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Telling
others is very important, but timing & content need to be appropriate
We have developed a template for the production of ID cards which
contain appropriate emergency contact information. Sufferes may
become disorientated or lost, even in well known places, their ID
card is their way home. As a carer, should anything happen to you,
the ID card is your way of ensuring your loved one is not left without
appropriate support. These cards can be produced for you at Al's
Way
For carers, establishing a network of support may prove vital for
your own sanity. For some with close & open relationships with
friends & family this may not be a problem. Others may find
this to be a gigantic hurdle. Al's Way provides information &
advice to help you arrange appropriate meetings with family and
professional people. The aim is to make them fully aware of the
situation and put in place a support network to assist you care
for your loved one
Cared For people may not want to discuss their condition, especially
in the early stages, prefering to go about their lives pretending
that nothing is wrong and finding excuses to support this. They
may not even be aware that their behavior is becoming more erratic.
Later they will have to face the fact that things are not right.
Encourage them to talk about it openly and use your empathy and
understanding. If you project a relaxed attitude, remaining interested
and casual, they will adopt a similar approach & become comfortable
within themselves. This gives them the confidence to talk about
their condition, sometimes even with strangers. What matters here
is not the words used by the sufferer, but the clues you will be
given, which you may be able to use to improve their world
Sufferers may tend to recount certain memories with alarming regularity.
Recalling the school sports day may be their way of saying "I
would like to go running". Try it, it may be a dead end, or
may lead to a new activity & their world becoming a safer &
happier place
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