Creating New Memories with Aging Loved Ones
A dementia diagnosis is greatly feared. According to one study, it is the most feared diagnosis after cancer. Women, who are twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer’s, especially fear the changes that can result with cognitive decline. And rates of people diagnosed with cognitive decline continue to increase, with some studies reporting up to 10% of people in the United States older than 65 years have dementia, while an additional 22% have mild cognitive impairment.
This may seem like devastating news. Watching a loved one suffer or navigating a diagnosis oneself can be heart-wrenching.
Finding the positive is imperative.
Emily, Director of Harbor Memory Care at Bruceville Point, shared how a dementia diagnosis doesn’t mean the end of creating memories.
Each Wednesday, residents who live in Harbor are invited to an outing. They might eat at a nearby restaurant, visit a park, or tour a local attraction. On one particular Wednesday, residents visited the Sacramento Zoo. A resident’s son heard about the trip and decided to cut his workday short to meet his mother, a resident of Bruceville Point, there.
As they wandered through the zoo, Emily visited with the son, commenting on how wonderful it was that he could see the zoo with his mom. “When was the last time you and your mom were at the zoo together?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he confessed. “Maybe forty years ago. Maybe never. I honestly can’t remember if I have ever been to the zoo with my mom.”
“Isn’t it amazing that your mom and you get to create these new memories?” Emily asked.
“Yes” didn’t even begin to answer her question. It was so incredible that the son began taking every Wednesday afternoon off from work to meet his mom on her outing with Bruceville Point.
Our time is valuable. How we spend our moments is how we live our lives. Spending time enjoying new experiences with loved ones doesn’t end with a dementia diagnosis. It just becomes all the more precious.
Caregivers at Bruceville Point know how to support a rich life for older adults with cognitive decline. To learn more, please contact our counselors.
