Q&A from Facebook

Caregiving For Dementia

Once again this week I was on Facebook. I was in some of the caregiving for dementia support group’s, and I’ve got a few questions that I had answered and I thought I would just make an episode out of the questions.

1:33 – 4:40 The 1st question that I come upon was, someone had said something about getting their loved one in iPhone and iPad or an android. I wasn’t really sure why they were talking about it, but my advice to the writer was, don’t do that. Here in the house, Mama has times when she likes to throw things and if we were to get her something like that. Mama is not a very techie person, but if we were to get her something like that and she got into this mood where she would want to throw it. She would just throw it not realizing what it was or how expensive it was. You’re not only out the money of the gadget, but you’re also out the money for the contract that you have to have. Plus you would be out the money to get whatever it was fixed. So I suggested due to the fact of the expense not to get an iPhone, iPad, or android for this person.

4:40 – 8:00 Someone was talking about bringing their kids, or grandkids, or great grandkids, to see their loved one in a nursing home. I suggested to the writer to bring the children around as much as possible. You see, we now have a lady from our church come in and sit with mom of 2 days a week. There are times when this lady needs to bring her grandbaby with her, who is only about a year old. Mama seems to perk up, Mama seems to be more alert, more awake. Long story short, Mama seems to be more live with the child in the house.

8:00 – 10:52 I also suggested to the writer, though if the children were not able to come around, for the writer to get a baby doll about the size of a new born baby for their loved one to play with. It’ll also stimulate them to where they are more alive.

10:52 – 12:20 I’ve seen some film for Facebook, where people have give their loved one, a newborn size doll baby and their reaction to that doll, and now I’m not to put Mama on film for Facebook are you to be the one. I’ve been asked not to put Mama on any kind of film for anything other than just pictures.

13:30- 16:45 Question number 3 was from another caregiving support group page on Facebook and the question was whether or not someone with dementia actually heard what you were saying or not? My answer to this question was, yes they do hear you when you talk. I know every time we tell mom that we love her we get yeah, love you too, and sometimes we get. I love me too, and then she’ll laugh. So yeah they do hear you when you talk to them. They understand what you say.

16:45 – 21:01 question for from of support group page from Facebook was is it normal not to feel anything when a loved one that you been taking care of passes. I don’t know what to say here. I hope it’s not normal. I hope that I would feel something, but I know from the family that has taken care of someone there seems to be a double feeling sort of I guess yeah, there’s sadness their sorrow that there they’re gone, but there seems to be as well. A feeling of relief, relief because it’s a lot of pressure off with a off of you relief because it’s the blood loved one is not suffering anymore. But yeah, there’s still the sadness there they’re still the morning there. There’s still the sorrow there. My only advice that I was able to give in the Facebook group was that put 1 foot in front of the other take it day by day, moment by moment, because it gets easier as time goes on. So I’ve been told you never forget them, but it seems to get easier as time goes on to do things without them.21:02 – 29:00 I want to throw out a question to everybody, the question is would you like to see caregiving for dementia turn into a live Q&A? Do you think it would be a better show? Do you think it would be more of a help? Or would you rather just have me sit here and talk like I have done for the past to have years?