Staying Safe - A New By Us For Us Guide - In development!

Safety is important for everyone but staying safe becomes even more important for a person living with dementia as the disease progresses.  Changes in the brain and body, either due to dementia or other factors (e.g., aging or secondary illnesses or conditions) can really impact a person's safety and well-being. 

MAREP is pleased to announce a new By Us For Us Guide in the Partnership Series (guides written by both persons living with dementia and partners in care) is in development! The By Us For Us© Guides are a series of guides created by a group of talented and passionate persons with dementia and/or partners in care. The guides are designed to equip persons with dementia and/or family partners in care with the necessary tools to enhance their well being and manage daily challenges. What makes these guides particularly useful is that they are created By persons with dementia and/or partners in care, For persons with dementia and/or partners in care.

If you are a person living with dementia or a family partner in care, please feel free to share with us any tips and strategies that you use to ensure that you or the person you are supporting are less at risk of injury and feeling safe.  Contact us at loiselle@uwaterloo.ca. 

Please also check out our Living With Dementia - Resources for Living Well website (http://livingwithdementia.uwaterloo.ca) for some current information and resources around safety. 

People with dementia are not 'shadows' of their old self

MAREP has been advocating for years against harmful stereotypes that portray or describe persons with dementia as shadows of their old self. This article, written by a woman whose husband is living with dementia, speaks up about this issue:
http://blog.seattlepi.com/witnessingalzheimers/2012/03/09/he-was-never-a-shadow-to-me/

Naomi Feil Validation Method

This video clip is amazing! Naomi Feil, the developer of the 'Validation' method, demonstrates the abilities and personhood of people with dementia, particularly persons labelled as 'non-verbal'. We can all learn a lot about how to interact with others from this emotional and inspirational clip.

One Thing.

What's one thing you never want to forget? That's the question posed in this thoughtful video. Responses range from "my name" to first dates, and it's a lovely insight into the moments that matter most.

Take a look and pass it on.

Making Time for Fun.

Sometimes, in the midst of our busy weeks, we all need to make time for a bit of fun.

This week, some of the MAREP team met after work for an evening of Go-Karting. What a great way to connect and build relationships with staff!

How do you unwind, on your own or as a team?

Here are some strategies for coping with caregiver stress and some tips for engaging in leisure with a loved one with ADRD.

Take care of yourselves!

PiDC Alliance Newsletter.

Looking for some informative summer reading? Check out our newest Partnerships in Dementia Care (PiDC) Alliance newsletter, hot off the presses.

You can access by visiting our website, or by clicking here.

(Image via SheKnows)

Who Cares?

Filmmaker Chris Wynn (Forgetful Not Forgotten) is working on a powerful new series called Who Cares? A Webseries about the State of Alzheimer's Care.

The series will provide a look into the lives of people touched by Alzheimer's Disease and dementia.

The first episode, A Captured Life, features Dr. Cleaver Keenan whose wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. In this short video, he shares his wife's journey that he has captured on film.

(Movie still via Vimeo)