Look beyond
the challenges of Alzheimer's disease and focus on creating
individual moments of joy. It's impossible to create a perfectly
wonderful day, but you can capture smiles and create perfectly
wonderful moments. Joy can come from a fond childhood memory,
singing a favorite song, or sharing a simple pleasure. This video
discusses and demonstrates experience-based ways to bring joy into
the lives of people living with dementia every day. Author: Jolene
Brackey
Topics
include: Understanding the Person; Living Their Truth; "I Want to
Go Home"; Stop Correcting Them; Your Mood Affects Their Mood; Blame
it on Something Else; Remember Their Greatness; Quality
Connections; Habits of a Lifetime; Development Level; Good Dementia
Bad Dementia; Simple Pleasures; Treasure Boxes; Sundowning;
"Honey", "Dearie"; and Moments of Discomfort.
Running time:
2 hrs 57 minutes
About Jolene Brackey
Jolene Brackey
explains that the key to any person is figuring out their
greatness. "Find out what they are good at, and compliment them,"
she says. By letting caregivers know a little about the person’s
history allows them to help them remember who they are. Gestures as
small as allowing a patient to keep their old worn out chair or
‘stinky softball glove’ comforts them. Playing cards with
Alzheimer's patients is a way to trigger memories of the past. Even
shuffling a deck of cards can bring an unexpected, but delightful
smile on their face.
Brackey
describes the mind of a person in the later stages of Alzheimer's
like that of a child between the ages of 8 to 10 years old, and as
the disease progresses, they function as a 4 to 6 year old, until
eventually they lose cognitive skills. Though they may initially
lose their short-term memory, they continue to remember many of
their past experiences.
According to
Brackey, many people label what is "appropriate" and
"inappropriate" for patients, but those are very powerful words.
"We leave them with nothing if we take away their stuff for
safety," says Brackey. Give them their greatness back by creating a
home away from home. Take pictures of their favorite place to sit
and their bedroom, and recreate that atmosphere by bringing
personal items to make their new room more familiar. Create "boxes
of greatness" which should include things from their past.
Brackey began her career with Alzheimer's patients as an Activity
Director. As her work progressed, she began jotting down ideas that
offered positive help for patients. She attended conferences and
set up three Alzheimer's units, and began presenting educational
seminars. Brackey's devotion and passion to help others began
empowering families and staff members through training takes her
across the country speaking about life for caregivers and people
with dementia.
Her talks and
videos are a series of enlightening insights into Alzheimer’s
disease and how to better communicate, empower and help people with
the disease feel and become safer in their environments.
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