Happy Monday ka, everyone. I hope you're enjoying the first working day of the week and the first day of September ka....even when many of us here are retirees ka.
Last weekend, my friend and I attended several free sessions for the elderly/ caregivers/ interested individuals, and on caring for Alzheimer's group. I'd like to share what I've learned ka.
- Many stories shared focused mainly on families. It shows clearly how we need to promote positive parenting and strengthen family relationships. Though it seems obvious, we still face challenges from communication, cultural, and generational gaps, which could be prevented/lessened to some extent.
Just listened to a doctor (Mission to the Moon) who said, '....the best thing to do is to walk in the open area outdoors in the morning with your loved ones...' It made me think of several related things from physical health to get some sun to enhanced relationships ka. Some would think otherwise as walking alone is a form of self-care and could offer some 'aha' moments na ka.....we hit the balance in our own lives based on our own decisions lae na ka.
- Knowing when we're about to 'burn out' would be helpful for us to pause what we've been doing and turn our attention to other activities. Burnout signals include weight loss, introvertedness, deep stress, restlessness, etc.
This is somehow similar to what I learned from earlier 'Facing deaths ....' training. It confirms one key issue of overburdened caregivers. Some families leave parental care in the hands of one particular family member. Support in terms of cash could ease off but the crucial part is for other members to be committed in terms of time and interactions. It could be highly helpful for the main caregivers to have some personal space. If affordable, seek outside helpers.
- We should be able to spot some warning signals of those who may have Alzheimer's, which are some changes from thinking, talking, and acting. Several stories given were as follows:
- Persons who are normally polite start being rude, using harsh languages.
- All of the sudden, forget how to drive back home when the person was an expert as the 'GPS' of the family.
- One elder started to take off one car wheel to get one piece of cloth that got to be under the wheel.
- Lessons learned from Fukuoka, Japan are fascinating. The country has placed Alzheimer's case as its national priority, noting that by 2050, 1 in 7 of the population will get some forms of Dementia. So, it has moved forward to treat patients with higher respect. The government has worked closely with the private sector for win-win situations in terms of support, products/commercialization, etc. They set up more centers for the elderly to feel comfortable, start giving some tips to much younger kids in schools, communicate to the public how to handle this group with patience and caring.
Some little tips to know Alzheimer's group include making visual posts larger and at the eyesight level (the fewer posters, the better too), using sounds to alert them like warning about using their stoves, having the fewest buttons on gadgets they have to use, tidying houses with the least stuff around to confuse them, never using stainless materials as they could see it as 'water', and no 'black' floor as for them, it is seen as a 'hole' to hinder them from walking. I also like it when an Alzheimer's group is hired to earn a little income, keep them active, and use the opportunities as data collection for related research.
More aware loei ka.
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