memory, judgement, and abstract thinking as well as changes in personality. Dementia is a condition of many diseases;
dementia itself is not a disease. Dementing conditions are caused by an abnormal disease process that can affect both younger and older people.
The term dementia denotes memory loss. Medication can slow the progression of dementia, but damage to the brain cannot be reversed.
The losses caused by dementia interfere with a person’s ability to function normally in social and occupational activities.
There are over 100 conditions that mimic dementia: reactions to medications, emotional distress, metabolic disturbances (for example: that sick feeling you get if you worked a double shift and did not eat or sleep), kidney failure, hypothyroidism, liver failure, vision and hearing problems, nutritional deficiencies, infections, and brain tumors.
Diseases that contribute to dementia:
–Alzheimer’s disease–An irreversible neurological disorder.
–Alcohol Related Dementia–May occur as a sequel to chronic alcohol abuse.
–Stroke or multiple small strokes
–Vitamin B-12 deficiency–A form of anemia
–Parkinson’s Disease–A progressive neurological disease
–Cerebral Diseases–diseases of the brain
–Metabolic disorders–something that has upset the the body’s natural balance
–Poor nutrition
Aging Issues of Dementia:
–Memory Impairment (recent memories first)
–Disorientation–may not know where they are or how they got there
–Apraxia–Inability to execute a skilled or learned motor act
–Agnosia–Loss of ability to recognize objects, people, sounds, shapes or smells
–Aphasia–Loss of the ability to speak or write or to understand spoken or written language