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Copyright © 2007
The Salvation Army
USA Eastern Territory.
All rights reserved.
  
Welcome to The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory Women's Ministries Website

 

Women's Ministries Programs

June - Education 2006

 

Coping with Memory Loss

By

Marilyn Aldridge

Central Territory

 

 

Introduction

Coping with memory loss is not easy for the individual or the family members who care for them.

 

Resources

The following websites provide information that can be used in developing a program on helping the caregiver cope with those suffering from memory loss.

 

*www.aoa.gov: Home page for the US Administration on Aging. From this site there are links to resource information on Alzheimer’s, Eldercare Locator (1–800–677–1116)

and caregivers resources.

 

*www.caregiver.org: Family Caregiver Alliance provides information, education, services, research and advocacy for caregivers.

 

*www.caregiving.org: National Alliance for Caregiving offers resources for caregivers including information on long distance caregiving.

 

*www.alz.org: Alzheimer’s Association provides information on this disease associated with memory loss.

 

*www.thefamilycaregiver.org: The National Family Caregivers Association offers resources for caregivers families.

 

*www.aarp.org: AARP offers links to family care resources.

 *www.brainwaves.com: The Brain-Waves Center site contains games to stimulate the mind and information on purchasing books on the human brain—Use it or Lose it and Brains that Work a Little Bit Differently.

 

How to Help a Caregiver

1. Stay with the patient while the caregivers take time for themselves.

2. Visit with a family member, encouraging him or her to share about their life. If this is no longer possible, ask the caregiver what activity you can help with.

3. Offer your assistance in finding community resources. The Internet has a wealth of information on this subject. Many of the websites are listed above.

4. Ask how you can pray for them—then pray regularly.

 

Caregiver Survival Tips

*Plan ahead and educate yourself on the subject of your loved one’s illness. What can you expect? Will they get better or progressively worse?

 

*Develop contingency plans. Discuss these with all members of the family.

 

*Learn about available resources.

 

*Take one day at a time.

 

*Seek a circle of friends for support and be prepared to accept help. Be willing to share your feelings with them.

 

*Get enough rest and eat properly.

 

*Make your health a priority. Go to the doctor regularly.

 

*Maintain a nutritional diet.

 

*Make time for leisure.

 

*Plan regular getaways for yourself, even if it’s only for a couple of hours.

 

*Find humor in each day.

 

*Join a support group.

 

*Pray—join a prayer circle.

 

Mind Games

Thought Process

 

Divide the women into two groups. Taking turns, the women in the first group must list an article of clothing beginning with the first letter in the alphabet. If one of them can’t come up with an answer, it moves to the second group. Once neither team can think of

an item, move to the next letter in the alphabet. Keep track of the number of answers each group gives and award a prize to the winning group.

 

Related Items

Ask the women to list as many related items that come in pairs. For example: bookends, chopsticks, earrings, gloves, mittens, boxing gloves, end tables, washer and dryer, stereo speakers, pillow cases (sometimes), jet engines, salt and pepper shakers, mattress and box springs, drum sticks, candleholders, married couples, twins.

 

List body parts that come in pairs: lungs, kidneys, ears, eyes, nostrils, arms, legs.

 

What candy is sold in pairs: Almond Joy®, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups®, Twix®, Mounds.

 

 

 

 

 

Devotions

 

Precious in God’s Sight

 

We were busy at the corps on a typical weekday when my husband entered my office and fell into a chair. It became very clear that he was in the midst of a medical crisis. We  rushed to the hospital. Later we learned that he had suffered a stroke that day, but had also suffered a couple of other strokes a few weeks earlier. The aftermath of these strokes left him with short–term memory loss, dementia and loss of balance.

 

My world took on a new dimension of awareness for others who struggle with memory loss caused by various illnesses. As caregivers, we must be vigilant for new techniques to stimulate the brain of those affected by disease. We must provide a schedule that is tailored to that person. And we must always treat them with dignity and honor.

 

We read in 1 Corinthians 12: 22, 23, “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.” All people are precious in God’s sight. They are important to Him. God does not consider anyone less importance because they are unable to accomplish certain tasks.

 

To those who find themselves caring for others, remember to take care of yourself. It is so easy for a caregiver to neglect their own needs and become burnt out. If you are not in this situation, be a caregivers to those who are and in so doing extend God’s love.