Some Thoughts on Activities for People Living with Dementia

Crafts are just one of many meaningful activities that we can enjoy with our loved ones or clients with dementia A daily routine can be helpful for people living with dementia. Have a look at the types of activities described below, and…
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A personal transformation

I’m one of those people who finds marketing myself very difficult! I love ‘doing the work’ but publicising it is not easy. So, I thought I’d let one of the participants in the last ‘Transforming the Dementia Journey’ course tell…
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Born of desperation – a book by Henry Spencer

The term ‘desperation’ describes how many of us feel as we try to come to terms with Alzheimer’s disease. But the desperation Henry Spencer speaks about relates not to the disease itself, but rather to his frustration with many of…
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Dementia and the mid-life breakthrough

Mid-life is a time when many of us have the opportunity to care for a person living with dementia. Whether that person is your parent, partner or friend, their diagnosis can be life-changing. The term ‘mid-life’ is often associated…
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STRiDE – towards a National Dementia Plan

Imagine South Africa developing a National Dementia Plan! This is a goal of the STRiDE project – ‘Strengthening responses to dementia in developing countries’ – coordinated by the London School of Economics and Political Science…
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Nurtured by Nature – caring for those who care

Nature gave Mum and me countless ‘moments of joy on the Alzheimer’s journey’, as Jolene Brackey puts it in her wonderful book. Whether it was enjoying the physical benefits of walking along the river in the fresh air and sunshine,…
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True friendship

I don’t enjoy boxing. I have never understood why anyone would pay money to watch a couple of people intentionally beat each other up. So, on a recent flight, I wouldn’t have chosen to watch Journeyman - a film about a boxer - had it…
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Transforming the Dementia Journey

“When we are unable to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” Viktor Frankl When people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, or any other form of dementia, they and their care partners embark on a long journey…
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Keeping connected as caregivers

This disease is isolating. Friends recede, family members back away.  – Support group member. I belong to a number of on-line dementia support groups. Recently I posted a comment about research that shows that connection to community…
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connection – the silver lining

When our mum got dementia, my sister Kathy lived in the same town in South Africa, I lived about 50 km away, and our brothers Bill and John lived in Nepal and the UK respectively. In our globalised world, far-flung families are commonplace. In…
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Food for thought … Making brain-healthy choices

If you want to get people disagreeing, start talking about diets! From vegan to paleo and beyond, we can justify a confusing diversity of eating plans. So, as I write this blog about brain-friendly nutrition, I know that it won’t please…
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Healthy by nature

It is common knowledge that spending time outdoors is good for our physical and mental health, and yet many people with dementia live most of their lives indoors. Activities like walking, swimming and games develop physical fitness, stamina,…
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Contented dementia – such a helpful book

During the early years of Mum’s dementia, I knew nothing about Alzheimer’s Disease. And, to be honest, I didn’t want to know. Denial is a common response to bad news. By the time I stumbled upon the book Contented Dementia in a local…
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Sharing our gifts

Music was Mum’s greatest gift. Author Malcolm Gladwell maintains that ten thousand hours of practice are necessary to achieve mastery in a field. As a student, concert pianist and music teacher Mum had rehearsed and performed for many more…
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Dementia … a process of erosion

When a loved one is diagnosed with dementia, it’s natural to focus on the many aspects of their life and yours that are being lost. Indeed, the dementia journey can feel like a long process of erosion. In Alzheimer’s Disease, the part…
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Don’t try to go it alone …

I subscribe to a few dementia support groups on Facebook. These are safe, moderated, on-line spaces where people caring for their loved ones with dementia can share their stories, seek advice, and experience the solidarity of others who deeply…
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design for dementia – part 1

When people have dementia, they can experience changes in the way they perceive and make sense of the world: Many older people experience deteriorating eyesight, making it harder to see in dull light. Peripheral vision may deteriorate,…
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Beyond brain fog, depression … and dementia?

Having experienced my mum’s dementia journey, I’m encouraged by new evidence that it may be possible to avoid some types of dementia. The Bredesen Protocol – ‘a comprehensive personalized programme designed to improve cognition and…
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Nature as care partner

Just for a moment, can you put yourself into the shoes of a person living with dementia in a care home? Who are all these people in the sitting room? Why are you here anyway? Someone has left the TV on (loud) even though you can’t follow…
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Slow down, be present

Trying to communicate with a loved one with dementia can be hugely frustrating … until we learn to slow down and be present with them. This didn’t come easily for me! I was in full-on ‘busy adult mode’ when Mum started slipping…
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Dementia is a disease of the brain, not of the soul

Today’s Dementia Connections blog focuses on the topic: Soul, spirit and sense of self. This is one of the most poignant articles I have read about dementia. It encourages us, as family members and friends of someone living with dementia,…
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Welcome to Dementia Connections

Dementia can be a lonely, confusing and emotional journey for all affected – both the person living with dementia and the loved one wondering how best to support them. Having walked this road with my mum for fifteen years, I am passionate…
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Of loss & love – reflecting on dementia

Has your life been affected by dementia? Are you in the early stages of the condition, or are you the care-partner of a loved one with dementia? An attitude of acceptance and a practice of mindfulness helped me to transform the experience of…
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a care-giving journey – part 3

This is the final of three extracts from an interview by Tom and Karen Brenner, which was published in two parts on Bob de Marco’s Alzheimer’s Reading Room blog: http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/   What are some of the…
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a care-giving journey – part 2

Here is the second of three extracts from an interview by Tom and Karen Brenner, which was published in two parts on Bob de Marco’s Alzheimer’s Reading Room blog: http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/     How did your…
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a care-giving journey – part 1

Tom and Karen Brenner, authors of You say goodbye and we say hello: the Montessori method for positive dementia care, interviewed me recently about the experience of my mother’s dementia journey. Their questions enabled me to reflect on our…
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Dementia blessings – My wise woman

Today is the first anniversary of Mum's birth since she passed away in January. Happy Birthday, Mum - this one's for you! Mum was always my 'wise woman' - the one who listened deeply and responded with compassion and non-judgment. So when…
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Dementia blessings – Embodied Memory

Witnessing the progress of Mum's dementia made me reflect on how the notion of 'mind' has become reduced to 'brain' in our society. Even though she eventually lost the ability to remember our names and craft sentences, Mum continued to improvise…
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Dementia blessings – Welcome the child

Spending time with my mother as she neared the end of her life, it felt like someone had set up a mirror at the point at which the spirit enters and leaves the physical realm. Her declining mental faculties and increasing dependence were a mirror-image…
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Dementia blessings – Communion

One of the gifts of spending time with a parent with dementia is that eventually you give up trying to have a conversation about the mundane doings of everyday, and sink into a slower, quieter, more heart-centered engagement. When I started…
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Dementia blessings – Breaking through

Dementia is on the rise globally, with the number of cases expected to double every twenty years. It can be terrifying to discover that your parent or grandparent is losing their memory. It brings up a host of fears about the future - both theirs…