Topic: dementia
Art can be created and experienced in many forms. Dance. Collage. Painting. Drumming. Pottery. Singing. Acting. Writing. Gardening. Knitting. Poetry. Sewing. Storytelling. Drawing. Even cooking.
The effect of experiencing or making art when living with dementia can be profound. We see this every day in our work as Creative Engagement Specialists and Care Managers. …
Washington state primaries are just around the corner. Today, July 15, 2022, marks the start of the 18-day voting period (through Election Day, Tuesday, August 2). Ballots have been mailed and Accessible Voting Units (AVUs) are available at voting centers.
Whenever an opportunity to vote is on the horizon, our team often fields questions from family members and other supports about voting when the person in our mutual care is living with a cognitive impairment. …
Summer celebrations are upon — Independence Day, family reunions, graduations, weddings. All are wonderful opportunities to gather, though often filled with high expectations, requiring lots of energy and engagement. For individuals and families living with dementia, it can be challenging. A time of high anxiety.
To minimize anxiety and encourage an inclusive, more enjoyable holiday and gatherings for all, a little advance planning can go a long way in ensuring everyone has a wonderful time. …
“Dementia is a shift in the way a person experiences the world around them.” ~ G. Allen Power, MD
We all seek community, purpose, meaning, connection. Our need for relationship and social connection is at the heart of being human. That doesn’t change if we are living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. …
Do you find yourself more easily distracted these days? There is good reason: Concentration is about keeping what’s useful top of mind while at the same time suppressing thoughts that distract from your primary objective. As we age, the “executive” center of the brain becomes less able to sort out distractions. It’s a filtering process that requires heavy brainpower. Many people worry that lapses in concentration are an early sign of Alzheimer’s. Not necessarily. While memory and focus are related, they are not the same thing. …
As many family caregivers can attest, caring for a loved one who has a chronic or progressive health condition such as Alzheimer’s disease can be physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging. As well as isolating.
You give it your all day in and day out, through the laughter and tears. No matter the duties, you’re ready to tackle them one by one. Some tasks are large, others small. Some responsibilities are intimate and others mundane.
There are days when the edges of life seem to poke and chafe and there is little relief in sight. But then come the moments or even weeks where the routine is smooth and relatively straightforward. No matter the ease in which you get through a day, the caregiver’s journey is wearing. It can be difficult (or even feel impossible) to find the time and energy to take care of yourself. …
The Dance. That’s how a colleague once described the way families approach an older loved one’s journey with aging. This is especially true in their final years of life, in what our professional association colleague Amy Cameron O’Rourke calls The Fragile Years.1
It makes sense. Some days it’s a slow, beautiful waltz. Others can be a fast-paced polka. And then there’s the occasional freeform dance that is unchoreographed, a bit chaotic, later stumbling into a seemingly smooth twirl. Occasionally you’ll find yourself in an energetic Go-go. …
The Dance: Finding Balance with Helping an Aging ParentRead More »
Rob came to Aging Wisdom in a panic. For months he and his sister had done everything they could think of to convince their mother — 82 years old, recently widowed, and showing signs of memory loss — to move to an assisted living community.
Rob’s Aunt Mary, his mother’s sister, had moved to a community nearby and was thrilled with her decision. This was what Rob and his sister Linda saw as the answer for their mother as well. …
Resistance to Care is a Common Challenge: What’s the Best Path Forward?Read More »
There is no single test that can determine if a person has Alzheimer’s disease. But a combination of several different tests can identify if memory and thinking problems are due to one of the many conditions that result in symptoms of dementia.
By process of elimination, doctors can determine what may be the root cause of thinking problems. Some conditions are treatable. Others are not. …
“Arts can both reshape how people think about aging and also foster growth and meaning in late life.” ~Anne Basting, PhD, Creative Care: A Revolutionary Approach to Dementia and Elder Care
A person living with dementia experiences a shift in their perception of the world due to changes in the brain. Most of us know or have known someone living with dementia. While Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type, there are different forms, and each individual living with dementia possesses a wide spectrum of abilities and experiences.
Since 2010, Seattle’s Frye Art Museum has developed and led Creative Aging programs that range from small group experiences in the galleries and art studio to one-on-one artmaking in residential care communities to conferences and workshops on creativity, dementia, and healthy aging. …