Communication

"Where can I find a man (human) who has forgotten words so I can have a word with him?", Chuang Tzu 26

What a delightful reminder of several things. The balance of give and take in communication, the willingness to be open to new ideas and words, the gift of listening, the wonderful experience of hearing and being heard.

That continues to be one of the frustrations for me living with someone who has dementia. The extreme difficulty communicating. A dear friend who worked in geriatrics once said that she did not think people changed as they got older, they just got more of whatever they had always been. I think that is true for dementia too. Another friend told me I could expect Dwane to become more gentle, loving, peaceful. It is dangerous to predict how dementia will unfold in any individual, although there certainly are some bench marks common to many types of dementia. Communicating has never been a strength for Dwane, and it is increasingly difficult. Difficulty tracking the conversational topic, difficulty in retrieving the words he wants to say. Since I love easy, intimate,stimulating conversation, the absence of that is difficult for me.