WINNEMUCCA - With spring on the breeze, and sunshine abounding, reaching out will reap astounding rewards. For those with dementia, spring may melt into a morass, but there is much joy possible with your gentle guidance.
Planting flowers is fulfilling as eager hands dig through rich, warm soil. A hole carefully dug is filled with a lovely flower such as a petunia or marigold that will blossom and glow for months.
Start cautiously as some with dementia will be disturbed by the coarseness of the earth. But your reassuring words and tender assistance will most likely calm the scene. If the thought of potential confusion makes you nervous, gloves might be a benefit - no dirt in the nails or on the fingers.
Place your display in a sunny window or on the patio where it is readily viewed and adds bright tones to the surroundings. In spite of someone telling me that those with dementia "cannot see" and "do not care" about the out-of-doors, I simply do not believe this is true.
My sister Carole loved soaking in the warm sun; it filled her with radiance. Think of how a lovely scene infuses your heart as you realize that it has the same affect on one with Alzheimer's disease.
Another simple planting idea is an herb garden. Get a strawberry pot, the type with little ledges built into the sides of the pot. Get a 4-inch diameter piece of PVC, tall enough to reach just above the soil line of the pot. Add rich soil around the pipe. Fill each side pot with an herb like rosemary or fennel. When you water, stick the hose into the hollow PVC, allowing it to better penetrate. Happy harvesting awaits.
With the new additions to the hospital, I was afraid that the trees and flowers in the barbecue area would vanish. I have been reassured by the hospital auxiliary, however, that, although a tree must go, raised vegetable and flower beds are being installed and a more accessible outdoors facility is being created. Residents will be able to move between beds to plant and sow while enjoying a retreat and later a special treat. I love this idea.
Spring might also be time for a picnic up Water Canyon or even just out in your backyard. If your loved one can enter the car with just a bit of help and little angst, short trips are doable.
I love the seclusion tucked into our Nevada mountains with the babbling of trickling streams and flickering sunlight as it filters through the quakies. We truly have exquisite havens from hectic life. An easy lunch - even peanut butter and jelly - and a tasty beverage round out this incredible family time. Short, sweet, and soothing.
If piling in the car seems too much, simply head out your back door. The same sort of sanctuary can be fashioned on a sunny day with filtered light, a patio fountain, and delicious treats.
Sometimes as dementia advances it is difficult to get a loved one to eat or drink adequately. My sister Carole's caregivers at her "Club" made sandwiches that they cut into fourths. Since Carole rarely sat down from her wandering, lunch could have been a problem. Instead each time she passed by a caregiver she was handed a piece of sandwich to munch as she strolled. The next time she would be offered a quick sip from her sippy cup or cup with a straw. Later banana slices or orange sections added nutrition, sliced with care to ensure that she would not choke.
Carole loved chocolate (an inherited gene, I believe). A chocolate chip cookie or small sampling of fudge topped out her meals-on-the-move. She always ate her lunch first, knowing she then would receive her favorites.
Some people fret that wholesomeness must come first, but my attitude is "Who cares!" If Carole had nibbled only items with chocolate, we would have found a way to wrap it into every bite. Her contentment was of utmost importance.
Since Carole's passing her "Club," or adult day care, has added a day school for youngsters and an ever-expanding garden. The youngsters come to visit, exercise, color, and make crafts. All gather to work in the garden. Fresh flowers adorn tables and fresh vegetables complete the meals. Abundance is produced.
In Carole's memory I think a chocolate tree would be perfect addition! Carole would have enjoyed the children and beautiful flowers. I am not sure about the dirt!
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