Share the Memories
People with Alzheimer's disease often have vivid memories of years past. Several of our readers who care for loved ones with Alzheimer's have found ways to make the most of these memories by using what the experts call validation therapy or reminiscence therapy. It's easier than it sounds—you simply join your loved one in his or her journey into the past. Here's how some of our readers do it:
"My brother was talking a lot about our high school days. It was a happy time for both of us, and I decided to "join" him there by talking about old friends and teachers. We also played old music that we used to listen to as teenagers and tried some of the dances we used to do. This seemed very soothing and comforting for my brother. He also helped me remember things I'd forgotten about years ago!"
--James, Oil City, Pennsylvania
"My mother seemed to be reliving her early motherhood years. To build on her memories, I placed a doll in a cradle by her chair. I almost felt like it gave me the chance to hear the lullabies that she must have sung to me when I was an infant. It was so much easier to help her enjoy where she was in her mind than to try to shake her into our present day reality."
--Marjorie, Reno, Nevada
"When Pete—my father—kept insisting that the year was 1942, my wife and I decided to help him work with his memories of that time. Over dinner, we talked about the war effort. We watched movies of that period. He was a doctor during the war, so we gave him a stethoscope to "work". We even planned and planted a "victory garden" to enjoy after the war ended."
--Tim, Baltimore, Maryland
