by Margaret Anderson “I am so blessed to have known your dad…. I watched his joy and gratitude for each day and everything it offered… He taught me how to live, and I shall miss him terribly but I will remember.” A friend wrote this to me when my Dad, Earl, died. Dad, who had dementia, lived with me for his last nine years – from age 91 to 100. Her words reflect so [...]
Thank You to McKnight's for allowing DAA to post this to our Blog. .. . . the day Magic Johnson . . . calmly stated these 18 words that ultimately wound up shattering a lot of realities and perceptions . . . “Because of the HIV virus that I have attained, I will have to retire from the Lakers. Today.” . . . Fast forward 27 years later. Two gentlemen, Brian LeBlanc and Mike [...]
MEMORY CAMP! Susan H. McFadden, Ph.D. Professor Emerita, Psychology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Volunteer, Fox Valley Memory Project It all began with the discovery of the website for Dementia Adventure, an organization in England that organizes holidays for people living with dementia. As I scrolled through their offerings of everything from a 5-day sailing trip to a 5-day hiking holiday, as well as weekly opportunities for group strolls through parks and nature preserves, [...]
Kendal at Oberlin, a continuing care community, opened in the fall of 1993. One of its founding principles was: To enhance the quality of life and vitality of those we serve and to foster a sense of community, treating each person as a valued individual and in an atmosphere of mutual respect and caring.” Values and Practices, p. 3 By the winter of 2017, our community was 24 years old with residents [...]
Note: This article is directed toward people living with early-stage dementia. If you are a care partner, please pass it along to your loved one after you read it. Jeff Borghoff had been working as a Sr. Technical Architect for eight years. His job included, among other duties, meeting with clients. When he was 50 years old, he began to notice memory and concentration changes in himself. Jeff’s symptoms continued worsening, and by [...]
It recently occurred to me that A.A. Milne had an understanding of dementia when he created Winnie-The Pooh. Throughout the exciting stories of The Hundred Acre Woods this “chubby little cubby all stuffed with fluffy” often mentions his forgetfulness, cognitive impairments and not being able to say what he wants to get across. Although some phrases used in 1929 to describe dementia (such as “a bear of very little brain”) may seem [...]
Using His Voice and His Skills: Mike Belleville’s Tips for Living Well with Dementia click on the picture below http://dementiajourney.org/2018/03/06/using-voice-skills-mike-bellevilles-tips-living-well-dementia/