Creating a balanced and serene life

I have found the Wheel of Life we use in Life Coaching to be a good guide for me in how balanced I am in my life. The Wheel of Life contains these spokes: Physical Environment, Career, Money, Health, Friends & Family, Significant Other/Intimacy, Personal/Spiritual Growth, and Fun. I will write on one of these areas a day to describe how I am meeting our needs in that area.

After getting the diagnosis of dementia with Lewy Bodies, I first addressed the Physical Environment. Taking out and brushing off the skills on managing behavior that I have taught in workshops locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, I began to set up the physical environment to prevent problems. While there are many aspects to shaping the behavior of others (behavior modification), the one I most value is preventing unwanted behaviors by setting up the environment to eliminate and/or prevent them.

I wanted to eliminate the frustration encountered when he was not able to use the tv remote, so I wrote detailed, numbered directions for its use and we keep it by the tv. I did the same with how to use the phone and access voice mail. I listed in large print phone numbers he may use. We have a rule now of no ladder use unless we are both home. We paid for him to have a driver's evaluation by an Occupational Therapist, so that we would know from an objective source if he was still able to drive. We have decided to stay for now in our current home because it is rural, and he is able to drive here without the distractions and processing of multiple other factors and vehicles. I read, "36 Hour Day" by Nancy L. Mace, M.A. and Peter V. Rabins, M.D., which is the best book I have found to help one cope with living with dementia. I implemented some of their suggestions to prevent upset. I have noticed that Dwane does much better if he is not anxious or stressed, so I planned our environment to prevent things that would cause either of those menal states. Our lives are much more serene with preventative strategies in place.