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anonymous727294 Asked February 2018

Has anyone ever found/heard about a memory care therapist who comes to your home and does memory exercises for someone with dementia?

LVKDRA Feb 2018
For someone who had a stroke that ruined the ability to make short term memory to become long term memory it takes lots of patience and thousands of episodes of body practice to learn the right sequences to clean partials with a denture brush, drop them into the pink dish, fill with water and drop in a tablet for an overnight soak. Then the right sequences to brush the remaining teeth so they stay healthy. Rinse the mouth, wash the face, use the toilet, (not getting anything on hands) washing up afterwards, applying lotions, etc & getting ready for bed. Just doing all of that for any senior is quite a mental exercise & workout. Then start all over again the next day with the morning routines. Certainly a brainy workout just being able to navigate from the bedroom to the bathroom to the kitchen or the dining room.

Erinm60 Feb 2018
I just wish I could find somewhere in western Pa that had activities for my mother. She ‘s 80.  Dementia.   

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SueC1957 Feb 2018
John,
I also apologize if I offended you.
My mom is in late stage 6 Alzheimer's, so that's my reference point.

I wasn't thinking of the early stages where memories can be revived.
Mom hasn't had a memory of anything for a long time.

Unfortunately for the late stage dementia suffers, there's not much that can be done, if anything. ☹️

Good luck finding a therapist or program for your mom. I hope she gets great results.

freqflyer Feb 2018
John, I came across this article here on Aging Care about helping a senior with his/her memory. See if you can do these things with your Mom. If any of these things help, please let us know.

https://www.agingcare.com/articles/Improve-brain-function-agility-memory-in-elders-133301.htm

Edit:  I think the above article is probably geared to an elder who is just starting out with some forgetfulness. 

cwillie Feb 2018
I seem to be on a roll when it comes to offending people on the forum.... sorry about that. Maybe I'm just ignorant about the benefits of memory care therapy, if you have seen an improvement please tell us about it, I'm very willing to be educated.

anonymous727294 Feb 2018
No broken bones. But some of those words were a bit hurtful. Yeesh.

Countrymouse Feb 2018
At one of my client organisations they recruited specialist support workers called "Locksmiths." The role wasn't about improving memory, it was about finding ways for people with dementia to retrieve what was still there, on a kind of use it or lose it basis. I'm not sure you'd find such people in community settings, working with individual clients, but do keep searching. There could be groups or classes doing similar things.

97yroldmom Feb 2018
Hi John
Try looking up Norman Doidge. He is a Canadian who wrote a book on brain plasticity. It’s very interesting. ‘The Brain that Heals Itself ‘. It’s a leading science book. He’s written a new one I just discovered but haven’t read yet. ‘The Brains Way of Healing.’
He’s a great writer and it’s very hopeful and encouraging to read.
Also look up BrainHQ dot com and read about the online exercises.

jjariz Feb 2018
Memory "exercises" wouldn't be effective because the brain in not a muscle, like the heart. The best practices include moderate exercise, good diet and regular social interaction and activities.

SueC1957 Feb 2018
I have never heard of a memory care therapist FOR dementia patients.

I have heard of therapists who can help with memory recall in patients without dementia.

I honestly think, for someone with dementia, it would be ineffective and a waste of time and money.

Dementia is a "progressive" disease, meaning it gets worse as time goes on. It renders the sufferer with permanent brain damage, memory loss, inability to rationalize, focus or complete tasks and confusion, sometimes with irratic behavior.

Given the progression of the disease, any tiny bit of progress they made with a therapist will be wiped out within weeks or months, as the disease ravages on.

I'm sorry. It sure sounds like it would have been a good solution. Nothing (so far) stops the progression of dementia.

cwillie Feb 2018
A memory care therapist? Dementia isn't like a broken bone where you get stronger with physical therapy, it is a group of progressive and terminal brain diseases and no amount of "brain exercise" is going to restore lost function.

polarbear Feb 2018
I don't have an answer for you, but I am moving your question to the top so hopefully someone who has answers will see your question.

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