Liz Boyd and Samantha Fields, two leaders within the University of Virginia's award-winning Memory and Aging Care Clinic, came to Wintergreen to share their insights and answer questions in October. Some 50 people turned out for the Here to Stay in Wintergreen meeting at Tuckahoe Clubhouse.
This program was organized by the HSW Caregivers Support Group’s leadership.
"We appreciated the warm welcome. I am so impressed with the sense of community and support," said Fields in a follow-up email after the meeting. "Here are links to some of the useful resources we discussed for caregivers of those with dementia."
“While the Family Caregiver Alliance was started in the San Francisco Bay Area, it provides relevant, comprehensive, and practical advice for care partners all over the world.
“I always recommend that people take a few minutes and just browse the table of contents under their dementia-specific materials as there is a very good chance you’ll stumble upon something you didn’t even know you needed.”
• Ten Real-Life Strategies for Dementia Caregiving - from the article: “We tend to be meticulously honest with people. However, when someone has dementia, honesty can lead to distress both for us and the one we are caring for.
“Does it really matter that your loved one thinks she is a volunteer at the day center? Is it okay to tell your loved one that the two of you are going out to lunch and then “coincidentally” stop by the doctor’s office on the way home to pick something up as a way to get her to the doctor?”
• Caregiver’s Guide to Understanding Dementia Behaviors - from the article: “Dressing is difficult for most dementia patients. Choose loose-fitting, comfortable clothes with easy zippers or snaps and minimal buttons.
“Reduce the person’s choices by removing seldom-worn clothes from the closet. It’s common for people with dementia to continue layering on clothes even though they are fully dressed. To facilitate dressing and support independence, lay out one article of clothing at a time, in the order it is to be worn. Remove soiled clothes from the room. Don’t argue if the person insists on wearing the same thing again.”
“The Alzheimer’s Association’s helpline has counselors skilled in handling all forms of dementia.
“I recommend adding the 1-800-272-3900 number into your cell phone contact list. That way, if any of the usual (or sometimes unusual) dementia-related behaviors occur in the middle of the night you have someone that you can call that has some idea of what you facing,” Fields suggested.
Virginia's Dementia Road Map was published in 2021, adapted from a proven document by the Dementia Action Collaborative in the state of Washington. The 36-page PDF is divided into segments so that readers can more easily find the details on the issues they are facing.
• Home Safety Checklist for Alzheimer's Disease (National Institute on Health, nih.gov)
• Room-by-room suggestions for those aging in place (AgingInPlace.org)