Simplicity

"I have just three things to teach:  simplicity, patience compassion.  These are your greatest treasures."  Lao-tzu

These three things are important for caregivers to keep in mind.  Today we will deal with simplicity. The more simple we can keep things, the smoother our lives as caregivers can be.  Being simple in what we say to someone with dementia is very important.  The person with dementia can appear to understand more than she or he actually does; so, we as caregivers can keep our language simple.  One example is for us to give one direction at a time, and to keep our sentences short and brief.  Simplicity applies to the environment as well.  Television remotes that are simple to use, phones that are simple with large numerals, furniture and arrangement is best kept simple as the person with dementia will probably have a more and more difficulty in mobility.  The person with dementia often cannot process all the information coming at him or her, and we can help alleviate confusion and anxiety by keeping things simple.  Simple does not mean lack of enrichment in the environment; it just means keeping the complications to a minimum.