Choosing the perfect gift can leave you racking your brain for that item that won't just get stuffed in a closet. When a loved one has dementia or Alzheimer's, it can present an extra challenge. First you want to consider what your loved one's currently ability level is. What will they be able to use and enjoy? What needs do their dementia symptoms create that you could find a gift for? Then also consider what kinds of things they enjoyed before dementia, and see if you can f

Once a month, I'll answer your questions about dementia and care-giving here in my blog. If you've got a question, feel free to submit it. Question: My mom is 86, has had two strokes, and now has vascular dementia. Lately every time I see her, she says how she just wants to die already. It breaks my heart every time. Any ideas on how to respond to that? That is such a painful thing to hear from somebody you love. And unfortunately it’s also very common in people suffering fro

Paranoia and delusions in dementia can range from the seemingly ridiculous, for example when they suddenly think a denture-thief is on the loose, to the heartbreaking when they think a loving spouse is being unfaithful or accuse family members of stealing from them. Or it can get downright bizarre if they think the FBI is after them or aliens are controlling their thoughts. Sometimes the delusions last a moment, and sometimes it seems like they are living in their own world.

People with dementia can sometimes get stuck on a subject or behavior, or might say or do inappropriate things, or ask upsetting questions, or get themselves into unsafe situations. Any time you find yourself in a spot where you want to get them off a topic or activity onto something else, redirection is your handy-dandy first line of defense. Get really good at it. Trust me. Really all redirection is about is helping the person change direction. Whether just in their mind or

Today I'm going to try something new and share my thoughts with you in a video instead. If you'd rather read, I'll also summarize my thoughts down below. I hope this is helpful for you! As someone's brain deteriorates as a result of dementia, it very often creates new challenges in the realm of communication. What has always worked suddenly doesn't work at all. It can be very frustrating and confusing, and even scary. Where before, you could quickly and efficiently use a bit