Articles by Debbie Selsavage
Last month, my column was about my recent visit to the Netherlands for a tour and workshop at Hogeweyk, famously known worldwide as the “Dementia Village.” The first thing I …
November is National Alzheimer’s Month. This will be used by many organizations to supercharge their efforts to solicit donations for a cure. Well and good, but I would like to …
Continue reading “Hogeweyk: A model for person-centered compassionate care”
Many people think their understanding of dementia depends on knowing what “stage” their loved one is in. On average, dementia lasts eight to 12 years between diagnosis and death. It …
Continue reading “What are the stages of dementia, and should you really care?”
As we hope for the decline of COVID, all of us are looking for opportunities to return to “normal,” which often includes travel. It is no different for care partners …
Alzheimer’s and Violence; A common misconception Often, when I am counseling a family that has just received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, someone will ask, “When will they become violent?” …
Continue reading “Alzheimer’s and Violence; A common misconception!”
Successful communication is a special challenge when we are caring for a loved one with dementia. The best foundation for communication with a person with dementia is compassion. We must …
Continue reading “Communicating with a person with dementia”
As the hotter days of summer arrive, those of us caring for a loved one with dementia must become more wary of the dangers of dehydration.
Suddenly, my care partner support groups are devoting a lot of conversation to “compassion fatigue.” Compassion Fatigue is the care partner’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; the response to overwhelming stress …
Dementia creates such shocking changes in the ones we love, it is not surprising that we become fixated on the skills and abilities they are losing.
Medicine today is so driven by technology and pharmacology, we too often overlook the ways we can ease pain and improve quality of life through simple therapies based on love, …
Continue reading “Use simple therapies that trigger good feelings!”