Dealing with dementia positively through Dementia Reach Out Programs, Ballito – Part 2

Every three seconds, someone somewhere in the world is diagnosed with dementia, equating to 1200 people an hour.

This alarming statistic called for the need to take a deeper look at understanding dementia in this second article of a three-part series with the help of Ballito based NPO Dementia Reach Out Programs (DROP) co-founders Ross and Sharyn McCarthy.

“Dementia, which is the umbrella term for all types of dementia and alzheimers, is not a normal part of ageing – it is a progressive cognitive syndrome caused by a variety of brain illnesses severely affecting memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform normal everyday activities,” said Ross, who together with his wife were driven to invest in the topic after Sharyn’s mom was diagnosed with the illness.

“Dementia does not discern by culture, wealth, age, education or any other social norm. It causes massive embarrassment, denial, stigma and guilt associations – it isn’t fun to talk about or deal with; and often ravages families emotionally, socially and financially.”

To learn to cope with a family member with dementia, the couple were professionally trained as dementia support coaches in the dementia management method, SPECAL, an acronym for Specialised Early Care for Alzheimers but is used to positively help manage all forms of dementia.

Challenging the fear of forgetting through Dementia Reach Out Programs, Ballito – Part 1

He said the UK developed method explains dementia from the point of view of the person with the condition, using a metaphorical analogy of a photograph album called the SPECAL Photograph Album. It explains:

1. How normal memory works;
2. What happens to us as we grow older and
3. What occurs with the onset of dementia.

“Think of our memory system as a photograph album. Each of our individual memories are recorded and stored as photographs in our album. Photographs are arriving all the time with information about what we have just done and how we felt about it?

“With the onset of dementia the person may not be recording or retaining all of their photographs but are left with the feelings of what has just happened in their life, and consequently may not be able to make sense of their current situation.”

Ross expressed that while there are no silver-bullets nor magic solutions, understanding this, and equipping yourself with positive well-being focused tools and techniques are an important starting point to being able to move past the emotional desperation the illness usually creates into a more objective, practical and dignified space of improved well-being for all.

“This also offers an alternative to medication as perhaps the primary source of treatment as it allows you to work with the person’s illness in a highly positive and personal manner.”

Positive gestures like a genuine smile, sincere body language and trying not to contradict are important tools when dealing with someone with dementia, especially when they are not making sense.

“When you react sincerely and go with the flow, it goes a long way to giving them a sense of trust that everything is or will be ok.”

Read more at www.drop.org.za or contact them at info@drop.org.za for a confidential conversation.

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