A friend recommended a book that I had not heard of. Creating Moments of Joy for the Person with Alzheimer's or Dementia by Brackey. She found helpful in her own situation a technique recommended in the book, and that is not to argue or try to convince the person with dementia what is reality. An example she gave was if the person with dementia thinks you are someone other than yourself, don't argue. Another example was when the person with dementia thought there was someone else in the room, don't try to convince them otherwise. This way of dealing with delusions is also recommended by the book, 36 Hour Day, which states: "Avoid denying the person's experience or directly confronting him/her or arguing with him/her. Dave Ellis teaches this as a good daily practice for any person in his book, Falling Awake. He suggests that we implement as a practice letting the other person be right.
Using this practice may very well create moments of joy; certainly it would seem that it would create more peace. And who doesn't want that?!
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