A few highlights from his speech:
* Celebrate what your loved ones who are suffering from dementia can do, and try not to dwell on what they can't do.
* People who are suffering from dementia have not lost their ability to sense mood and feel stress. What is most perserved is the emotional brain, the ability to feel love and connectedness.
* Work hard to seek out joy. Do fun activities. Go to concerts and plays. Engage in the arts. Music and art are another way of connecting and communicating, a different language, one that doesn't disappear.
* Try really hard to live in the moment. Don't quiz them and confuse them with "Do you remember" questions. Talk about what's going on right now. Introduce yourself. Be the one who tells them their story.
* Eat a healthy diet. Good heart food is also good brain food.
* Spice it up! The mid-Western pallet it rather bland, so we need to make an effort to add a variety of spices, particularly those in curries and the Mediterranean diet. High doses of brightly colored fruits and veggies, not as much meat, and really cut back on red meat.
* Caregivers, stop being stubborn and thinking "I can do it all myself" and ask for help. We all need help from time to time, and caring for someone with dementia is one of the most stressful things you can do. You need to take care of yourself and be emotionally and physically healthy in order to effectively care for others. (These are doctor's orders.) Plus, most people want to help. Don't shut out their generosity.
* The blues are not a normal part of aging. If people are retreating and isolating, address the issue. The highest rate of suicide happens in the elderly.
* Knowledge is power. Get all the information you can on the illness. Keep track of meds. Know who is in your network.
* All life has value. You can continue to live, love, laugh and learn together through any stage.
We offered several wonderful breakout sessions at the Forum.
Hannah Erickson, RN, demonstrating a machine in her "Living Well at Home" session
If you'd like more information on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and the LAMAA group, contact us at memoryadvocates@gmail.com.
Live well. Laugh often. Love much!
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