Post from: Blisstree

Alzheimer’s Stories: In Sickness and in Health.

NORAZ Poets see the Arizona Poetry Project as ‘…not the type of poetry reading that takes place from a podium. The APP is about making contact with people who have very little physical contact in their lives. We recite the poems directly to the patients, often holding their hands. It is not unusual for visitors to be moved emotionally, when witnessing an APP reading session. The people we serve are often in the late stages of Alzheimer’s and may have a hard time holding a conversation, or – in some cases – even speaking. When you see and hear them respond to the poems by saying words and lines along with the poet, it can be quite a breakthrough. When you hear them laugh at a funny poem or see their tears start to flow when they hear a poignant poem – the effectiveness of reading these old poems that the patients learned as children, is apparent. Often, a mother in late stage Alzheimer’s will not recognize family members. For a daughter to read poems to her mother and have that mother respond emotionally, this can offer the daughter a connection she needs and craves. These are all benefits of the program. In our preliminary assessments, we are finding a high level of response from the residents of the assisted living centers. ‘

Post from: Blisstree

Alzheimer’s Poetry Project in Arizona.

So Mother made our refreshments.  These consisted of iced tea, lemonade, and mint tea.  Sometimes she combined the tea and lemon juice, then added a spring of mint.  The mint grew along the brook that ran behind our farmhouse and across the pasture.  We children were assigned the task of picking mint that Mother would steep in the hot tea. 

After Mother developed Alzheimer’s, she still enjoyed iced tea and lemonade as her afternoon beverage at home and later at the nursing home.  These weren’t homemade, and I don’t know if these refreshing drinks brought back memories. 

But I like to think they gave her pleasure in her Alzheimer’s world.  Perhaps she was back in time to the days when her children gathered mint leaves and carried them to her in tightly clenched hands, “Here, Mama.  Make us mint tea today!”  Then they gathered around the kitchen table and shared mint tea or lemonade with cookies.

Post from: Blisstree

Homemade Lemonade, Memories & Alzheimer’s

He has also obtained a book contract with DNA Press LLC, a non-fiction publishing company based in Eagleville, PA.

DNA Press books are distributed through many channels, including Amazon.com, so keep a look out for Joseph’s book in the near future.

Meanwhile, have a look at this video interview with him.

Post from: Blisstree

Book on Alzheimer’s by 11 year old to be published.

I’m glad there’s an increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s and it’s devastation to family members, victims, and society.  However, I like people to realize that, since we can’t, at this point in time, stop or ignore Alzheimer’s, it’s possible to find joy…both for the patient and yourself.

“Joy!” you say.  “She’s nuts!” 

It was frustrating, it was tiring, it was often sad caring for Mother and Auntie.  However, we did experience laughter and joy.  We all learned to look beyond the tears to the trumphs, beyond the rain to the rainbows…and find pleasure in one another’s company.  No it wasn’t all happiness and roses.  But we learned to laugh, to look at life from a different view, to enjoy small pleasures, to learn about another aspect of life…that of caring and serving and helping others…both the patient and other families.

             Brenda Avadian, who cared for her father with Alzheimer’s, has written about this experience, “Where’s my shoes?” My Father’s Walk Through Alzheimer’s and then compiled two anthologies Finding the Joy in Alzheimer’s.  (I shared stories of Mother and Auntie in both of these.)

                            “After Martin Avadian was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, his daughter, Brenda Avadian, dedicated herself to walking with other caregivers along an otherwise lonely caregiving road.”

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With the Hopelessness Can Come Joy in Alzheimer’s

Post from: Blisstree

Living with Alzheimer’s Disease.

I touched her right leg and answered, “Move this leg.”

“Oh,” she remarked, then lifted her foot.  “Like this.”  And she started walking across the room.

I’d often wondered, as Mother gradually lost her capabilities, if her brain was shrinking or ceasing to communicate to her.  Eventually she couldn’t remember how to walk.  From asking what to do, then walking, she shuffled.  She go and stop, go and stop. And then never go again.  This was the course with other movements and functions.

Her shrinking brain was no longer telling her what to do when she could no longer feed herself, speak, dress and undress herself, and take care of herself.  Then at the end, her brain ceased the subconscious functions.

However, we learned to accept Mother at whatever stage she was in.  If my family and I didn’t, we’d cause both Mother and ourselves undue stress and discouragment.  We couldn’t change what was happening to Mother, so we learned to make memories of the small joys we experienced.

Yes, there are joys…small ones each day or each time we visited.  They are what I remember now instead of all the distressful aspects of Mother’s journey through Alzheimer’s.  I remember that person who taught us about life and illness, and then death, even though the teacher she once was had no awareness of it…as far as I know.

Post from: Blisstree

Alzheimer’s & the Shrinking Brain Observed