New Trends in Alzheimer Care...Finding the Spirit Within

Finding the Spirit Within

When I visit my family member with Alzheimer’s, I see her sitting looking blankly ahead, or down, often falling off to sleep. I approach and as she sees my face, her eyes come alive and the wrinkles falling from gravity reverse direction in a gleeful smile, toothless though it may be. She has no idea who I am anymore; she just knows she feels happy with me and that somehow I belong to her. Her pleasures now are things she tastes, sights she sees, and feelings she feels. Hearing is all but gone, so getting a response from a question asked is difficult at best. How can I reach the spirit within her?
As cognition declines due to dementia, spirituality comes alive. Imagination is enhanced and emotional experience as well. Appealing to the senses remaining is the key. Emotional memory does not die in Alzheimer’s. Tap emotional memory.
What are emotional memories? Think about a memory you have that is very positive or perhaps negative .Is it the taste of your mother’s apple pie? Is it the smell of the pipe your favorite uncle smoked? Is it the view from a mountain you climbed? What feelings are evoked? Why do you think that is a memory you retain?
In dementia we have to look at behavior as a way of ‘speaking’ to us when language is difficult. As use of language decreases, doing something is the way a person with dementia expresses his wants, needs and feelings.
We need to appeal to emotion more than the ability to think, reason, use logic or remember. Increase positive experiences and decrease or eliminate negative experiences to avoid conflict and aggression.
Aggression is simply a way of saying behaviorally “I’m frightened.” “Slow down.” “I don’t understand what you want.” “Don’t take that from me.”
Some suggestions: look at photos of favorite people or places and YOU talk about them. Note the response. Is it one of interest? Joy? Is she frowning or is a smile beginning to form? You’ll soon discover what brings a positive response and have tools to spend quality time with your family member with memory loss.
Beverly Moore
StilMee™
The Leader in Alzheimer Coaching