Reality is Relative
Dear Caregivers,
It’s fun to see what people cook up as pranks for April Fools’ Day: One of my favorites was when history professor Joseph Boskin explained that the tradition of pranks on April 1st originated when Emperor Constantine enabled his court jester to be “king for a day.” The explanation was highlighted in an article by the Associated Press — and then Boskin admitted that he had made up the whole thing. In another prank this week, the atom-smashing laboratory CERN issued a press release stating that “scientists find evidence of quantum entanglement in sheep,” citing the experiments of a researcher named “Beau Peep.”
It's all good fun, but in the world of caregiving for a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, dealing with what is real and what is not can be extremely challenging, and even dangerous. Some instances can be mundane, such as when your loved one can’t remember an appointment or whether they’ve taken their medicine or not. In other, more serious cases, the ravages of Alzheimer’s may trigger delusions and paranoia.
In all these cases, it’s important to remember that your job is not to “correct” your loved one with reality but rather deal with them as a human being who is experiencing their world in a different way, and help them cope with that. After all, their brain is creating this misinformation. For them it is very real.
Here are some more insights into coping with differing perceptions:
Using Validation Therapy To Care For Your Loved One:
Validation therapy is a beneficial strategy for helping family caregivers interact with their loved ones as they become less able to keep track of facts such as where they live, where they are, if they need to go to work, or the names of family members. Here's an overview.
Coping with Auditory or Visual Hallucinations:
Hallucinations can be caused by diseases like Alzheimer's, which change the way the brain interprets what is seen or heard. Hallucinations can be very convincing, with the result that our loved ones have a false understanding of what they are seeing or hearing. Here’s how to cope.
Think FAST!
Use the "Think FAST" technique to help get your loved one “unstuck” from a distressing topic and instead think about things that generate positive thoughts. Here's how to do it.
Remember, if you can’t find the information you need on our website, you can always “Ask NAN” by clicking on this link.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
“Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be.”
— Jack Welch
