Posted February 27, 2012
by Becky Lerner
Forgetting where you put your keys or why you came into a room is nothing compared to what Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients experience on a day-to-day, nay, hour-to-hour, or minute-by-minute basis. With what is arguably one of the most difficult (and possibly engrossing) set of circumstances, our Dementia and Alzheimer’s professionals go through those days with their patients: learning their patterns, living their experiences, and caring for them. It’s a tough job, but TCG employees Karen Howard, OTR/L, and Jennifer Wagner, PT, both out of Bethlehem Woods Nursing & Rehabilitation, speak with us about the rewards and challenges of their respective jobs.
“A big piece of being a caregiver is to know enough about a person—if there’s a time of day when they’re at their best, or what triggers certain behavior,” says Howard. Much of the time, she continues, Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients don’t have the words to communicate if they’re uncomfortable, so it’s the caregiver’s job to learn the patterns, learn their communication forms, and control what they can within the environment. “Familiarity, routine, and repetition are important,” she says.
“Just like you wouldn’t argue a reason with a 3-year-old, they don’t understand reasoning,” says Wagner. “They don’t understand why you need to exercise for the sake of exercise. You need to be where they are, and it’s a comfort to them to have someone with them in that moment.”
So how do the professionals, constantly adapting to their patients, keep themselves healthy, happy, and able to do their job? Balance.
Especially if family members are caring for a Dementia or Alzheimer’s patient, it’s important to set boundaries and find some separation whether that means taking some personal time or utilizing a facility like Bethlehem Woods.
“Coming into a place like this, they have a little peace,” says Wagner. “Family members can still call and come hang out whenever they want, but it’s relieving that they don’t have to worry about caring for someone who needs their full attention all the time.”
As for those who work that the facilities, Howard says that music, yoga, spending time with family and friends, and, of course, lots of laughter help her re-energize and refocus.
Wagner finds her inspiration in the small successes. “Tie a string to balloon, step aside, and let patient punch it. First their hesitant and by the end, they’re whacking the balloon and laughing,” she says. “It’s little successes that make you go back to the books and the websites and figure how you’re going to make this person’s life better. Of course you want long-term goals, but you want short-term, attainable goals. And you should want that for yourself, too.”
“Even though you might not change the condition of a person’s life, know that you have an impact. When the patient knows that you’re there and that you care about them, it really doesn’t matter whether they’re in the mildest or most advanced stages. They know. They can feel it, and they can tell,” says Howard.
As the end of February marks the end of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Awareness Month, TCG wants to take a moment to recognize those professionals who make patients’ and their families’ lives better. Thank you for all your hard work, dedication, innovation, and care!
