Jolene Brackey
Enhanced Moments
P.O. Box 326
Polson, Montana 59860
407-883-3770 phone/fax
jolene@enhancedmoments.com
Just want everyone to know right off the bat that it is almost impossible to create a perfectly wonderful day with someone who has Alzheimer's or dementia. But… it is absolutely attainable for each of us to create perfectly wonderful moments. People with Alzheimer's live by moments…don't they? So I want to share with you how together we can create many moments of joy. I guarantee it will have a positive effect on you, your staff and most importantly the people you care for.
One simple way is to compliment them. If they are wearing a color that looks good on them comment, "Wow you look good in purple! I like that outfit on you". If a gentleman is wearing a hat simply say, "Great hat, Bob." It's important to include their name in the compliment. This says to them you know who they are and that in itself is a comforting feeling. Compliment them on the physical attribute they like about themselves, like their hair. Now their hair may really be a little messy but that should not stop you from reminding them of the brown and naturally curly hair they had when they were younger. "You have beautiful hair. Wish I had natural curls like you."
Sharing the simple pleasures is another way to create a moment of joy. While I was out walking one day, I walked up the lane to this abandoned farm and there hanging from a mulberry bush was a perfect and beautifully detailed lifeless dragonfly. I walked home and brought my children back to discover on their own this wonderful thing God has made. Discovering and intently looking upon this dragonfly created a moment of joy for them. In fact, this dragonfly created a moment of joy for everyone I shared it with. Some people suggested I put in a glass case to keep it from getting damaged but I feel something so beautiful should be see up close in all its wonder. "Things" have so much more value when enjoyed by many. Now you may ask why are you telling me this. Because I believe it is the simple pleasures in life that create moments of joy. Simple pleasures like a single daisy, a new born kitten, cuddling a baby doll, watching humming birds fly, eating a strawberry, picking a home grown tomato, telling a funny joke, sharing chocolate chip cookies, giving a genuine hug, singing a favorite song, watching the sun rise, drinking hot tea, or just "being there". We try to create these big party events that usually costs a lot of money and takes our precious time when in reality people are starving for simple real connections. I also believe caregivers are starving to give this kind of care. The myth is this type of care takes more time, in actuality it just takes an attitude and role modeling from management that "heart" care is key. So go ahead…give away a flower, give away a touch, simple give away your smile.
The beauty of this concept is anyone can create a moment of joy…the cook, the maintenance person, the caregiver, the administrator, the nurse. It is not just the activity person's job. Even the family and friends who aren't able to visit can create moments by sending mail…cards, letters, magazine subscription, gifts. Who wouldn't love to receive unexpected mail that says someone is thinking about you. The hidden blessing about Alzheimer's and short -term memory loss is they will read the same card day after day as if they have read it for the first time.
Now in reality you will probably have 9 moments of "Yuk!!" to 1 moment of joy. But yahoo!! At the end of the day you have something positive to focus on, the moment you created. Now the next day they will not remember the smile you put on their face but they also have forgotten the mistakes you made yesterday as well. That is a blessing. You get to start each day with a clean slate. Short term memory loss!!! You essentially determine what kind of day it will be for many people. So go ahead have fun, play a little, compliment a lot, plant seeds of joy. When you create a moment of joy for someone else, you are creating a fond moment for yourself to remember possibly for a lifetime."People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel"Jolene Brackey has written a book that shares solutions on how to create moments of joy. For example when a person with Alzheimer's says "I want to home" how to create a moment of joy with that. This book is filled with positive solutions, stories, personal experiences and a genuine passion to bring joy into the lives of people we care about.