Tru here. Creating makes me feel alive, so I want to THINK that I can do sewing and stuff for as long as possible (even after I am not really capable of doing it). i have spent substantial time lately on crafting, so think it is about time to write on it again.  But, as always, remember that effective strategies are very person-centered.  Important to gather many ideas for strategies, then pick and choose what might work for the way your particular person-hood operates.

Summary of Strategies mentioned here are strategies i use to compensate for MEMORY symptoms while creating: i use clear tubs, clear bags, and no doors on cabinets, in order to facilitate finding supplies and tools. i keep insulated gloves right next to microwave and/or stove. Measurements marked on mixing container combats my problem of losing count when adding ingredients.

DETAILS:

FINDING supplies and tools:
Whether creating paper cards (one of my latest crafts), creating my protein mix for making my daily drinks, or creating almost ANYthing, one of the primary problems for someone with memory issues is finding supplies and tools. I may spend the better part of a day (or a week, LOL) trying to gather supplies, because if it is not VISIBLE then i need to play hide and seek — with the slate wiped clean periodically of both what i was looking for and where i have already looked.  Remember shaking the etch-a-sketch to wipe the slate clean — or cleaning all the chalkboard erasers after school?  ((smile)).

i check this drawer and that drawer. What was i looking for again ? Oh yes … it is written on the paper here on countertop.
maybe i considered it in this category, so look in this cabinet. Oh did i check this drawer (for the 5th time)?

Some folks take photo of contents and post it on door, or cover door with chalkboard paint to enable listing of contents. I prefer no doors and clear containers.  So whether cooking, or in my craft room, i have no doors on cabinets, making tools and supplies visible.

Clear bags and clear tubs (otherwise even with wording i need to check and make sure what i might have considered in that category — and sometimes the general category word might not register as including what i am looking for).  I use lots and lots of less-expensive ziploc tubs (same size for eazy stacking/nesting) and ziploc one-zip bags, for cooking, crafting, and in suitcases.

A major problem is remembering where i have checked so that i do not check a dozen times,
but have no work-around for that — yet.

BOX for Future needs:
I have a box for almost-complete projects, and projects that only need embellishment. This is for when I know it would be good to feel the spark of alive-ness that i get when creating something, but do not have much capabilities available.

One element of this box is rather “empty” coloring pictures, that I can fill with zentangle patterns … THEN color. This creates a picture that is more entirely by me, because I created much of the design inside the very open picture which I started with.  An example of “Zentangle” is included in the Links (“Crafts i use”).

Most of the other items in box are items that are finished (by me or purchased) — but would be nice with some kind of embellishment:
Paper projects that would be nice to add elements on.
Pieces of clothing that would be nice to change to decorative buttons, or add just a few stitches of embroidery or applique.
Placemats for table that would be nice with some elements of embellishment, etc.

GLOVE to avoid burns:
Surprising how many of my friends show up in chat with burns. i will often forget the need to use potholders — or forget HOW to use potholders.  When heating or cooking, keep insulated glove/mitts right next to microwave (or stove, if you are still able to use one).  Seeing the gloves reminds me to use them, and since mittens were used since childhood, it is natural to remember how to put them on.

Measurements marked on the mixing container:
Cannot use stove, but i can still help put ingredients together for mixes and such, but counting measurements (ie 7cups) is a problem because i loose count. I make my cholcolate protein drink at least once daily, using protein mixture i originally put together myself.  Husband now makes the 2-gallon powdered protein mix without me, but my smaller protein container for each day has the liquid measurements marked on the shaker itself, somewhat similar to my creamer, below. I fill to the bottom line with coffee concentrate from my cold-water-coffee-system, then the next line with second ingredient, third line with cashew milk, then add 1/2cup protein mixture (the measuring cup that is inside container of protein powder). Shake (but make SURE to get the lid on first, LOL).  Then add a couple more ingredients. When i make my chocolate coffee protein, i fill 1/4 of my mug from protein shaker and the rest water. Making coffee with cold-water concentrate, i do not need to worry about caffeine keeping me awake or acids upsetting my stomach. Since i need to eat every 2hrs for blood sugar, i use a lot of the protein drink as blood-sugar strategy during the day.  Cold days i drink it hot … and hot days (which never happen unless we are traveling LOL) … i drink it cold.

Creating a presentation in form of speech or blog is creating also – in a certain sense you might term it the craft of writing. i often use quick notes of voice-to-text on cell phone, for ideas and pieces of presentation. For this we need to remember where we stored information, and how to access applicable information. Personally, loving libraries since i was a young child, i use Dewey Decimal System on my computer, to store information and Links. I use Dewey Decimal System in hard-copy files to store everything from photos to other generalized information of life.  Some days, remembering how to use the application for my blog just does not process well, and i need to put it away … and do something else. Yes; i know sometime i will be unable to retrieve the knowledge, no matter how many days i wait. … but that day has not yet arrived so i will continue to try and get as many of my own thoughts, and the helpful thoughts of others who live with dementia symptoms, put to WorldWide Web in a format that can be accessed during years to come.

During 2014 I wrote a few blog entries on Crafting issues :  Right-click on colored text and selecting “open in new tab”, will allow you to return to this tab easily when you finish.  Remember, Links are on colored text, not the pictures.

Intro >> https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/10/02/arts-crafts-dementia-intro/ ( just as loved ones need to let go of comparison, and learn to appreciate the being-ness along with those behaviors that remain, so do we as persons with dementia symptoms. When i think about crafting before dementia symptoms began and COMPARE, it can create extra frustration problems. I need to focus on what remains of my abilities thru each step of the process, and gather tools/techniques to maximize whatever capabilities still remain in that particular month. So that i will retain skills and feeling of creativity as long as possible).

Crafts I Use ((recently updated)) >> https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/10/09/crafts-i-personally-use-for-dementia-symptoms/

Samples (from others) >> https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/10/14/arts-n-crafts-samples/

Cooking >> https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/10/28/arts-crafts-dementia-cooking/

Excerpt from other previous blog entries are below.

2015 Sep 15: My main project was to crochet a collar and set of cuffs for Autumn/Winter. This is my 5th attempt at making cuffs — and this time I finally succeeded. Coping mechanisms: Keep simple instructional videos from youTube handy for when I forget how to do stitches. Use only multiples of 3, 7, or 12 stitches, so if it looks like I have been doing only a few stitches then it must be 3, or if a lot then it is a multiple of 12. Cannot keep track of which direction I am going when I get interrupted, so every time I change direction I move my “stitch marker” ( from http://www.clover-usa.com/en/best-sellers/140-locking-stitch-marker.html ) to mark beginning of new row. That technique successfully avoided my problem of doubling-back instead of finishing each row.

2016 Dec 31:  At this point, My tremors have become too severe to do any kind of painting, or mixing for designing fragrances, without help. My memory for the beginning process of crochet has become poor enough that I now often need help with the cast-on process of new project. We bought sewing machine early 2016 … which has never been used. … and I do not feel bad about it, because seeing it there is HELPFUL for my health !! Even if I never have another day that I both have time and am capable of using it.

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* Admin issues: SHARE dementia awareness thru buttons below. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of comments, but please filter your comments with truthful loving kindness to all concerned. If interested in receiving notice of future blog postings, subscriptions are available through a “follow” button in the upper left corner (MS Explorer) or lower right (Safari, Mozilla Firefox and Chrome). If there is an advertisement below, I have no control over what is shown. My own full legal name is Truthful Loving Kindness. With the new terminology, my current diagnosis is still Mild Cognitive Impairment, but my neurologist said I am in a unique position for helping because I have “one foot in each door”. Text Copyright © 2018-03/03. Tags are: craft, dementia, memory, PWD, strategy, symptom.

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