Many people see the new year as an opportunity for self-improvement and change. This year, let’s try changing our perspective of what it means to have dementia. We should try to view dementia as a different way of living, rather than a disease.
Many people live for many years without allowing memory loss to lessen their quality of life. As caregivers, we can help foster a positive quality of life by changing simple things, such as the words we use while interacting with those in our care.
People with memory loss are not losing their minds. They are the same person they have always been – just with some new limitations. Changing our mindset about dementia enables people to thrive instead of just survive.
Remember: this is a journey for both the person with dementia and you, their caregiver. A change in our MINDset can be just as important and/or effective as taking medication. In some cases, our positive MINDset can be the difference between a good quality of life and a poor quality of life. So, try to change your mindset. It could make a world of difference. Here are some tips.
2018 MINDset Challenge: Choose Your Words Mindfully!
| Try to Avoid Saying: | Instead, Try to Say: |
| “dementia” | “memory loss” |
| “help” | “guidance” |
| “s/he cannot do that anymore” | “s/he just needs more assistance” |
| “s/he is in late stages of dementia” | “s/he is further in the journey” |
