This is the 17th installment in the Critical Dementia Skills (CDS) series. For more information on the series, start HERE. You can also click on the CDS tags in the blog for more.
In The Peace with Dementia Rosary, I mention avoiding the “Three plagues of institutionalism,” a concept coined by Dr. Bill Thomas. The plagues, that can happen in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and even someone’s own home, are feelings of helplessness, loneliness, and boredom.
These present an opportunity to discover joy through engagement, or if unaddressed, spiral into repetitive behaviors, eloping (often called wandering),
It is critical that we look at our situation and question if we are contributing to the plagues, even if it is unintentional.
Here is a sample of questions to ask yourself as a family care partner or professional care partner:
Does my loved one have something to live for? (Opportunity to see grandchildren, nurture a pet, plant and tend to a garden)
Am I discovering meaningful activities that have engaged my loved one though out their life? (Hobbies, cooking, etc)
Am I offering opportunities for my loved on to give back to me or others?
Do I play the music that links my loved one to happy times and memories?
Do I encourage friends and family to visit, as well as give them tips on how to communicate and appreciate the time just being there?
Do I spend time with my loved one, even if he or she is not able to communicate back (yes, very difficult)?
In the future, we will go in-depth on strategies to engage our loved ones.
Questions for you to think, write down, and share in the comments section (any or all):
- How would you answer one (or a few) above?
- Are there particular activities that you find challenging to implement?
Thank you for reading this far and for commenting. Let’s tell hundreds more care partners about this concept by sharing the article. God bless you.
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