“I’m so sorry for your loss, our loss. I have followed you and your mom’s story for a long time. My mom just died in December 2015. She lived with me, and I took care of her for the past ten years,” wrote Leslie Jones on the MyAlzheimersStory.com Facebook post after I posted something about Mom’s death.
Ten years is a long time to be a care partner to someone who lives with dementia. I saluted and thanked Jones for all she had done for her mother and I asked her if she would like to share her top five “lessons learned.”
“There were so many,” she wrote, and then she listed these top five:
- Patience is paramount
- Tomorrow will be better
- Laugh every day
- She gets frustrated too
- Nails don’t trim themselves
Here are five of my own (besides these):
- There’s no point hating a disease
- “Broken” minds do not define who people are
- Holding hands is heaven
- Music is better than medication
- Somewhere over the rainbow is here and now
What are yours? Feel free to share in the comments below.
Subscribe to my free updates here.
Copyright: scandinavianstock / 123RF Stock Photo
My Alzheimer's Story 
Start the day with hope and a positive frame of mind.
Be flexible.
Keep the serenity prayer close.
Note a few good things each night, even small successes such as. s/he is here now, s/he like … , s/he said it was a good day
Find somerhing that makes both of you laugh like a repeating parrot or laughing baby or happy dance.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
LikeLike
YEEESSSSS @Rita! Thanks for sharing those and they are all bang on 🙂
LikeLike
OK, I’ll take a stab at this, even though I’m only in year two….but I’m caring for two, so maybe that counts!
Learn how to control the undercurrent of anxiety; meditation and yoga does this for me.
When you feel overwhelmed, go into an empty room and take several deep breaths.
Look into their eyes when you have a conversation; watch their body language and energy and learn from it, because it is far more telling than what they tell you.
Take a moment at the end of each day to be grateful for every little scrap of love you shared.
Don’t be too proud to ask for help or time off – a little respite goes a long, long way to restoring your patience and perseverance.
LikeLike
You are a quick study @Lorrie 🙂 Love your tips, couldn’t have said it better myself ❤
LikeLike
Oh my goodness, Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I so, needed this today!! God Bless you n yours!
LikeLike
You’re most welcome ❤
LikeLike
❤
LikeLike