I still think term ‘sufferer’ gives teaching opportunity to say; “Did you realize this term has such a wide variety of usage meaning that it is currently polarizing the PWD and ‘care’ sector?”
Be willing to invest NOW in learning communication skills for the later stages, so that you can more easily discern the language spoken in the “fading” communications of late-stage dementia … because relationships are what make life worth living.
Dementia Relationship Tip: For me, there is no such thing as BACKGROUND noise.
Hoping to clarify my blog from earlier this week, and maybe eliminate some misunderstandings. … In order for the “suffer” vocabulary change to succeed in goals, I think we need to come up with some method of communicating what people are seeing now as the “small print” — the details which are sometimes un-written … but creating huge mis-understandings.
I have been admonished by more than one person; told that it is inappropriate for me to use the term “suffering” in connection with my dementia symptoms … but … Each of us SHOULD be allowed to describe our dementia symptom experiences, and describe them without fear of reprisal for the sake of political-correctness.
Biggest cues for me in recognizing sight of self and loved ones are hair length, hair color, and hair style. … But my most reliable recognition for both spouse and loved ones is not sight; it is sound, and smell. … But even when I no longer recognize loved ones … please do not pull away from time spent together. Relationships are what make life worth living.
“Music is Connection (despite dementia symptoms): to myself, to others, and to the unseen rhythms connecting each living entity.”
I was asked to think about what phrases and actions leave Persons With Dementia symptoms feeling left out. … Includes: Phrases that exaggerate my symptoms, Phrases that minimize (invalidate) my symptoms, Phrases that ignore my symptoms, Phrases that minimize (or ignore) my life-expectations, Actions that exaggerate my symptoms, Actions that ignore my symptoms, and Actions that exaggerate my “different-ness” or “alone-ness”.
All of these situations involve showing respect, embracing who the person is, and meeting them at their varied ability levels (because some aspects of abilities are still very high, and some quite low).
How many of our own children, grandchildren, or others watching us now, will be dealing with these same symptoms in future years?
We all change – but we do not become a different person. The facets of our character are differently reflected with the changing phases, abilities, frustrations, angers and fears, but we are at our basic essence the SAME person – with different aspects emphasized.
