Living Near and Helping Neighbors With Dementia

 


I hosted a bonus session of Neighboring 101 on Nov. 30, 2023, dealing with dementia. Mark Applegate with Senior Age was our guest speaker. He shared his own heart-warming story of dementia and his mother along with valuable information for anyone who interacts with their neighbors. (I hope that is you).

Odds are you have a neighbor with dementia, or at least a neighbor providing support for someone with dementia. C

heck out our class video and feel free to share it widely. Session 40 Neighboring 101 class online here.

Here are some key take-aways from this session for me.

How can we be good neighbors to someone with dementia?

Just like many things that are hard: ● Learn- about the disease ● Care- Applying what you know to befriend them/care for them where they are ● Share- Helping others understand too

What are some do and don'ts for interacting with people who have dementia?

Do: ○ Ask how they are doing generally ○ Ask how the caregiver is doing too ○ Treat them with respect and allow them to maintain face. ○ Speak to them and not over them. ○ Speak a little slower ○ When a choice is necessary, give 2 options, not 5. ○ Bring music from their youth.

Don’t: ○ Complete their sentences ○ Correct them, even if they are wrong ○ Ask “Do they know you” or “Do they know your name?”. Again, it is an ultra, not a sprint. In many cases, progression is slow. Help them NOT dwell on that, but instead think of the good times ○ Ask the person suffering anything that begins with “Do you remember (when… or such and such name)” ○ Hesitate to call your neighbor to check on them and to just provide conversation ○ Hesitate to call 911 if need be.

And finally, volunteer! Both the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) and your local Area Agency on Aging desperately need people to help educate and serve these folks.
The Alzheimer’s Association can teach anyone, but do even better with those who have spent a bit of time as a caregiver or as a good neighbor.

Ways to help them: ● Help with their biggest annual fundraiser: The Walk to End Alzheimer’s (September/October) or do your own fundraiser as part of The Longest Day (mid-June) ● Lead a support group ● Work in community education events ● Volunteer in clinical trials, information here.

For more information, Mark has a blog online here.

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Does this article make you interested in taking the Engaged Neighbor pledge? Five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge online at http://engagedneighbor.com.

Contact the blog author, David L. Burton at dburton541@yahoo.com.

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