Alzheimer's Blogging:

Have you ever wondered why your loved one gets aggravated in the middle of the afternoon.  I tried so hard to keep my father in law with a normal routine.  It is so hard to move into someones home and try to figure out there routine and keep things as normal for them as possible.  Like one of the  things I had to learn to  do was keep the drapes drawn.  I loved to have the sunshine pour into the rooms but my father in law didn't like that. I had to respect his way of living. As time went on and he became even more confused I had to use imagination to keep him occupied. I kept plastic dishes in the sink for him to wash, and towel in a basket for him to fold.

I was amazed to watch the dementia take over his mind and take his everyday personality away from him. He began to wonder and try to fix things. I had to try and keep him on some kind of schedule so that he knew what he was suppose to be doing and so I knew where he would be. I put him in a day care for four hours each day, just so I could relax. At first I put him in the day care thinking that he would make friends. After I found out that he wasn't making friends and trying to escape I found that the four hours in the day care gave me a break, one that I deeply needed.

Here is a site on Alzheimer's Weekly about agitation and the Alzheimer's Patient.
I hope this helps.
http://www.alzheimersweekly.com/content/agitation-alternative-treatments

Also check out my new ad on Alzheimer's Weekly Magazine:
http://www.alzheimersweekly.com/content/alzheimers-caretakers-journal

Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press An Imprint of James A Rock Pub., Co.
www.mariefostino.com
www.mariefostino.blogspot.com