I hope all are thriving in their own right! So many things in life happen to each of us and we hope you all know we are there for you as best as possible.

We recently started caring for a new client with new challenges for them and for their family members. The client has early stages of dementia and with that the challenge for the spouse is how much anger ( because the client truly is frustrated and not angry) is directed toward them and how tired they are becoming. 

We sent LeeAnne to go care for this client. We have been there only 2 shifts when the family member was exasperated because the client felt like ” I don’t need a babysitter.” Lee Anne sent word that the family may be canceling services. Sure enough Friday I got the call but much to my surprise the family member stated how frustrating it is and she did her homework and knows the transition can take months before acceptance but ultimately what she decided and what was the key was how thankful she already was for LeeAnne! She could tell her spouse liked her and LeeAnne brought him a birthday card on his birthday, SHe also made deviled eggs his favorite! WAY TO GO LEEANNE!!!

I know so many of you go above and beyond in the love, care and respect for our clients and their families. Time and time again Wendy and I feel so much gratitude for all of you! Age With Grace would NOT have the stellar reputation that it has without all of you! WE THANK YOU!

For out training this month, I wanted to focus a little bit on calendaring. We all have calendars that we keep with our clients in some form or fashion. Calendaring is a challenge for those we care for. I hope if there is not one that you let us know so that we can get one for the one you care for. 

Calendaring is not so much a schedule for most of our clients but a way to utilize muscle memory.

I of course pulled this information up from Judy Cornish and the Dawn Method. (Of course I did lol!)

Please focus and this tips and use them!  I particularly learned that each person does time differently and I need to find out which time makes the most sense to them NOT to me. Share any insights you may have or have questions or thoughts about.

Dementia tips for calendars and schedules Expect experiential learning only Dementia takes away our rational thought processes but leaves our intuitive thinking, so people become unable to learn by memorization but continue to learn from experience. So, if you allow deadlines and appointments to become a source of conflict, you’ll have increasing trouble over time issues. Instead, keep in mind that when someone has dementia, it is always possible that you’ll make it to an appointment on time, but never probable. Your best approach to making a deadline is not to focus on the clock, but on your loved one. This is one of the paradoxes of dementia. When you keep your focus on them, you communicate that you’re happy to be with them—rather than concern or irritation. Tackle just the most essential task to get ready, just one step at a time. This way, your loved one will learn that it’s fun to do things with you rather than learning that, when the clock is involved, there’ll be trouble. Keep it simple Here are some tips for how to make a calendar easier to understand for someone experiencing dementia 1. Find a large calendar that shows no more than one month when laid open on the counter. 2. Each morning, cross out yesterday so that the first square not crossed out is always “today.” 3. Watch to see whether your loved one can interpret “3 pm,” “3:00” or “3 o’clock” and use that format only. 4. Always put the time first and follow it with a succinct description of the activity. 5. Use whiteout; don’t cross things out. 6. Keep notepaper and a pen nearby so they can attempt to write their own notes, because copying something out gives a feeling of mastery and security. 7. Schedule one activity per day When people are in the early stages of dementia, they are able to manage more than one activity in a day without becoming stressed. As they progress, it’s best to cut activities back to one each morning and afternoon, then to one per day, and eventually to provide sensory and social stimulation with brief interactions rather than activities. Helping our loved ones and clients feel safe even though they cannot read the clock or make sense of the passage of time is an important way we can support them. Have a great month and thanks for being part of A.W.G.!