Building Sensational Relationships: Understand, Connect, Engage
What is dementia? What is sensory? Learn about factors that influence experience and behavior, including dementia-related brain changes, environmental inputs, and a person’s unique sensory profile.
Create trust and build positive rapport using emotional and sensory regulating strategies for successful interaction. Learn how to intentionally approach people so they feel safe, welcome, and cared for.
Do the things that bring joy to life. Create accessible opportunities to engage in meaningful, sensory-rich activities. Optimize health, well-being, and participation in life.
Social isolation and loneliness are not new issues for seniors living in the community or care facilities. Both are exacerbated with physical distancing precautions, which decreases or eliminates community gatherings and face-to-face connections with outside visitors. Snail mail will not solve the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness. However, cards for seniors are one accessible […]
Baking is one of my favorite sensory-rich activities that stimulate the brain. It’s an occupation that brings creativity, relaxation, and nourishment. I love flavor combinations: lemon lavender, chocolate caramel, mint chocolate, and honey lavender cookies. I recently made a batch of homemade Twix Bars and let me tell you…they didn’t last very long in my […]
Caring for oneself can be easier said than done, especially when simultaneously trying to care for others. The ideas presented in this article are not intended to add “one more thing” to your already lengthy to-do list. Self-care means different things for different people. Waking up and eating breakfast each morning is self-care. Going to […]
Dementia involves more than memory changes. Dementia is a group of symptoms severe enough to interfere with a person’s daily functioning. While memory loss is one significant and frustrating symptom, it is imperative to consider the range of symptoms that can occur to maximize the quality of dementia care. “The interconnections among sensory, cognitive, and […]
The terms “dementia” and “Alzheimer’s disease” are often talked about as if they mean the same thing. Dementia is not always Alzheimer’s disease, but Alzheimer’s disease is always dementia. What?! Talk about confusing! Dementia is an umbrella term while Alzheimer’s is a specific disease. To understand the umbrella term concept, let’s start with a familiar […]