In this video, Dementia Darling - a dedicated dementia educator, supporter, and caregiver cheerleader - shares the profound impact of purposeful engagement in dementia caregiving.
"When we take the time as caregivers to pursue moments of connection and purposeful engagement with our residents living with dementia, it strengthens that trust and bond you will have with [your residents and] will in turn make the allyship in caregiving easier.”
-Dementia Darling I Carrie Aalberts
In this video, discover:
Carrie emphasizes that the cornerstone of caregiving lies in fostering trust and meaningful bonds with those under our care. “We all want to be seen, heard, and recognized, and that doesn’t change when we have dementia,” says Carrie.
Connection looks different from resident to resident based on cognitive levels. Meeting residents where they are and giving them the necessary time to process and react is critical. Discussing items you know are relevant to the resident is a great starting point in establishing trust. When getting to know residents, “start being a detective” and “find things that spark joy in their [lives],” says Dementia Darling.
How have you been able to break through apathy in seniors living with dementia? Share your story and drop a 🌦️ emoji in the comment section below.