It Takes a Village...

In my world of 55+ RV resorts and a 55+ community here in Oregon I have come to realize that it does take a village to remain secure in our old age.

In Arizona where we spend our winters, we have a gated entry and a fence that surrounds the property. We know people that need watching and are very aware of what is going on. For those people that can wander occasionally, the village provides some security. But we only have a handful that have remained when that time came. It is a vacation spot boomers mostly.

But here in Oregon, the houses are set on a round street with some along the edge and some in the middle. A small gazebo is our public "park" of sorts. We do have some very elderly people in our neighborhood right now and several have left within the last year. We are a village where those of us that are younger watch out for those that are older.

My neighbor knows about everyone and we depend on her for a detailed description of the ails and woes. I see it as a good thing because I do not want to go door to door to find out the news. She walks everyday and stops to visit with anyone that is outside. She is over 80.

But what about a community that only houses dementia patients? There has been one in Holland for many years. It has been dubbed "The Truman Story" village.

...[it] is [a] place with no locks at all, no gates or fences, in the land of smiles where demented are deposited by their European families, freely living in the moment until they take their last breath. (from a documentary called "The Unspooling Mind")

Since 2010 or maybe even before villages like this have been springing up around the world. The people that live there wander at will and remain safe. But, what if they could do that in a community of mixed age people?

In recent years, I read about a Japanese women that wandered throughout her village, entered shops and homes, sat in chairs and left when she was ready. Her daughter had tried to keep her locked in but it didn't work and upset the Alzheimer's patient beyond reason. The people in the businesses and the neighborhood were willing to let her wander and watched out for her when she was out of her daughter's sight.

Those of us in this neighborhood may come to that one day. I don't know. We do have a busy street nearby so that is a problem. And, I don't know about someone just opening my door and coming in. When I think of how that might be I don't know if I would be willing to do that. I suppose I would have to keep my house locked all of the time.

Thinking outside what is "normal" as we age is very interesting. Nursing homes are so expensive and the joke about the little old lady that decided to live on  a cruise ship instead of going to one is sounding more and more reasonable. It would cost just about half as much.

So, just think about it. What have you seen lately that is a new innovation for caring for our elderly? I am interested.

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Aging and Memory: On Drawing a Blank

Moonrise in Tucson, AZ

Honestly, every time I talk to an age mate the same thing comes up...they can't find their keys or don't remember the name of the person that fixed the plumbing 5 years ago. When they do that, the worry is that aging may be taking their minds away and the dreaded Alzheimers disease is looming on the horizon. It is very sad I think.

Most don't talk about what they remembered when they were 50. If they did, they would know that life and their mind was not perfect then either. My contention is that we should never worry about that sort of thing. If we are living life to the fullest, continuing to learn as we age and remaining socially active, what more do we need? It seems to me that a lot of our mind problems might be a self fulling prophecy. We all draw a blank once in a while. It is perfectly normal.

I have a friend that has gone to a specialist to be tested for her IQ and goes back every several years s. I just don't see any point in it.

Last winter when I arrived in the desert I was thrown into my snowbird world I had left behind six month before and names did not want to come out of the drawers in my mind. I could actually feel my brain trying pry the containers open. We all started saying "remember that guy, you know the one that cuts hair on that road?" Of course we would remember at some point in the night, generally about 3 AM. Because of shared experiences we could fill in the blanks. It got to be just hilarious. No really, it was funny!

But as time went by, the other part of our lives that happens in Arizona warmed up our minds and the drawers opened easier and easier. The fact is that in our work lives, we did not have two lives with two totally different set of friends and circumstances. We did not have to shift gears twice a year and expect our brains to hold all those names, places, etc.

So, when you draw a blank and cannot remember your own name, cut yourself some slack. You are probably okay. Life goes on and so will you. Worry about whether your favorite ball team will win or if hamburger is going to be on sale this week...now those are things worth stewing over.

Have a wonderful day.

Related articles

• What if you could avoid Alzheimers by cutting out dessert? The Daily Beast
• Retire with Like-minded People! Tucson AZ
• Am I Losing My Mind? Well kinda!
• Stages of Aging: From Neverland to Reality

A Must Read: The Little Old Lady Stays Put article on #Montessori for #Dementia

I want you to go visit The Little Old Lady Stays Put: Other Voices: Montessori for Dementia. LOL post quotes a letter written to a woman that is living with a husband that is suffering from the early stages of dementia citing a program that uses Montessori for Dementia patients. 

Montessori teaching methods was developed by Italian Maria Montessori in 1900 and is an education method based on the principle that children can teach and guide themselves to learn if they are given manipulatives that provide a pathway leading to the knowledge they need to acquire. This type of education has been used widely in recent years and students are receiving a wonderful education while being both physically and intellectually involved.

As I understand the program as it is applied in the case of dementia, the key is to provide physical clues that assist the patient complete tasks and games thus helping them retain and relearn skills they have had in the past.


 In an article written for Human Kinetics they had this to say about dementia patients:

The most important message is that people with dementia are still people—there is a person behind the dementia.... People with dementia need an environment that places the information they need into the environment (such as directional signs, information about when loved ones will visit, templates that provide directions to help them complete an activity and reminders about things they need to do). When you take this supportive environment into consideration, and create a world where they have roles, routines, and activities that are created at their level of ability and suited to their needs and interests, you find a normal person who wants to be engaged in life. Always remember that a person with dementia is a person with a past, a present, and a future. The challenge is to create a purposeful, meaningful world where the person with dementia can enjoy each day with dignity and hope for a better tomorrow.

I know that as we age dementia or Alzheimer is a worry that lingers in the back of our minds...the thought that we or someone we know may suffer from memory problems and emotional disabilities is just unthinkable.  But it does happen.  You know that I think you need to be armed with the best information possible.  Here is just one piece of the puzzle.

The person that wrote the letter to The Little Old Lady is a Canadian educator working for DementiAbility Enterprises Inc.  Take a look at the article and then look at the articles on Montessori for Dementia in the Google search.


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