Experiencing Life, Briefly, Inside a Nursing Home

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New York Times



“When I came in, I was worried about working with older folks because I was afraid I wouldn’t be good at it,” Ms. Murphy said. “Now, if anything, I’m worried I’ll love them too much and it will really hurt to work with folks at the end of their lives.”

there. During her going-away party they presented her with a big card, and shouts of “We love Kristen” were heard throughout.

The program has solidified Ms. Murphy’s desire to work with older people. And the hardest lesson she learned — that for some people, it is better to be in a wheelchair or to have limited mobility — will make her become a better doctor, she said.

“As a doctor, my job is to help patients live the life they want to,” she said. “And if they’re in pain, you have to say ‘That’s O.K. if you want to spend your time in a wheelchair.’

“For me that’s such a different place to be. Because I hate this chair. It still startles me that that’s the choice.”

Ms. Murphy said the care she received at the home was outstanding. But there were things that could use improvement: she did not realize she could ask for things like soda, and she felt that shower bars were too high for someone in a wheelchair. She also told the staff at a debriefing session that families should be included in more activities.

Dr. Phillips of the American Geriatrics Society, which is not involved with this program, said the challenge was to see “how this replicates everywhere else and how enthusiastic medical students are to take this on.”

Another of the 10 students who have gone through the program, William Vogt, spent 10 days last summer in a nursing home at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Augusta, Me. Mr. Vogt, who spent a day wheeling around with petroleum jelly smeared on his glasses and cotton stuck in his ears, said he was particularly struck by the fact that many patients considered the nursing home to be home and the staff “a second family.”

Mr. Vogt said the little things counted, like lowering nameplates so patients could locate their rooms and not putting a remote on top of a television, out of reach.

“There’s a little part of it that works its way into everything I do, from patient interaction and awareness of how I come across to what I say,” said Mr. Vogt, a medical student doing clinical work at a hospital in Watertown, N.Y. “There’s this shift of the humanity of it.”

Non-verbal communication (part 2)

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contimued from July 10

Tell each team that when you say “Go,” they will have five minutes to work as a team to put the picture together. This time period can be flexible based on the level of the group.
9. Ask if there are any questions. And then, as a last minute piece of instruction, tell the group, “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, you have to complete the task by not talking.”10. Ask if everyone understands what to do. Say “Go,” and let the teams begin to work.
11. As the teams work, move among them to observe how they act as a team. Caution a team or individual team members should they start to talk.
12. Call time.
13. Guide a discussion on communication by asking the following questions.
• Did all of the teams put their puzzle together? (Show of hands)
• First, involve the teams that competed the puzzle. Ask:
􀂃 Do you think that you worked as a team to complete the puzzle?
􀂃 How did you work together?
􀂃 Did you have trouble not talking?
􀂃 Did you want to talk?
􀂃 What were other ways you found to communicate with one another?
􀂃 What did the leader of your group do?
• Second, (if applicable) move to the teams that did not complete the puzzle. Ask:
􀂃 Why do you think your team did not complete the puzzle?
􀂃 What do you think needed to happen for your team to be able to complete the puzzle?
􀂃 What did the leader of your team do?
• Third, work with the pictures involved in the puzzle by asking the following questions.
􀂃 What did your picture show?
􀂃 Were the people in the picture a team?
􀂃 Why were they a team? What were they doing that made them a team?
􀂃 Are the people in the pictures communicating?
􀂃 Is their communication always verbal? If not, what are some examples of people doing their jobs without necessarily talking?
14. Return to your original questions at the beginning of the group.
• What is a team?
• What is the role or responsibility of each person on a team?
• What happens when someone does not do his or her part for a team?
15. Bring closure by asking the participants to think about what happened during their team activity. Ask the following question:
• Do you think you were a good team member?

Non-verbal communication

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Communicate — Without Talking?

Synopsis:
In this activity participants will learn the value of verbal communication and the value of working together. In groups of four, members will have to assemble a puzzle without communicating verbally. After this activity, you will lead a discussion to help them understand the importance of communication and cooperation.

Body:
1. Before starting, select a variety of large pictures that show people working together in various environments. Examples are: scenes involving a construction site, restaurant scene, athletic event, and an accident scene. You need one picture for every four participants in the group. Cut each picture into at least four pieces (one per group member) so that the picture becomes like a puzzle. Depending on the level of the group, you could have more or fewer pieces of a single picture and can also vary the size of the individual puzzle pieces.

Ask the following questions:
• What does communication mean?
• Do you think you can communicate well with other people?
• How do you know that you communicate well?
• What are some of the ways in which you communicate with people?
Now divide the group into teams of four each.

Now ask
• What would you call your group of four people? (Team)
• What does the word “team” mean?
• What is the role or responsibility of each person on a team?
• What happens when someone does not do his or her part for a team?

An activity for long term care residents."If I Were a Milkshake"

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Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

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The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Here is a story you can use as acretive activity by having residents make up a story about chocolate milkshakes especially for chocolate milkshake day.

They can fill in the underlined words with different words if they so choose. Even those with dementia will find this story and activity fun.

If I Were a Chocolate Milkshake

If I were a chocolate milkshake most people would like me because I am smooth, creamy and sweet. People like me especially in the summer because I am cold.

I am made with some favorite ingredients of many people. These ingredients are milk, ice cream and chocolate sauce. Some extra things you can add to this delightful drink are whipped cream and chocolate chips.

Most people put the ingredients in a blender to ensure the creaminess of the me. I am usually served in a tall glass especially for made for milkshakes.

Children especially like me. But many adults like me too. I am glad I can make so many people happy.

Chocolate milkshake recipes

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

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The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Recipe#1

Original recipe makes 2 serving Change Servings

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

• 2 cups premium quality chocolate ice cream
• 2 (1.65 ounce) bars dark chocolate candy bars, diced
• 1/2 cup whipped cream

• 1 tablespoon chocolate shavings, for garnish
• 1/4 cup whipped cream

Directions

Combine the ice cream, diced chocolate, and 1/2 cup whipped cream in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses, and garnish with 1/4 cup whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Recipe#2

Original recipe makes 1 serving Change Servings

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

• 2 scoops chocolate ice cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered chocolate drink mix

• 1 cup milk
         
• In a blender, combine ice cream, drink mix powder and milk. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve
• Best Milkshake ever.

History of a milkshake

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Did you know that the first reference to a milkshake appeared in a British newspaper in 1885? The original recipe called for a shot of whiskey! Milkshakes were popular at soda fountain counters in the early 1900s and are now a mainstay at ice cream shops, diners, and fast food restaurants throughout the country.

, the milkshake, as we know it today, was invented by a Walgreen's employee in Chicago

in 1922. He added two scoops of ice cream to a drink called a malted milk. Although the concept of milkshakes had been around since about 1885, it wasn't until that fateful day that the drink became popularized.

. The first milkshakes were a kind of alcoholic eggnog, first appearing in print around 1885. In addition to tasting great, they were said to have also served medicinal purposes.

By 1900 they were enjoyed purely for refreshment, and without the alcohol, but it wasn't until 1922 that they made their giant leap into widespread popularity. That's when Ivar "Pop" Coulson -- a Walgreens employee -- added two scoops of ice cream to a regular malted milk drink. The idea spread like wildfire.

Preparing for sundowners

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TBO.com

By GARY JOSEPH LeBLANC

Common sense caregiving

If you have a loved one or client with Alzheimer's whose confusion appears to increase during the latter part of the afternoon, you're not alone. This is a symptom which many Alzheimer's patients will go through. It is called, "Sundown Syndrome"—also known as "Sundowning." This descriptive term describes the onset of heavier confusion and intensified agitation. Usually, this begins anywhere from late afternoon to dusk. But in reality, it could happen anytime throughout the day.
Around 4:45 p.m.—everyone in my house got a new name, possibly two. My father, who didn't seem to need a clock for this, went through this change daily toward the end of the moderate stage of Alzheimer's disease.
Experts believe one of the contributing factors is a shift in their biological clock, caused from the change of daylight to dark. Keeping the house well lit during these hours will help immensely.
Physical and mental exhaustion is one of the biggest culprits. An Alzheimer's patients' days consists of coping with who's who, "where am I," and living in the past. This would mentally drain anyone.
Once again, routine is the most helpful thing for memory-impaired loved ones. Evening hours usually become the busiest in a household; people coming and going, cooking supper, phone calls and the list goes on. If the traffic in your home is high volume, try placing them in a quieter
For a caregiver, one of your best stands for defense will be to be prepared beforehand.
As the hours of daylight change with the seasons, always have you house lights turned on an hour before day's end, never allowing shadows to invade your home. Also, when you sense that a heavy bout of confusion is advancing, try to keep them preoccupied with some kind of activity. Place a photo album in their lap, anything that will redirect their jumbled thoughts. This may call for a little trial and error before you find something that is truly effective.
There were days when I swore my father's Sundowners would last morning 'til midnight. I also recall noticing similar reactions on dispiriting rainy days. Once anxiety builds, it's difficult to turn it around. Keep evenings as calm, routine and simple as possible. You just have to continue doing the best that you can.

Gary Joseph LeBlanc was the primary caregiver of his father for a decade after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and has published a new expanded edition of his book, "Staying Afloat in a Sea of Forgetfulness", d

.

These are great suggestions. A book with baby photos might be a good diversionary tool

by Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.