Dec 28, 2010

Kind words

"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." Ben Franklin

It is amazing how words can hurt, and it seems it takes considerable energy to monitor our words. But that is what mature people do. It is especially important for us as dementia caregivers because we are stretched thin, may have trouble getting our own needs met, and then we need to summon the patience to communicate with someone who is losing the capacity to communicate. Staying positive, brief (often someone with dementia has trouble tracking a lot of words and information), and specific are all important. Recent research also tells us that writing information down can be helpful to eliminate the frequent questioning and confusion.

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