“I’ve never had these cookies before and they’re really good,” my husband said not so long ago as he munched them with his morning cup of coffee. They are a favorite of ours that I’ve been buying (forget baking!) for years but only that morning they were new to him.

Is this dementia or a momentary lapse? Dementia is an umbrella word overseeing many types of cognitive disfunction. This is the definition provided by NIA (National Institute on Aging): it “is the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life and activities. Dementia is more common as people grow older (about one-third of all people aged 85 or older may have some form of dementia) but it is not a normal part of aging. Many people live into their 90s and beyond without any signs of dementia.”

They go on to say, “Although there is no proven prevention, in general, leading a healthy lifestyle may help reduce risk factors that have been associated with these diseases.”

Many of you reading my blog are care partners and you know the drill on self-care enabling us to continue caring for our loved one.  

Tips for Caregivers and Families of People With Dementia

Tips for caregivers
 

The National Institute on Aging:

The website is: National Institute on Aging

Life Lesson: We can look back to the 19^th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche as his thoughts have been whittled down to: What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. We can take our feelings as an opportunity to build strength—it’s an affirmation of resilience.