Getting Real about Alzheimers

Getting REAL About Alzheimer's proposes a shift away from the negative beliefs that contribute to a downward spiral of dementia. A shift is possible, and you can see when it happens. The difference is huge! "Getting REAL" is a reference to Rementia through Engagement, Assistance, and Love. As a guide for family and friends of persons with Alzheimer's as well as for professional caregivers, these pages contain practical solutions in eldercare anyone can apply everyday.
Eighteen months after the start of the garden project, a care resident previously consumed by his loss of personhood is found watering and working in the beautiful garden he created. His story of transformation starts this book. From there, Getting REAL About Alzheimer's explains the shift to rementia and the glory of caregiving from the heart.

------------
"I am literally blown away. This book has a wonderful, gentle but clear explanatory tone of sound and experienced reasoning. Empathy, in the truest sense, is glowing from the pages. It is very lucid. It is very well written. I might also have an elevated understanding of the issues, since I worked many years in Swedish hospitals and with the elderly population. I always had a great connection with them. I am reminded of many similar, great and insightful experiences, while I am reading. The anecdotes have brought tears of joy to my eyes. Something big and altruistic is documented with this book."
Peter Nilsson, Caregiver

-----------

With a degree from the University of North Texas and post graduate certification in long-term care from Texas State University in 1996, Kassandra King worked as a licensed administrator at large facilities in Texas and California and served as Public Policy Director and Professional Education Manager at two chapters of the Alzheimer's Association. Her inspiration to write this book came from working as Program Manager of Engagement at one of the largest memory care communities in California. She now owns Alzheimer's Connection La Mesa, where she is happily occupied as a care consultant, care manager and rementia care educator.

Introduction 7
Getting REAL 9
TILT Keys 10
Section 1: Rementia
What Is Rementia? 11
Personhood and Person-Centered Care 14
About Dementia 16
Alzheimer’s Disease 17
Vascular Dementia 20
Lewy Body Dementia / Parkinsonian Disease Dementia 20
Alcohol Dementia 20
Delirium, Depression, Dementia 22
From Dementia to Rementia 23
Validation 24
Going Deeper—The Science Behind Dementia and Rementia 27
Transforming How We Give Care 28
TILT Keys on Rementia 31
Section 2: Engagement
Engagement—Creating a Whole New World 33
Go Psychosocial for Your Residents 34
Finding Lost Personhood 36
Appropriate Level of Activity 39
Yoga and More Rementia Story 42
Components of Structured Engagement 43
The Calendar of Scheduled Events 43
Large Group Events 44
Small Group Engagement 45
Obstacles To Engagement 47
User-Friendly Organized Systems 48
Modules 48
Activity Aprons 50
Enriching Lives 50
TILT Keys on Engagement 51
Section 3: Assistance
“The Old Man and His Grandson” 53
Assistant Defined 54
Doing, Doing, Doing 55
Much To Do About Showers 57
The Whole Picture—Assistance at the Highest Level 60
Promoting the Decline in Well Being 64
Old-School Caregiving 66
Malcaregiving Habits 67
Mealtime Opportunities 70
Searching for the Familiar 71
TILT Keys on Assistance 74
Section 4: Love
And the Greatest of These Is Love 77
Incredible Caregivers 78
The Healing Power of Love 79
Coming from Love When We Get Busy 80
Assisting with Emotional State 81
What Keeps Us from Total Love? 83
Love Is Letting Go of Fear 84
Self-Care—Give Yourself Love 86
Co-workers Cooperating 88
I–Thou, I–You, I–It Relationships 90
Bringing It All Together 93
TILT Keys on Love 94
References
Dictionaries 97
Books 97
Articles 98
Websites 98
About the Author 99