"When I despair, I remember that all though history the ways of truth and love have always won," Mahatma Gandhi.
The behavior of someone whose cognitive and emotional behaviors are diminishing can also be be changed with truth and love. First we need to decide what kind of environment is our goal and then we take steps to get there. What is your goal? What kind of atmosphere do you want to create for you and the person for whom you provide care? For instance, for me it is paramount that there be peace, respect and calm in our home. So, I then look at systems to set up to create that kind of atmosphere. One thing I do to facilitate that environment is that we intermingle fun and stimulation throughout the day. We go to the Silver Sneakers exercise program to get us both out and for the body movement. We watch the news at night to keep abreast of what is in the world and to help us to not just focus on our challenges. Then after a tasty and nutritious dinner we watch something we both enjoy on television, often a movie. There is a jigsaw puzzle set out for him to work on if he wants, he has a Kindle to help him read (with the larger print) the books he still enjoys. I have written instructions for every function in the house that might prove problematic for him, and I keep things really simple. I eliminated the three remotes into one remote to turn on the tv.
What are some ways you can have the environment that supports you and the person for whom you provide care?
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