Writing Things Down

"We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind." William Wordsworth

As is true with many people with dementia, Dwane can become very anxious if he thinks he does not know when things are scheduled.  To support him in this, my daughter bought him a white board.  I write down on it all of his upcoming appointments:  day of week, time, and date.  Beside the white board is a calendar.  This has helped immensely to diminish his anxiety about when something is occurring.  He has so many appointments:  primary physician, dentist, PT, audiologist, neurosurgeon, podiatrist --- that it helps us both to keep these appointments in mind.  It also helps him to be ready for an appointment since he takes so long to get dressed and ready to go any where.  When he went in to assisted living, I also wrote down for him all the addresses of those people he might want to keep in touch with, as well as our home phone.  Even though memory difficulties, per se, are not a primary component of Lewy Bodies Dementia, this writing down of details is a great way to alleviate anxiety -- which is a component of LBD.  Writing things down, plus the Talking Books, plus the adaptive clothing and equipment all help in dealing with current physical and cognitive limitations.