SHOWTIME
Well were do you start with this one it is one of the most frustrating things I have ever come across .
It is an art a person with Dementia can act out to perfection.
Even though our loved ones and the people we care for might know they have a problem they become experts in deceit.
Although I have come across this many times unless Doctors,Social workers and any one else involved start to believe what we are saying and not the poor person with Dementia I cant see it getting any better any time soon .
Every one in the medical profession including social workers must be trained in this disease and any other related disease to better understand what is going on .
So what is it ?
Im sure you have experienced your loved one acting more strangely or they seem to be ill you worry (panic) ring the doctor for an emergency appointment when you get there your loved one perks up like nothing has ever happened ,there absolutely fine and dont know why they are waisting the doctors time. I took a lady to an emergency appointment last week as she was in pain and her gait was very bad ( balance and walking) We sat in the reception where she on numerous occasions tried to escape as if her life depended on it insisting that the old witch behind the door was going to try and see her off .
After what seemed like for ever we went in to see the doctor immediately my lady sat up eyes shining walked in without help ,smiling like she just won the lottery and apologised for waisting the doctors time and blamed the family and me ! Luckily on this occasion the doctor was aware of the history and we got through it quite well . I had a call from a client her husband who was mid stages off Dementia and was acting so strangely she was in a terrible state he was in bed she had given him his normal cup of tea but he was unable to put it to his mouth instead holding the cup to his ear and unable to speak just making grunting noises as I got there I immediately rang the paramedics thinking he was having some sort of a TIA (stroke) or had a UTI (urinary infection ) To cut a long story short they came very quickly He sat up and said hello and ask them if they would like a cup of tea and he had a definite twinkle in his eye ha ha I swear his poor wife wanted to finish him off there and then but we calmed down and even when he left us we still laugh about it now .
I had a lady in my care who used to pretend she was dead unconscious or had fallen when the family or carers called the emergency services she would be back to normal within seconds and there was no point trying to ignore her as if she was crying wolf because she gave an Oscar winning performance. As funny as it can be it is also frustrating .upsetting and dam right annoying for the people dealing with it on a daily basis as you feel as though family ,friends and medical professionals think its you that needs help you do but a different sort of help . Try keeping a journal of everything that is happening this is not only a good report to show the medical experts but it will also help with your own mental health. On a daily basis things like dad lost his keys ,dad struggling to get dressed ,Dad had an accident . Dad using the the telephone to change tv over this sort of thing in a journal really helps the professionals see the decline.
Lastly the person with dementia is not doing any of this to annoy you but they are trying to cope with what is going on hanging on to there last bit of reality and dignity. As their journey continues this behavior will become less. So as frustrating as it is use the old count to ten ,deep breaths and smile.
Marina Barker
Im sure you have experienced your loved one acting more strangely or they seem to be ill you worry (panic) ring the doctor for an emergency appointment when you get there your loved one perks up like nothing has ever happened ,there absolutely fine and dont know why they are waisting the doctors time. I took a lady to an emergency appointment last week as she was in pain and her gait was very bad ( balance and walking) We sat in the reception where she on numerous occasions tried to escape as if her life depended on it insisting that the old witch behind the door was going to try and see her off .
After what seemed like for ever we went in to see the doctor immediately my lady sat up eyes shining walked in without help ,smiling like she just won the lottery and apologised for waisting the doctors time and blamed the family and me ! Luckily on this occasion the doctor was aware of the history and we got through it quite well . I had a call from a client her husband who was mid stages off Dementia and was acting so strangely she was in a terrible state he was in bed she had given him his normal cup of tea but he was unable to put it to his mouth instead holding the cup to his ear and unable to speak just making grunting noises as I got there I immediately rang the paramedics thinking he was having some sort of a TIA (stroke) or had a UTI (urinary infection ) To cut a long story short they came very quickly He sat up and said hello and ask them if they would like a cup of tea and he had a definite twinkle in his eye ha ha I swear his poor wife wanted to finish him off there and then but we calmed down and even when he left us we still laugh about it now .
I had a lady in my care who used to pretend she was dead unconscious or had fallen when the family or carers called the emergency services she would be back to normal within seconds and there was no point trying to ignore her as if she was crying wolf because she gave an Oscar winning performance. As funny as it can be it is also frustrating .upsetting and dam right annoying for the people dealing with it on a daily basis as you feel as though family ,friends and medical professionals think its you that needs help you do but a different sort of help . Try keeping a journal of everything that is happening this is not only a good report to show the medical experts but it will also help with your own mental health. On a daily basis things like dad lost his keys ,dad struggling to get dressed ,Dad had an accident . Dad using the the telephone to change tv over this sort of thing in a journal really helps the professionals see the decline.
Lastly the person with dementia is not doing any of this to annoy you but they are trying to cope with what is going on hanging on to there last bit of reality and dignity. As their journey continues this behavior will become less. So as frustrating as it is use the old count to ten ,deep breaths and smile.
Marina Barker