Emotion: A Care Partnering Tool
Mal Allard LPN/Advocate, Specializing in Alzheimer Care

People with Alzheimer’s Disease [AD] do not think, understand, reason or rationalize the way that we do.

The reason for this is that they live in their very own world within their dementia.It is a very different world from the one that we live in each day.

Their world is a smaller place, and it is confusing, frustrating and frightening. Because of their short-term memory loss, each day forces them to venture yet again into the new and the unknown.

Once these two world’s “their’s and ours”, are understood, appreciated and accepted by the care partners of those with AD, then the communication difficulties will become significantly less. The challenging behaviors that are encountered will become significantly less. Interactions and communications will be more successful and positive. The quality of life will be markedly improved for everyone involved, when we learn to enter Their world and Their reality.

The goal of the care partner is to maintain the overall quality of life at the most optimal level, even, and especially, in conjunction with the degeneration of brain cells and the expected progression of the disease.

A very large portion of this can be achieved throughout the course of AD by consistently creating and encouraging Positive Emotion, and by purposefully avoiding all avoidable Negative Emotion.

An EMOTION is how we feel at any given moment and all sensory input and interaction create some kind of an EMOTION. Strive for EMOTIONAL well-being, which is to feel safe, wanted, loved, worthy and content.

Suggestions to promote positive feelings: smile, reassure, compliment, find a way to make a necessary “no” into a “yes” in their eyes, and learning to tell fiblets [little lies] is encouraged if it makes them feel safe, happy or content. Be conscious of your facial expression, body language and tone of voice. Make them feel special and make them feel useful; be appreciative of their efforts. 

Sensory awareness is so important and we have virtual control over the immediate environment.  Take note of their environment and what emotions that immediate space is creating. What do they see, hear, smell, taste and touch? Is their sensory input too stimulating causing anxiety, frustration and behaviors?  Or, are they lacking positive sensory stimulation causing boredom, behaviors, depression or withdrawal?

Although people with Alzheimer’s Disease do not remember the cause of the felt emotion, they DO retain the feeling that it created, both positive and negative.

Consider, Recognize and Utilize the EMOTIONS of Dementia as a most significant care partnering tool.

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Their Real World developed “A Sensory Experience” [sensitivity program] that places the participant in the shoes of those with Alzheimer’s Disease or a Related Dementia.  By placing the participant on an emotional roller coaster, they enter into the world of dementia [with respect as to how we can best perceive it to be].  The Sensory Experience creates new awareness of how it may feel to live with a dementia diagnosis. The goal is that each person grow in respect and compassion for all people who live with a dementia diagnosis, and that we help them to live a seemingly “normal” life within Their dementia.

You, too, can begin doing this by simply asking yourself “How would I feel to walk in their shoes?” and

“How do I want to be treated if I have Alzheimer’s Disease?”

For more information: Contact Mal Allard at: Mal@theirrealworld.com or telephone (978) 729-9198