More tidbits from my current favorite book…Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s by Joanne Koenig Coste.

When dealing with a person with dementia, aim to create moments for success.  Eliminate possible moments of failure, and praise frequently and with sincerity.  Attempt to find joy wherever possible.

This is my favorite suggestion.  In my previous career as a manager of a large call center, I worked with the supervisors to create our center’s mission statement.  It included a promise to create joy in the workplace.  We all have jobs to do…but without some joy, what’s the point?  Now that my days are filled with interactions with seniors at varying stages of dementia and also with interactions with young children, I have many opportunities to experience joy.

A person with Alzheimer’s needs to have a sense of being a part of life.  She needs to feel that she makes a difference.  The disease does not take away the “need to be needed” that we all feel.  Create opportunities every day for her to help.  As caregivers we need to think of ways to compensate for lost skills.  It is up to us to initiate activities, to plan and organize with creativity and patience.  It is important to always remember that we’re aiming to create an opportunity to enjoy, but we’re not worrying about the end results.