Category: Uncategorized

We recently had the honor of witnessing the birth of our grand-daughter. It was a long labor. I found the difference in perspective enlightening. Let me simply state, the view is drastically different from the receiving end of natural birth.  In the final hours of my daughter’s labor, I definitely wanted to intercede. It was more difficult than I had remembered. I realized that it is all in your perspective. The same perspective shift that I am experiencing as a spouse of someone reporting memory decline. As I, Dr. Cate, Dementia Coach, try to practice what I preach. As I…

Responses to thank you. We say, if we are being polite, ‘You are welcome.” Here in Puerto Rico, they say “De Nada”. It’s nothing. That is somehow heartwarming to hear. It’s not a big deal. You can ask for more, I will do it, all those things seem to be said with “De nada”. As I have journeyed, so has the Alzheimer’s community. Today I see a much more positive side of Alzheimer’s being presented. Sites like Living with Jim and Mom with Alzheimer’s focus on what is happening in the midst of the disease. There is much more of…

Each of us has our own unique fingerprint as well as our own unique sensory preferences.  With our fingerprint, we can be universally identified often for less than positive reasons.  With our unique sensory preferences we can be universally pleased with an experience or universally displeased.  The range of response is based on our ability to communicate due to illness, dementia.  Regardless of health, our sensory preferences remain. If it is an unpleasant sensory stimulant, we will “communicate” our distaste by some type of negative behavior.   Those closest to us are more likely to know what sensory stimulant triggers…

No matter your cognitive status, you experience the world through your senses.  As cognitively alert individuals we choose the sensory stimulation with which we surround ourselves.  As  graduate students, we were assigned cubicles for our in-house studies.  As a student who had years in the workplace, I had experienced much more pleasant office assignments.  This was my first cubicle and my least favorite environment for productivity.  I adapted by using earphones with calming music, situating my desk in my favored spot, and decorating my padded walls with encouraging art. I also found that a spicy potpourri made it more pleasant…

Or where are all the old people? One thing I noticed in my time in the Abacos, Bahamas was the dearth of older people.  I saw more folks over the age of 65 on boats than on land.  Had I done my homework, I would have added Freeport or Nassau to our travel itinerary, where there are significantly more individuals aged 65+.  But cay to cay I kept looking with the certainty that a visit to church would have clarified much more than meandering through “town”.  We found several (2-3) older folks at Guana Cay who congregated in the shade…

Thirty six hours of interactive training on optimal therapeutic recreation for individuals with dementia—compiling years of experience and training into 36 hours.  It is so fulfilling to finally get to share my passion.  Better still–to be able to share it with individuals equally passionate for care. Years ago my ex and I took a cult-like course.  Not one of our best decisions except for one take-home message . . . significant decisions or events in your life will be remembered in great detail. How true that is.  As I review best practice in providing recreation, stories come to mind.  The…

I recently made a trip to my home state where I was able to spend time with my daughter and my sister both together and separately.  It was a great time.  One day we visited an area of Baltimore which was where both my sister and I remember going to pick Dad up on the days Mom needed to use the one car.  My sister is 10 years older which often makes quite a bit of difference in the memories.  Dad worked for the B & O Railroad, so we were at Henderson’s Wharf in Fells Point.  Now the train…

Working with  fully operational cognition, I am struck with the difficulties of transitioning from one job to another.  The last month between jobs at age 24 felt the same as this last month at 54.  There’s the anticipation of life changes as a result. There’s the fear of the sanity of the decision.  There’s the sadness at leaving dear clients and co-workers.  And there’s the “it’s almost here” that reaches way back to the pre-Christmas days of childhood. Each day holds a level of emotion that did not exist pre-decision. In Alzheimer’s care we  protect the cognitively challenged from transitions…

Fathers are such powerful people in our lives. Some of us were “daddy’s little girls”. Some of us were always a bit afraid of disappointing Dad. Some of us are adults bound with grudge and resentment towards our dad. Regardless of where you are on the spectrum, the role of father holds great power in your psyche. I was the Manager on Duty this weekend and was pleased to talk with daughters calling their fathers or mothers. In memory care we spend a lot of time in the world of family bereavement and loss. We see an amazing individual in…

Holiday. Today is a day to remember those who gave and lost for their country. For some of us that is a distant thought—those too young to have heard the stories of Pearl Harbor. Those who have not had a veteran in their lineage for generations. For them, we use sensory cues to help them remember, help them glimpse what sacrifice was made. The cues are flags, the colors of red, white & blue, patriotic music, historic programming, and parades. All sensory cues that bring the individual to a memory and a memorial. For myself, I carry the stories of…