Dementia Doc

Town Square Sarasota is so innovative in their approach to dementia care - they even have improv sessions! Thank you Will Luera for so much fun!

If you are caring for someone with dementia and are preparing for the hurricane, this video has lots of useful tips!

Hurricane Preparedness and Dementia We give special thanks to everyone who contributed to the creation of this video and shared their experiences with us. If you have tips and advice to share, ...

"If she's hungry, give her food. If she wants to drink bring her a drink" - I told her 94 year old husband Bruce last week. "Just don't force her, if she doesn't want to eat, don't force her. If she doesn't want to drink, don't force her, let her decide".

Mrs. B's dementia has been progressing more quickly. She's been more agitated, yelling obscenities, paranoid that someone is trying to kill her. "She accuses me of having affairs with any woman I talk to, even our own granddaughter!" said Bruce. "For the last 2 weeks or so she's been more incontinent, and having more accidents. I don't think she knows what the toilet is many times, last night she went right next to the toilet, and just flat out refused to use it".

"Sometimes she looks at the food, and doesn't know what to do with it. Many times she doesn't know what the utensils are for, or how to use them. Yesterday it took 3 hours for her to eat only a small amount, she's lost 4 pounds in the last week".

"What should we do? - he asked.

"Tell me Bruce, if it was you that was in her condition. What would you like us to do? Would you like us to try to keep you alive no matter what? Would you want to be sent out to the hospital or ER?, or would you prefer we made you comfortable and helped you stay at home? Did you guys ever talk about this? What were her wishes?"

"I know she would not have wanted to live like this, that I know for sure, I just cannot bring myself to even think about it. We have been together for 65 years!"

"But you are right!" - he said. "I need to honor her wishes...".

“Oh my, you do the job that none of us want to do!” - this is what someone said to me when I told him I was a dementia doctor!

I was so surprised to hear this! I had never looked at my job as something others dreaded to do (unless they are referring to the endless medical documentation! :). I love my job! Every day I get to visit someone’s grandpa or grandma, and who doesn’t love their grandma? I love visiting with them, and I love to make them laugh. Actually, making them laugh is one of my objectives during the visit!

Mrs. S was an 85 year old retired attorney, and I was at her home, executing a court order to evaluate her capacity to make medical, legal, and financial decisions. According to the court order, she had been neglecting herself for months, was hardly eating, and her house was infested with rodents and insects. She was so mad at me, dropping the F-bomb, and refusing to cooperate. Luckily her kitty cat walked in and came straight towards me. I love cats! - I told her, and proceeded to show her the pictures of my 4 cats. Next thing you know we are laughing and telling cat stories! I was able to finish my evaluation, and from that day on we became pals.

She was eventually moved (with her kitty) to a memory unit where she thrived. She loved the new friends she made there, and gained almost 20 pounds! Never a dull moment for sure! Truly grateful to take care of our grandparents!

📸from 2011, credit