Staying Connected and Living With Dementia

Staying Connected and Living With Dementia

Follow us, as Elizabeth Murray tells the moving story of her mother’s battle with dementia. In this blog series, Murray explores every part of the experience of caring for someone with dementia, sharing her memories and insights from it all. Her words serve as a great reminder of the many ways dementia affects our lives, and the lives of our loved ones.

My mother was embarrassed when she was diagnosed with dementia.  Rather than tell her friends about her illness, she stopped meeting them for lunch or coffee and declined their invitations to concerts and other gatherings. As her disease progressed, she became angry and paranoid. She withdrew from the church group that she had belonged to for over thirty years and refused to attend my son’s hockey games, school concerts and swimming lessons as she had always done.

My friend’s mother, Mrs. McEwan, was also diagnosed with dementia but she wasn’t embarrassed by her diagnosis nor did her symptoms include anger and paranoia. With the help of her friends, Mrs. McEwan continued to attend her book club and ladies auxiliary even when she was no longer able to fully participate in the meetings. She and her husband went to the symphony and the ballet and they joined organized tours to avoid the potential confusion of independent travel.

Over time, her memory gradually declined, until she was dependent on others to help her complete simple tasks. Despite this, she was always cheerful and she accepted her disease and the limitations it imposed with grace.

My mother and Mrs. McEwan had dramatically different experiences when they were living with dementia. Mrs. McEwan’s psychological well-being was fostered by staying connected with her community and participating in activities that she had always enjoyed. She had a positive attitude about her life, despite her limitations.  My mother resented her illness. She cut herself off from her friends and family, and felt isolated, lonely and depressed.

We can all play a role in reducing the stigma of dementia and making the lives of people who have the disease as rich as Mrs. McEwan’s. Educating ourselves about the symptoms and learning how to offer appropriate assistance will help people with dementia feel supported in our communities.  By fostering environments of inclusion in organizations, clubs and faith groups, as well as in common spaces like the library, coffee shop or grocery store, we can create environments that encourage their independence.

Together, we can work to create communities that are dementia-friendly and help everyone who is diagnosed live the quality of life they deserve. To learn more about how you can help contribute to a dementia-friendly community, contact your local Alzheimer Society.

Written by:

Writer Elizabeth Murray
Elizabeth Murray
Retired lawyer and the author of Holding on to Mamie:  My Mother, Dementia and Me.
For more information about Elizabeth and her story visit www.holdingontomamie.ca.

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