Comments for FORGET MEMORY BLOG

Comment on Friendship and Dementia by Richard

Richard — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:09:42 +0000

Hello, as usual your eloquence, kindness, and empathy with those with whom you work is revealed. It is not “the person” out of lots of persons who needs the enabling support to meet their own needs for friends, companions, love, and support – it is a single individual. I fear/know that words like “them, residents,. persons living with dementia, stage two, etc. deindividualize us, at the same time we are collectivized under a new term – which masks us as individuals. When folks stumble across our unique humanity, our spirit, our essense they are most always impressed and amazed at having connected with us, if even for only a sentence or two. Instead of all stereotypes falling, they are momentarily cracked, only to reseal themselves as others move on to others of us.

It is so frustrating to watch, and even more disappointing for it to happen to us. We too seek the nectar which comes from conversation with a good friend, someone who not only genuinely cares about us but also empasizes with us. Tis no wonder we withdraw into a friendless world when confronted with the possibility of one minute friends, one hour of feeling good about our selves then off to your empty rooms, to await the next psychosocial intervention.

The goal of these interchanges should always be measured by one individual at time, one feeling at time, and one follow through plan to build on that event and feeling. Too many are satisfied with a “group high” lasting no more than an hour. The “glow” stays with the leaders for days and weeks. It motivates them to do more. The “glow stays with the participants until it dies for lack of a second, a plan, a reinforcement, a moment of planned and enabled personal growth.

This is what I believe. Richard

Comment on Friendship and Dementia by carmelamulroe

carmelamulroe — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:46:47 +0000

Loving someone with dementia can bring about the adventure of getting to know another layer of their personhood. As professionals, we often get to know a side the family does not yet know. What a wonderful conversation between loved ones and staff when we can tell both sides of the story.
Even more wonderful when loved ones can find joy in uncovering the hidden layer.

Comment on Calling All Life-Enhancing Treatments by richardtaylorr

richardtaylorr — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 03:23:43 +0000

Hello, we are reaching more minds and some more hearts, but folks/performers/funders don’t seem to be able/willing to but the two together and merge what they have discovered/learned with what they feel. A good time is had by all at these engagements, but little come of them/from them other than maybe another paying/volunteer gig at the same place in a month or two.
Stigmas are so strong, filters are almost blinders to what the engagements show/prove about the humanity that is still all in tacked withing people living with the disabilities of dementia. Others just don’t get “it”, even when they experience “it.” I too don’t know what else to do other than try harder. But we can’t make people see us a real/complete human beings. They must do this within and for themselves.
Richard

Comment on Following Aynsley by Aynsley Moorhouse

Aynsley Moorhouse — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:44:56 +0000

Anne – thank you so much for your support and shout out! It was such a pleasure to meet you and to hear your presentation. I look forward to seeing you again soon. All best! Aynsley

Comment on Following Aynsley by Cherie Harrington

Cherie Harrington — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:31:59 +0000

Dear Dr. Basting,
Your book Forget Memory was recommended to me by one of my professors from Stockton State College in NJ. I am currently attending grad school full time to attain my masters in social work. I happened to read and finish your book on a trip to California this march to be trained by Sam Heinly on Memories in the Making.Sam said she knew you and she though both MIM and Timeslips were the best thing out there in terms of working successfully with people with dementia.

I currently intern with hospice and I am using MIM and timeslips techniques with much success. I am also studying Jungian analysis and my gut tells me that there is something else there going on with these stories told with picture prompts. Especially when the technique is used with a family unit with one person with dementia. I just had a eureka moment yesterday doing just that. It was one of those cool sideroads of potential discovery that led me to contact you. Yesterdays session sparked some great symbolic discusion which could be used as useful family therapy information. Great stuff youve done!! A potential gold mine in terms of helping others!!

Comment on Seeing the Possibilities by C. Bouzide

C. Bouzide — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:03:14 +0000

A wonderful article and a heartfelt statement about memory loss. During my training just this week I said “As long as there is a pulse there is a spirit.” So many heads nodded it was overwhelming.

Thanks for this article link. Yes. I think the drum is surely beating. Amen.

Comment on Registration is Open! Learn to Create Change Through Creative Engagement by Bruce Devereux

Bruce Devereux — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:38:07 +0000

I’m very excited to have had the opportunity to sign up today with a co-worker. See you in June!

Comment on ABOUT by tomi bar-zeev

tomi bar-zeev — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:44:02 +0000

i am an ot working in israel with many different patients suffering from
all sorts of dementia. i use in my work many models of approach with
the people. i found the snozlen now as one of the successful modelities for the last stages of the illness. your work sounds wonderful. how can i purchase or receive a copy of your book?

Comment on Ventrioloquism by Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:26:25 +0000

Hello, and A Men. AARP is as an organization still holding fast to last century attitudes and language. They too have failed to responsibiy take an active leadership role in the issues associated with the disabilities of dementia, especially in older folks.

They too have bought into the National Alzheimer’s Associations attempts to redefine and relabel the public health care crisis created by dementia as an Alzheimer’s Disease crisis that can be solved by spending more money to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.

All the National organizations that I know of still see us as patients, as fading away human beings, as sufferers. Those who have the connections and resocurces to change the Nation’s understanding of folks living with the disabilities of dementia each and all seem to have their own list of priorities, and each and of them do not seem to have improving the quality of life of those with the symptoms of dementia, leading a National effort to undue the harm the stigmas associated with dementia impose on caregivers and their loved one.

Richard

Comment on Aging Together by Richard Taylor

Richard Taylor — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:03:17 +0000

Hello, I agree with your assessment. Thinkers like this need to be on the Board of the National Alzheimer’s Association.
Richard