Tru here on Thursday.  Today was our 6th day with no electrical power — and with my progressing symptoms i have new complications.  So this is what i learned.

Portable battery pack for cell phone was crucial during this power outage, in order to provide good family communication for any surprise needs.  Mine is made by Anker >> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5RV14Y/

In our town of ~7,000 ppl we had only one restaurant that was operating during the power outage, and only one grocery store.  That grocery store supplied breakfast buffet each morning during the power outage.  Do your research, and find out what local suppliers (including fuel suppliers) have a generator.

Since our 1932 Wedgewood stove runs on propane, we didnt need to worry about cooking, and we now have a fine wood stove to keep the house warm.  But life is calmer with a hot or cold drink in your hand, so suggest a couple high-quality Thermos bottles.  Get filled from neighbor, restaurant, or grocery store that has alternative power.  For me, my symptoms are better with hot chocolate, (But i am sure that is completely power-of-suggestion, LOL.)  Power outage can also be an excellent excuse to introduce yourself to the neighbors.  Our thermos keeps hot things hot for 36 hours.

Remember to eat and drink.  Blood-sugar fluctuations will definitely increase dementia symptoms, so are to be avoided if at all possible.  i keep some gluten-free, low-sugar, high-protein energy bars on hand for between meals, along with packets of low-sugar hot chocolate, and instant oatmeal.  This week, during the day that husband was gone, i forgot and used my normal gluten-free extra-thick oats — it didn’t work.  Then i forgot to drain the water that did not absorb into the oats before i added the milk.  … Not wonderfully appetizing, but keeps blood sugar from crashing.

… and the main issue was LIGHT:
A) My evening symptoms are more difficult when everything is different.  Many of my coping strategies do not work with different circumstances.
B) Discovered a moving Light (such as FlashLight) is VERY disorienting for me; shadows are constantly changing and my balance goes out the window.
C) Unless generator is on, then camping Lanterns and candles need set out in different areas of our house, or i will fall. (remember to set candles in fire-proof dishes on a fire-proof support).
D) Then we get to deal with the shadows from the Lanterns and flickering flame.
E) Discovered new challenge; our particular camping Lantern now triggers almost continual sound hallucinations for me.  One minute hallucinations are rap music (which i dont like), then DJ-narration, then moaning like a ghost, … and on and on for hours.
F) NEED to set up music i enjoy in a mode that i can be listening anytime Lantern is running.  i know there is a way to do that on my cell phone, but need to consider loss of battery power on cell phone also.  Need to find portable CD player that can play my comfort music when there is no electrical power.

i repeat my closing statement from what i wrote four years ago: This is just a lesson in WHY people say “be careful” and “be safe” when unusual circumstances occur. It is not that our family was not well-prepared for storm and loss of electrical power; it is simply that habit and schedule are important safety elements in dementia patient’s ability to complete activities of daily living. In unusual circumstances habit and schedule are interrupted.  https://truthfulkindness.com/2015/02/09/danger-of-unusual-circumstance-storm/

.. .

.*. . .*. . .*. SCHEDULE ((expired)) .*. . .*. . .*.

.*. . .*. . .*. . .*. . .*. . .*. . .*.

* 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. 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 © Truthful L. Kindness 31Oct2019. Tags are: dementia, emergency, Lighting, Living with Dementia, PLwD, preparedness, strategy, symptom