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Date: 9/22/2021
HUNTINGTON – Council on Aging Coordinator Kathleen Peterson is hoping to increase services in the Hilltowns to people with memory problems and their families. On Sept. 15, 18 and 19, she offered training in Stanton Hall on how to become a “dementia friend.”
Peterson has also applied for a grant from Highland Valley Elder Services to start a Memory Cafe in Stanton Hall, as well as a second grant to pay for a caregiver support person five hours a week who would be responsible for organizing the Memory Cafe.
“The Hilltown Memory Cafe would be for anyone in any of the Hilltowns. There is one in Shelburne Falls once a month; my goal is once a week,” Peterson said. She said she envisions splitting Stanton Hall in half, with clients and volunteers in the front of the hall engaged in activities or entertainment. Caregivers and family members would gather in the back and would have the benefit of the caregiver support person, along with books and helpful information.
Peterson said they will need volunteers sitting with the people with dementia, who would have art supplies and other activities to entertain them. She said all volunteers for the town must pass a criminal records check.
“Dementia Friends” is a global movement, developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, to help community members understand dementia, how it affects people, and how to make a difference in their lives. Peterson completed the training offered by the Jewish Family & Children’s Services (JF&CS). She also had personal experience helping to care for her mother-in-law with the disease for over 10 years.
The key messages in the program talk about how dementia is not a normal part of aging, and that not everyone who grows old will develop dementia. Dementia is caused by diseases in the brain, the most common being Alzheimer’s.
Dementia is not just about memory problems, the program teaches. It can also affect thinking, communication and the ability to do everyday tasks. It is possible to have a good quality of life with dementia. Symptoms may be milder for a long time, and people can feel joy, comfort and a sense of belonging with support.
The program discusses how there is more to people with dementia than the disease, and they are a valuable part of the community. The training shares insights from the point of view of people with dementia, and how they feel about the illness.
“Think of us as an individual, not just a care-recipient,” said one woman quoted in the JF&CS materials.
During the training, Peterson had participants write down one simple task they do every morning, including all of the steps involved in doing that task. The exercise showed how difficult even a simple task can become for someone who is having gaps and forgetting steps.
“Everyday tasks make us appreciate how difficult it is for someone with dementia,” Peterson said.
She also gave recommendations on how to communicate with people with the disease, such as avoiding talking past the person as if he or she is not there; being aware of one’s tone of voice and communicating negative feelings, and to center oneself and be patient.
While she is waiting to hear about the grants, Peterson hopes to extend the dementia friend training to the National Honor Society at Gateway Regional High School, and to other groups in the community who may interact with people with dementia.
“It’s important to treat the person with dignity,” Peterson said.