November 8 meeting: Julianne Jackson, Greener Side Haven
Click HERE for the full copy of October’s POST
We miss you!!
Our October speaker was beyond fantastic. Unfortunately, we still suffer from low attendance. Why? Please let me know what we can do to get you to attend our monthly meeting. Different day, different time, other topics, better snacks?
Debbie Selsavage from Coping With Dementia, LLC was our most recent speaker. Not the most pleasant topic, but she presented with such compassion and understanding. Did you know there are 120 different types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s being the most common one. Statistics show that 10% of baby boomers will develop some type of dementia because we’re living longer. We’re well acquainted with the symptoms of memory loss and personality changes, yet there are many other changes that we need to understand in order to compassionately interact with someone with dementia. For instance, decreased senses of smell and taste manifest in a loss of appetite, yet caretakers often think the individual is being difficult. No, it’s just that food is less attractive. Meanwhile, the color red is an appetite stimulant (like blue suppresses appetite), so serving red foods or using red plates and napkins can improve nutrition.
Debbie stressed compassionate care over medication for dementia patients. Medication primarily dulls the individual’s emotions and mental capacity which often creates more confusion. I’ve created a section on the civic.pineridgeassn.com website that contains the minutes of our meeting plus some of Ms Selsavage’s documents. Please help yourself and your friends / family by familiarizing yourself with some of the causes & symptoms, as well as coping strategies for caregivers. As my mom’s doctor said, it’s not a matter of IF, but WHEN as to whether one will live long enough to have some level of dementia.
Citrus County Sheriff’s Offices and local libraries have free kits that can be used to capture a vulnerable person’s scent. That way, if the person wanders and goes missing, the bloodhounds have a pure scent to track. A 5-year old kit was still viable and led to successfully rescuing a dementia patient.
For more information and a list of local workshops, go to www.coping.today.
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