My Favorite Books on Dementia
Dementia Tools:
Brochure
Personal Instructional
Videos
When I first started my caregiving journey, I looked everywhere, searching the internet for videos of real people experiencing real decline. I wanted to see what each stage of Alzheimer's could look like for my aunt so I could be better prepared for what was coming. When I couldn't find what I was looking for, I decided to make my own videos. With my aunt's permission to educate others, I started sharing our experiences. Now that she's ending stage five, I'm sharing strategies instead of the day-to-day. I hope to help others navigate this journey.
My aunt's delusions were intense and dangerous between 2018 and 2023. She was eventually placed in a psychiatric hospital in 2023 after a 911 call was made.
She was given Risperidone for over two years until she was stable. She has now been off this medication for six months without any lingering signs.
It wasn't until this conversation that she was convinced someone was coming into her apartment and stealing her clothes and items again. Things were a lot different this time, though. She now has me to help. Watch as I listen, offer support, and provide a solution after hearing that someone is coming into her apartment.
I quickly redirected her to help me put away her laundry. She was no longer anxious, and she forgot about her delusions.
Delusions in Dementia
My aunt started sundowning in late stage four. It didn't happen often, but I did notice the confusion happening. It wasn't until stage five that she started showing consistent signs of confusion later in the day.
In this video you will see how confused she is about where she is sleeping this particular night. I let her guide me in the conversation. I don't correct her or rush her into her room.
Eventually, she is reoriented and tells me that this is the place she is sleeping.
Sundowning
This was the first time I noticed my aunt forgetting words. She couldn't recall the word "jacket" as she was attempting to hang it up in her closet. (Anomia-the inability to recall the names of common objects.) She had already lost some ability to perform tasks independently.
Here, she requires verbal one-step directions to hang her jacket. I use simple words, remain silent, and allow her to perform the task on her own. I don't want to take away her independence.
This is a hallmark of stage five of Alzheimer's Disease. She requires verbal directions to perform most ADLs at this time: brushing her teeth and bathing are two to name.
This was the first time my aunt didn't make sense to me when she spoke about something that was bothering her. Typically, I "rescue" her during our conversations. I provide her with the word(s), I guide the discussion, and I will even do most of the talking when we are together.
Here, I decided not to provide her support. I wanted to see if she could get her thoughts out on her own. I was shocked by what I heard. I had absolutely no idea what she was trying to tell me.
My aunt started to tell me about someone coming into her room and stealing her things. From there, she attempted to share something else that was concerning her, but couldn't communicate it with clarity. She even had challenges with word retrieval.
I held eye contact and listened. When she was done, I asked how I could help, in hopes of some kind of clue to what she needed. I quickly redirected my aunt by having her help me put away laundry.