Hi, this is Teri. I am a third-generation Alzheimer's Survivor and a co-caregiver of a parent experiencing Alzheimer's Disease.
My Grandmother passed away from Alzheimer's Disease in 1998 in a small town in Central Texas. Not only did the facility she lived in have limited resources. But in 1998, there was not much that could be done for someone experiencing Alzheimer's. Other than doing their best to keep the patients comfortable and calm.
Truthfully, I don't remember if it was on one of my Mom's trips or one of my Aunt's visits to see her. But one of the three walked into the pod to find the nurses busy taking care of patients and doing paperwork, and my Grandmother sitting right in the middle of the nurses' hectic work, making chicken fried steak.
Was she really making chicken fried steak? No. But in her mind, yes. This is the activity that gave her mind and her body comfort. It was late afternoon, and she needed to do the same thing she did for thousands of afternoons before that. So, to keep her from wandering and sundowning, the nurses would set up a "kitchen area" right in the middle of their limited workstation so she could make dinner for Boyd (my Grandfather).
SIDE NOTE: No one made better chicken fried steak than my Grandmother! I did some quick math and bet she made chicken fried steak more than 10K afternoons in her lifetime. A very close second would be my Aunt Kathy. I bet Kathy made double the chicken fried steak Grandmother made. Third would be my cousin Tammy. Grandmother taught all of us to make it, but those three ladies made it into an art form.
The nurses set up a wooden in-bin as the flour dredge plate, another wooden in-bin as the milk and egg wash bowl, and a larger one as the electric skillet to cook the steak. Along with pieces of copy paper, she would dredge the paper into the pretend flour, into the pretend milk and egg, back into the flour, and finally into the pretend skillet. The nurses would let her do this for hours until it was time for dinner.
I remember hearing Mom and her sisters say, "You will Not believe what Mother is doin' now." It was very upsetting to them, as it was yet another sign that their mother was sliding downhill fast. I was living far away in Los Angeles, but Mom would tell me the stories when we talked every Sunday night. I have thought about this and researched it a lot since then.
This is called Reminiscence Therapy (RT). Reminiscence Therapy is a treatment that helps individuals with dementia recall and cherish positive experiences and memories from the past. It requires using props and prompts, like pictures, songs, and fragrances, to engage one's senses — sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound — to spark a positive memory that could improve the well-being of a loved one with dementia. Activities like watching old movies, playing childhood games, or preparing a family recipe can help a dementia patient reminisce if combined with accessible and engaging conversational prompts.
In 1963, physician Robert Butler published "The Life Review: An Interpretation of Reminiscence in the Aged." This text — often considered the foundation of contemporary reminiscence therapy — found that older people who have memory loss still maintain memories and can remember the past with appropriate prompting. Reminiscence therapy attempts to use props, sensory stimulation, and talk therapy to spur remembrance of times past.
Independent research shows that people make their strongest memories between the ages of 10 to 35. If you can take people back to a time when prompts from their past can surround them, that's shown to reduce agitation, improve mood, and improve sleep quality," said Scott Tarde, CEO of George G. Glenner Alzheimer's Family Centers, which runs dementia daycares in the San Diego, California, area.
I propose the use of what I call "Memory Care Play" to help ease anxiety in Alzheimer's Patients.
What are Memory Care Play Toys? When provided for children, they are called "Pretend Play." My favorite Pretend Play Toys come from Doug & Melissa. Most of the toys are made of wood, have rounded edges, and are painted with non-toxic paint. If they are safe for kids, they will be safe for seniors experiencing memory loss.
The toys are not adult-size or "life-size." They would fit perfectly on a tabletop, dresser, or bedside table. They are lightweight and easy for seniors to pick up and play with.
Examples are:
In addition to helping patients with dementia and Alzheimer's, the positive effects of this therapy are wide-reaching.
Proven beneficial effects include:
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Improved self-esteem
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Reduction of unwanted behaviors like Sundowning
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Decreased stress
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Heightened sense of well-being
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Feelings of joy
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Expanded opportunities to connect
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Deeper intergenerational bonds between relatives
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Reduction in depressive symptoms
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Increased quality of life
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Helps seniors accept their current conditions