Dementia is one of the hardest diseases loved ones have to deal with.
Not only to watch your once smart, strong mother or father slowly diminish and some days not even know who you are, but also the uncertainty that each day brings.
It’s important to understand that you’re not alone.
Across America alone, millions of people and their family members suffer from varying conditions of dementia.
In fact, 7.7 million new cases are diagnosed every year, with 47.5 million people living with dementia worldwide.
For those of us who are lucky enough to not have a loved one suffering dementia we can’t possibly know the different problems that can arise.
For one devoted daughter, she spent nearly every day answering anxious calls from her mother, asking her a series of worrying questions.
Her response was to install something at the foot of her bed that has attracted so much attention, not just for its simplicity but also for its effectiveness.
An anonymous post on Reddit shared this photo below with the following caption:
“Words of reassurance left for an elderly lady with dementia by her daughter. A simple white board left in her sight line in her sitting room. Helped to reduce constant anxious phone calls.”
The post has attracted more than 2,000 comments with many sharing their equally difficult stories about dementia and how it has affected their loved ones.
Some shared what other reminders they would add to the list:
“Water. Many patients with dementia forget to drink water and are very dehydrated. Being properly hydrated helps the brain work properly. It’s the most awful of diseases truly…” one post read.
‘Keep their mind off what they’re worrying about’
Another comment shared advice to assist those looking after dementia patients.
“Redirecting the person’s attention to an activity like folding laundry, playing music, drawing, or coloring helps, as does taking care of a doll.”
It was also recommended to take the person on a short walk around the premises to get their mind off what they were worried about.
What a genius idea to help put her mother’s mind at rest!
I would also like your thoughts on this white board sign?
Are you dealing with dementia in your family? What are some of the ways you handle communication and everyday interactions?
Please share to help give those who are caring for a loved with dementia some advice to help them along this very difficult road.
