Hello everyone, Some of you have told us that one of the most difficult challenges you face is how to care for an aging resident who also has a chronic mental illness. While depression and anxiety—especially in people with dementia—can be common in long term care, other mental illnesses such as personality disorder, bipolar disorder […]
Author: cbm5125
Therapeutic Fibbing
Hello everyone, Since we were children, we’ve been taught not to lie to people. But sometimes there are exceptions to this rule. One of them is when we are working with a person who has dementia. In some cases, telling “white lies” helps them to preserve their dignity, allay their fears, and make them feel […]
Helping a Loved One Adjust to Long Term Care
Hello everyone, When a person with dementia moves from home into a long term care community, it can be very difficult for them and their loved ones. This week, we offer some tips on helping to make the transition a bit easier: Encourage families to join their loved ones for activities. This helps the new […]
What To Do When Nothing Else Works
Hello everyone, You’ve tried distractions, music, walking, going outside, changing caregivers and adjusting schedules. Nothing seems to work with this resident who consistently has challenging behaviors related to dementia. Some caregivers may even tell you that they can’t handle the person anymore. What do you do? The answer may just be—YOU. You may be the […]
Family Members Can Benefit from Your Expertise
Hello everyone, You and your staff have lots of experience working with people with dementia—probably hundreds of years collectively if you add up everyone’s time!—and have learned ways to communicate with them effectively and therapeutically. Sometimes, though, we assume that the family and friends of our residents have the same intuitive response and knowledge when […]
Promoting Positive Interactions
Hello everyone, This week, we’d like to discuss how to approach a resident with challenging behaviors in a way that can result in more positive interactions between the caregiver and resident. For example, if a resident scratches, swears or tries to hit a nursing assistant while she is helping the resident with morning care, how […]
Addressing Resident-to-Resident Aggression
Hello everyone, “That Myrtle woman…she’s sitting in my chair! That’s where I sit for lunch. Get up you stupid woman. Get out of my chair!!” Sound familiar? Many older adults who move into long term care communities are moving from a home where they either lived alone or with a spouse. Suddenly, they are put […]
Approaches to Address Apathy
Hello everyone, We’ve mentioned that apathy is a common challenge for people who have dementia, and is often overlooked because the person with apathy is not generally disruptive to staff or other residents. It is important to remember that apathy is different from depression, as a person who is apathetic is not necessarily sad, but […]
Breaking Down Language Barriers
Hello everyone, First off, Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers and grandfathers! If you’ve ever traveled to a foreign country where you don’t speak the language, you know how difficult it can be to get directions to a museum or order a meal. Imagine how frightening and depressing it would if everyone around […]
Audio Books: a Great Alternative for Book Lovers with Dementia
Hello everyone, Many older adults who loved to read when they were younger find reading more difficult as they age and their eyesight and/or cognitive ability declines. If you know someone who you think would still enjoy a great book but is unable to read a print version, consider getting them a book in audio […]