PWD Experience as Resource for Dementia Professionals

Tru here. 2014 was the year I realized that, in an ideal world, the collective lived experience of Persons With Dementia (PWD) would be a rich resource for dementia professionals (or any person) dealing with PWD.  2014 is the year I began hallucinations, and then began Aricept prescription. Aricept much improved my hallucinations, recognition of […]

PWD Leadership in My Own Life During 2014

Tru here. What does a leader of PWD (Persons With Dementia) look like? Collins dictionary says a “Leader” is the first person on the climbing rope. It is the first animal in the team, or the first section of blank film or tape into the projector or machine. Vocabulary dot com says it is the […]

Quotes Nov 2014

Tru here. Truthful Loving Kindness is thankful for family of ALL sorts (including “family” on computer).  This year especially thankful for others who have dementia symptoms and are transparent enough to share their experiences.  These excerpts have either been written specifically to share, or found in public format of blog, Facebook or Twitter. Anonymous PWD friend […]

Alternative to Consumer Terminology

Tru Here.  Everyone has different hot-button terminology.  I don’t have a problem with “suffering” terminology, and a lot of the other words.  But I cringe every time I see the words “service user” or “consumer”. In my experience the problem is not the impersonal nature of the term “service user”, but rather the consuming nature […]

Melancholy Day

I realize this is just beginning stages and no sense in wasting too much time for focus of loss.
But also important to recognize loss, and endure the grief process, in order to best appreciate the time remaining.
Today has been one of those days. … Losing every enjoyed activity and losing memory of every loved one – in excruciating increments.

Hold My Hand ‘n Anchor Me

Now that I have experienced the fragmenting effects of dementia symptoms for myself, I have discovered the GROUNDING and steadying effect from physical touch in that unsteady, fragile, edge-of-the-cliff world. I very much wish I had known this when my maternal grandmothers were walking this path. … (prose attached)

Arts ‘n Crafts with Dementia Symptoms – Cooking Tips

Tru here.  Example of my cooking prowess from day before yesterday: tried to cook a super simple recipe so what could go wrong?  Cut finger (rather severely because picked up shears that cut bone) from tremors & poor estimate of finger placement when opening mix packet.  Meanwhile knocked liquid to floor and made mess that was […]

Dementia Sundowning Concepts from Karen Francis

Ideas about “Sundowning” from PWD Karen Francis, friend who worked with memory impaired before becoming impaired herself: What is Sundowning? SUNDOWNING – Sundowning is a phenomenon that is associated with increased confusion resulting in a variety of behaviors that you may not see other times of the day. It can happen with any form of […]