As people age and begin to be affected by the problems of old age, family members and caregivers might be unprepared for what they are about to face. Yorkton Crossing Retirement Community has begun a series of seminars to discuss issues surrounding old age and caring for elderly people. The first concerned dementia, and some of the things that need to be kept in mind as someone cares for someone who has it.
The program is called Community Connections, and each month it will focus on a different aspect of care, though it will have a primary focus on memory care. Sandi Barrie, Resident Care Manager at Arbor Memory Care at Yorkton Crossing, says that they wanted reach out to the community and help people learn more.
“There are so many people with loved ones out there who have dementia, and they don’t have the skills to communicate with them. It’s just something we would like to offer the community.”
Part of the problem with dealing with dementia is that many people do not have any experience with dementia and some of the things they have to do when communicating with someone who has memory problems. The presentation had things like what to keep in mind when communicating, such as speaking clearly and not changing subjects frequently, as well as unexpected things to be aware of, such as how people with dementia often have a compromised sense of smell and won’t notice things other people do.
“There is so much lack of knowledge out there. When these kinds of diagnosis happen, especially if it’s a trauma from a car accident or an injury, and it’s a sudden thing, there is not a lot out there to tell you how to communicate with these people and learn the skills you need. It’s a whole different world.”
The opportunity to add a teaching component to the job is one of the reasons why Barrie decided to work at Yorkton Crossing, because she has a “passion for teaching” and a diverse background in memory care that she wanted to put to use to help the wider community.
For Barrie, getting education out to the community is important on a personal level as well. While a her background was in dementia care and education, she also had to experience it on a personal level, caring for her mother who suffered a stroke.
“I had been doing this kind of education for a long time and when it hits home and happens to your loved one, it’s a whole different story... That really showed me the importance of reaching out to others, who had been experiencing what I experienced.”
The next seminar will be on July 27, and will be focused on coping mechanisms for the caregiver.
