HappyGrace Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 My kids and I will be visiting groups of people on a regular basis with various degrees of Alzheimer's. We would love books (especially if there are any for ages 8-12 yrs old) to help us understand the disease, and how to best relate/talk to people who have it. Even adult books are fine, but most books I'm seeing are caregiver type. (I may get some of those anyway in case there's any good info.) Also, any tips would be great. For instance, til we get to know them better, we don't want to offend the ones who are more on the ball with remembering by "talking down" to them. But then I asked a stupid question yesterday-"Did you already have lunch?" and that person didn't remember. So we want to learn how to talk to them in a way that isn't confusing to them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 "Learning to Speak Ahlzeihmers" by Coste. Basically you learn to speak with them "in the moment." Talk about the pretty pictures on the wall, what they're wearing, etc. etc. Sometimes their older memories are clear, and they can talk about their childhood and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Yes, many of the resources are for caregivers, but I think they'd be helpful for volunteers, too! For general knowledge, this article is very good: Understanding the Dementia Experience I found this little booklet VERY helpful, written by an older gentleman as he learned to care for his wife! Alzheimer's Playbook Communicating with the Alz. Patient: http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2010/03/ten-tips-for-communicating-with.html Great PDF from the Alz. Association! http://www.alz.org/national/documents/brochure_communication.pdf The Kids and Teens section of the Alz.org website has several great articles and a list of activities that are simple and fun for those with Alz. to do together: http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_just_for_kids_and_teens.asp I only linked online resources because those were the bulk of what I used when I cared for dh's grandmother. I haven't seen a book for anyone but caregivers/loved ones even though they may exist! Hope these help. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista in LA Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 And if you want some fiction to read that will help you understand what the patient is going through, my bff, a psychiatrist, recommended Still Alice by Lisa Genova. The author is a neuroscientist from Harvard and she interviewed people in early stages of Alzheimers in order to write from that viewpoint in the book. I just got the book and haven't had a chance to get past the first few pages yet. My friend suggested it to me because my mom was recently diagnosed with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 Thank you so much!! I ordered the books and am going thru 6Pack's great online resources-much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 My grandmother had Alzheimer's and my FIL is suffering with it right now. The one important thing we learned over the years is do NOT take anything they say personally...they don't mean it. Alzheimer's patients are prone to violence and violent outbursts, so warn your children about that. My FIL would frequently call my ds names and yell at him telling him he was a bad kid and needed a spanking. Occasionally they do lash out physically, so be mindful of that. They get frightened and startle easily as well, so sudden physical movement on the part of small children or noises can be upsetting to them. My grandmother was very sensitive to noise from my friends and I playing in the house. They respond well to smiles and laughter. They react to how they see you behaving, so if you are pleasant and smiling, they mirror that. If they are being disagreeable, sometimes that's all it takes to change their mood. A smile and a reassuring pat on the arm. Their childhood memories are the strongest and the last to go, so have your kids ask them about when they were little. They love talking and telling stories about things they can recall. Going through photo albums with them (if they have them) can be fun. They do tire easily, so make sure to take that into account as well. Usually they'll let you know that, but sometimes they can just drift off in the middle of a conversation. Short visits are best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Yes, many of the resources are for caregivers, but I think they'd be helpful for volunteers, too! For general knowledge, this article is very good: Understanding the Dementia Experience I found this little booklet VERY helpful, written by an older gentleman as he learned to care for his wife! Alzheimer's Playbook Communicating with the Alz. Patient: http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2010/03/ten-tips-for-communicating-with.html Great PDF from the Alz. Association! http://www.alz.org/national/documents/brochure_communication.pdf The Kids and Teens section of the Alz.org website has several great articles and a list of activities that are simple and fun for those with Alz. to do together: http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_just_for_kids_and_teens.asp I only linked online resources because those were the bulk of what I used when I cared for dh's grandmother. I haven't seen a book for anyone but caregivers/loved ones even though they may exist! Hope these help. :) These are great! Thanks for posting them :001_smile:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted April 14, 2012 Author Share Posted April 14, 2012 Thank you so much,Diane!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 book recommendations: http://www.alz.org/library/downloads/ChildandAdol_RL2010.pdf The recommendations for kids grades 4-7 are a few pages in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0mmaBuck Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Visit earlier in the day rather than later. A lot of people with Alzheimers have Sundowners syndrome (increased confusion after sundown). Initially their short-term memory is more affected than long-term so they might not remember what they ate for lunch but they will remember stories from their youth that have been hardwired into their brains. They will retell the same story over and over again in exactly the same way (nearly word for word) so if you visit them frequently your kids should be ready to smile and nod as they hear those stories again and again. Short visits are best. Their minds will drift during a long conversation. See if the facility has a service/companion dog that could accompany your kids on their visits. Most older people love to see animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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