Hoarding behavior by a person living with dementia can be a complex and challenging issue to understand. Dementia, a progressive neurological disorder, affects a person's cognitive abilities, memory, and judgment.
Dementia caregivers have one of the most challenging roles, as they tirelessly provide care and support to their loved ones. However, amidst the selflessness and dedication, it is crucial for caregivers to prioritize their own well-being as well.
Maybe it should not be surprising that family caregivers often have such a hard time seeking respite. For many caregivers, the role is essentially a fulltime job with no time clock to punch and no office or employee lounge to retreat to for a quick recharge.
Each year, more than 16 million Americans provide more than 17 billion hours of unpaid care for older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the most commonly diagnosed form of dementia for Americans under the age of 60. Still this dementia, caused by a loss in nerve cells in both the frontal lobes and temporal lobes of the brain, is relatively rare, accounting for around 2 percent of the estimated 7.2 million dementia diagnoses in the United States.
“Dancing is a playful way to engage that what we fear most.”
In his 2017 book Dancing with Elephants: Mindfulness Training for Those Living with Dementia, Chronic Illness, or an Aging Brain, author Jarem Sawatsky suggests a brave way to approach the” big, unacknowledged fears” in our lives that he calls “elephants.” Sawatsky says that “once we become comfortable with the idea that suffering exists, we need to learn to let go of fear and replace it with love.”Sawatsky’s elephant is Huntington’s Disease, a movement disorder that is hereditary and eventually fatal.
Caregiver Perspective, Emotional, Engagement, Joy Plan
Finding the perfect gift for family members and friends during the holiday season can be a struggle. Add an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis onto an already difficult task and many are left scrambling to find the right gift their loved ones will get excited about.
