I believe that one of our best gifts as massage therapists is for people living with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Touch is a powerful means of communication and reaching through the “fog” that dementia creates. I have seen first hand the transformation resulting from massage and focused touch. I’m constantly searching for resources related to best practices for dementia care and want to pass these wonderful resources along to you.
Naomi Feil, founder of the Validation Institute. Naomi says “Validation is a method of communicating with and helping disoriented very old people. It is a practical way of working that helps reduce stress, enhance dignity and increase happiness. Validation is built on an empathetic attitude and a holistic view of individuals. When one can “step into the shoes” of another human being and “see through their eyes,” one can step into the world of disoriented very old people and understand the meaning of their sometimes bizarre behavior.”
Teepa Snow is a dementia expert who trains and consults for healthcare professionals and families privately. As a certified Occupational Therapist, Teepa has the unique medical perspective on how the brain controls our body and our behaviors giving her the perfect medical degree to explain how a brain disease like dementia affects a person. Teepa Snow is a dementia expert who trains and consults for healthcare professionals and families privately.
Memory Bridge states it’s purpose as creating programs that connect people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to family, friends, and other people in their local community. They also create programs that reveal to the general public the depths of memory that dementia does not erase. Their goal is to create a global community of people who, like us, are learning to listen to people with dementia for what they have to teach us about our own humanity.
I hope you find these resources as inspiring as I have. We all can learn from and support one another in the journey of caring for our elders living with dementia.
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