Empathy, Compassion and Joy in Alzheimer's Care

I am sitting here thinking about the role of empathy in dementia care.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomThe caregiver begins to acquire empathy by asking how, why, what.How is the person who is deeply forgetful feeling?Why is the person who is deeply forgetful acting this way?What do they need?Topic - Alzheimer's communication tipsThe only way the caregiver can come to understanding and then empathy is by looking at the world out of the eyes of the person who is living with Alzheimer's or the other types of dementia.Topic -Do you correct someone with dementia?All to often, we spend our time telling others how we feel. We the caregivers.We spend our time describing the actions of the deeply forgetful to others.Then relate how we feel.The act of "venting" or "complaining" is negative.This negativity adds to our burden.Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading - This is a Free Service - Join NowOn the other hand, when we begin to examine the words, actions, and acts of the deeply forgetful we slowlycome to the understand that because of the changes in their brain they perceive the world differently at times then we, the caregivers, perceive the world.Some caregivers come to believe that the person who is deeply forgetful is not the person they "knew".It does not seem apparent to them that the person they "know" is changing. This change is being caused by the effect of dementia on the brain.Topic -Dementia care meet meanness with kindnessThischange is not being caused by any ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's awareness alzheimer's care Alzheimer's Dementia dementia care dementia help for caregivers help with dementia care memory care nursing home Source Type: blogs