Helping Your Alzheimer’s Patient Create Memories
January 12, 2009 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
After I wrote last week’s Thursday Thirteen about 13 Birds Creating Memories in my mother’s life, Krista at Alzheimer’s Team, left me a comment, “My dad remembers he had horses but he can’t go in to detail about it. Maybe if we talked with him more about it he might remember more.”
Yes, often if you talk with your Alzheimer’s family member about places, persons, things and events, they will remember more. These may be bits and pieces of memories that you’ll enjoy jotting down or recording for family history, too. Sometimes they will be lengthy stories. You also may find that the Alzheimer’s patient thinks he/she is back in that memory world.
Also, pull out some pictures, either actual family photos or simply pictures in magazines. These often will jog memories and initiate conversations.
I learned to enjoy my “memory trips” with Mother and Auntie. When Mother’s memory was still accurate, I write down much of what she was telling me so that I could share with my family and record for our family legacy.
(Incidentally….visit Krista’s Alzheimer’s Team blog. You’ll find comfort and encouragement as she and others share with you the tears and laughter, frustrations and joys of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s.)
What a great idea to spend time reminiscing and writing it down to share with the grandchildren. I did get a book for grandparents to record their memories and filled in some of it with my dad. I just wish I’d started it sooner.
Thank you, Kaye, for stopping by Alzheimer’s Notes and sharing your experiences. Yes, those grandparents’ memory books are great. And most of us, I think, wish we’d jotted down or recorded more of the memories while our parents or grandparents were still with us or could remember (in the case of Alzheimer’s).
My father is 86 and doesn’t respond to much anymore. When we found that he had Alzheimer’s I knew then he would begin to forget names and forget our large family connections. I debated on what to do and how to keep our faces familiar to him. I, by chance came, across a large hanging photo holder (similar to one of the totebags that you can slide pictures in)in a catalog. It is 2 sided so I filled one side with my brother’s family and the other with my families current pictures. I made sure I had a clear view of each face. Then I used a P-touch labeler to put names on all the slots.
He has enjoyed all the pictures from the time he could still look and identify everyone, until much later, he pointed to one of my grandsons and said “I don’t know who he is, but I know I love him.” Just a few weeks ago, I folded it and held it in his lap. Hardly any words come out now, but he managed to say “I like to look”.
I can say, as helpless and hopeless as I have felt, this is something that gave me a feeling of success.
Fondly,
Barbara in Virginia