Being in my mid eighties , I find more and more that former colleagues, old friends and relatives have someone in the family with dementia. I can understand that people get dementia. It's a horrible condition which robs people of normal functions. It's extremely stressful for family as they go through the challenges of looking after one.
One thing that bothers me around dementia is the conversations we have or don't have about the condition. Some people are in denial and don't want to talk about the situation. Other people don't want to talk about the dementia patient in front of them as it may be very confusing for the patient.
So unless there are situations where relatives and caregivers can communicate without the patient in attendance, much needed communication is not done.
You hear from people that they feel so alone as they care for someone with dementia. It's very sad.
I have a friend who has yet to tell me that his wife has dementia. This dance has been going on for more than 2 years. I hear bits and pieces from relatives and friends.
So my question is, how do we communicate and support the caregivers and family of someone with dementia? How do we talk to someone with dementia when it progresses through it's many stages?
My father had Parkinson's. I can tell you that regular people have great difficulty when it comes to dealing with somebody who is irrational.
