Alzheimer's Reading Room
If you ask my son Bobby the right question he will tell you I am still alive. He'll just point to his brain and say - right here. Did you know that he sometimes carries me around in his pocket?
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Bobby thinks I need to do more to help all the new Alzheimer's caregivers that are being born each day - over 1,200. So here goes.
#1 Do you ever try and look at the situation from the perspective of the people living with Alzheimer's? You should.
Did you ever think about what makes us feel happy, safe, and secure? You should.Did you ever consider that we actually have ears and we can hear? You should.
Do you like to hear yourself explain over over and why we should be doing what you want us to do? Stop it.
Here are my 10 Communications tips for Alzheimer's caregivers. Read them a couple of times. You'll get my point.
How to Get Answers To Your Questions About Alzheimer's and Dementia
#2 Who told you we don't like to talk, or go out and have a good time?
I don't know who started that idea, but let me set you straight - we like to do things. Sure we can get confused easily, so you might try and take us to places that we went to before Alzheimer's.
Bobby gets asked all the time - how do you talk to a person living with Alzheimer's? He has a good answer. The same way you did before they had Alzheimer's. But please don't treat us like dummies. Questions like what did you have to eat today, what did you do today; or, do you know how to get from New York to New Orleans without making a left hand turn. We don't like those kinds of questions.
People living with Alzheimer's love to yak. I mean if you are not going to let us drive, please let us talk. If you are lazy go get the world's greatest Alzheimer's Caregiver Tool - read about him here.
And by the way, if you can't figure out how we can deceive others with our behavior, or change like chameleon check this out.
#3 Stop telling people you have no life. If you have no life it is your fault. We like to do things. Stop complaining and figure it out. Do you have something better to do?
Here is what Bobby had to say on this issue.
I see my mother in the way I always have.....Dotty is the same person I have known for my entire life.....We are continuing to live our life in the fullest way possible.....While there are times that somehow seem horrific, there are times that are also wonderful.....Quite frankly, Dotty never stops amazing me.....I learned one of the most simple lessons of them all.....Dotty is capable of doing more, much more, then I imagined.
Want to learn more about me and things you can do?
Topic - Dotty
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At its core the Alzheimer's Reading Room is about helping everyone to better understand, cope, and communicate with a person living with dementia.