Sunday, February 26, 2012

Is anyone not touched by Alzheimer's?

I just read a news brief that spoke about the aging population in prisons and that dementia has become a huge concern and challenge. The inmates with dementia were often taken advantage of, made fun of,and generally unsafe.
An interesting solution has been tried with the training of other inmates in the care of the person with dementia. They are called Gold Coats as they wear a different color than the other inmates. They too are antagonized by the inmates who feel they are siding with the authorities in taking on this new role.
I wonder what changes this care giver role will make in these prisoners. I hope to follow this for some time and see the change. Everyone is changed in care giving. No one is so tough that they are not impressed with the challenges of being unable to think clearly and respond to the environment accurately. Stay tuned.