Improv comedy and dementia care workshop now online

Our workshop is officially ONLINE which means you can take it from wherever (and whenever) you want! This is a cool opportunity for you to see how improvisational comedy works with dementia caregiving, especially if you can’t make it to Pittsburgh, PA for our workshops. We travel, so we’re happy to come to you, but if you’re just one person it’s more cost-effective to take the class online!

If you see this before the end of the day, use code MARCH28SALE for $25 off the normal price of the class.

HERE’S THE LINK!

Why people living with dementia never initiate tasks

She’d left her father a “to-do” list that included tasks around the house. He was home, by himself, for a good deal of time during the day. When his caregiver was there, Max had the help around the house that he needed. When she left, though, Max was also left to his own devices. Max’s daughter came home to find him, head tilted back, asleep in a chair. The closet was still as she’d left it.

Max’s daughter was frustrated, but she didn’t understand that, while Max wanted to do the task, he couldn’t even get started with it. One could argue that it’s because the instructions weren’t clear enough, but even if they’d been explicitly clear, step-by-step instructions, Max wouldn’t have been able to follow them. He was at a stage in his dementia where accomplishing tasks by himself was impossible.

People with dementia have trouble starting tasks because the “initiation” of a new task is too complicated. You know this if you’ve ever had to help someone with dementia get dressed: what you’ll notice is that you need to “cue” each new task before they start it.

And, the task needs to be cued verbally or physically. This is why notes around the house don’t work. Reading is difficult because it involves two different processes: being able to understand the words and then being able to interpret what they mean in context. These two things are too complicated for someone with a moderate or more advanced stage of dementia. Sometimes, they are even too complicated for someone in early stages.

So, it’s not that Max didn’t WANT to help his daughter: he did! He just couldn’t figure out how to get started with the task.

Learn at your own pace by taking one of my Udemy courses!

Use code VALENTINE on “Everything You Need to Know About Dementia” to pay only $19.99 for a $34.99 class!

Give yourself a break: dementia care takes practice

I’ve had a lot of people over the years say to me, “Wow! Dementia care? You must be really patient!” 

This is actually kind of funny to me, because one of the last ways I’d describe myself is “patient.” One of the main reasons I don’t want to work for someone else is because I can’t stand when things take a long time to accomplish. The corporate world is all about having meetings about having meetings about deciding things in a meeting. I can’t handle it.

Needless to say, I am not a patient person, albeit in ONE area of my life: dementia care. I am incredibly patient with people who have dementia. Even so, I’ve made plenty of mistakes. I’ve said the wrong thing, made the wrong choice, and upset a person living with dementia here or there.

It’s going to happen: you’re going to do the wrong thing. And that’s okay.

Dementia care takes practice. I like to tell people that it’s an art form. Most of us didn't get really good at painting, playing an instrument, performing on stage, or doing anything else just by waking up and magically being great at it. Most of us have worked years at our craft, honing it, learning, experiencing, practicing. Dementia care is the same way.

So, give yourself a break. Maybe you said the wrong thing yesterday. Maybe you yelled at your loved one with dementia this morning because he asked (again) what time it was. These things happen.

You’re doing the best that you can. And you'll keep getting better.

Use my link for $5 off the $50 price!