Transcript What’s Funny About Dementia? Caregiving and Coping With

Presenter: Jataun J. Williams, AM, LCSW
2013 NASW Illinois Statewide Conference: Lombard
October 28-30, 2013
#NASWIL
What’s Funny About Dementia
Learning Objectives
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 Examine some complexities of caregiving for those
impacted with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Other
Related Dementias
 Explore caregiver assessment, resiliency & cultural
influences via traditional and alternative paradigms
 Discuss coping mechanisms caregivers use including
humor
 Increase awareness of Alzheimer’s and Other Related
Dementias impact on the various systems--- individual,
family, community and health care
 Provide resource information for caregivers and their
families
A Collage of Non-Discrimination
Difference in Caring?
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 Is there a difference in caring for someone with AD
than someone with a physical, mental or
developmental disability?
 Is there a difference in expectations for the
individual being provided care for?
Traditional vs. Alternative Paradigm
 Develop a realistic plan of
care.
 Seek professional help on
legal and medical issues.
 Place more value on
cognitive ability
 Participate in Self help
groups
 Consider medication
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 Make meaning of experiences as a
caregiver
 Recognize that there is a person
inside that still feels
 Acknowledge the emotions of those
with dementia
 Incorporate humor to cope with the
responsibilities of caregiving
 Assess spirituality and/or degree of
religiosity
 Live in & for the moment not
dwelling on the future nor dwell on
what was
 Be hopeful
Life dies inside a person when there are
no others willing to be-friend him. He
thus gets filled with emptiness and a
non-existent sense of self-worth.
Mark R. J. Lavoie, In Loneliness
Caregiver Demographics
15 Points for Consideration in Assessment
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Age
Gender
Health: physical & mental
Support System
Other caretaking responsibilities
Employment status
Religiosity/Spirituality
Locale: rural or urban
Access to transportation
Literacy
Hobbies/Interests
Tech Savvy/Proficiency with computers
Quality of pre-morbid relationship with individual who has AD
Economic stability
Resourcefulness
Make Plain Clinical Language
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Assess
Assessment
Staffing
Strategic plan
Day care/Day Program
Respite
Religious
Spiritual
Self care
Homemaker
Perseveration
Reframe
Support system/network
Familial
Sporadic
Counseling/Therapy
Sundowning
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Get a picture of what you are going thru
Understand your experiences
Family meeting
Plan for who does what, when & how
Senior group; social club
Get a break; you time; get away time
Go to church; where do you worship
Belief in a higher power or being
What gives you joy or makes you happy
Helper; Housekeeper
Repetitive; stuck on a thought
Find the light in every moment
Family, friends, church members,
neighbors and colleagues
> one person in the family impacted by
AD
One member of family impacted by AD
Talk out some of the stuff going on in life
Agitation and confusion in the late
afternoon/evening
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“This Much I Know”
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Don’t take on this task alone.
Try to see the humor in the situation & don’t take yourself so seriously.
Celebrate the “small triumphs”
Enact forgiveness—forgive you, them, and others again and again.
Embrace the colorful characters within our family and circle of friends.
Anticipate that people may pull a “disappearing act.”
Know your limits.
Develop a realistic plan of care.
Envision the world from the lenses of your loved one impacted w/ AD.
Make memorable moments.
Look for their lucid moments and hold on to them.
Realize the power of touch and incorporate in as much as you can.
Share your experiences with others be it formal or informally.
I Love You:
A Day I Will
Never Forget
A Smoke
Filled House
Church Lockout
My Bread &
Butter
Not So Stolen
Sandwiches
Butts, Thighs
& Eyes
Crablegs,
Biscuits &
Shrimp-Oh My!
Diabetic Coma
Bypass
Bobby’s
Daddy’s Flag
Somebody Don
Remote
Stole Your
Controls
Grandma
Family
Perseveration
Intervention aka How’s the
Night!
Family?
GaGa for Lady
Gaga
Hello, Police!
Catalog Queen
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As Grandma would say
Thank you and God bless you!!!
Additional Resources
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Alzheimer’s Association National Office
225 N. Michigan, Fl 17 Chicago 60601
800.272.3900 24/7 Helpline
alz.org
800.438.4380 Live support/chat nih.gov
Speaker Contact Info
[email protected]
Jataun J. Williams, AM, LCSW
P. O. Box 198989
Chicago, Il 60619
773.398.2298
Private Practice Location
849 Maple Avenue, Ste 905
Homewood, IL 60430
708.491.3303