Page 31 - Changes and Challenges
P. 31
Dementia
Changes and Challenges
makes it very easy to overeat. My partial solution to this is eating at set and
regular times. This works very well at home, but when I’m out it is rare that I
can eat at my regular time so I will often miss a meal under these
circumstances.
Itch.
Increasingly parts of the body are becoming itchier. Itching is not continuous
but seems to be more pronounced when there is a change of state or activity.
For example, after first rising my whole body begins to itch. This persists
though breakfast usually until I begin the day’s activities. Its timing is best
characterised by being present during period when there is little ‘mental’
engagement in a task and reduces when I become engaged in an activity.
Time.
Perception of the passage of time impacts on many diverse aspects both of
our physical being and our social interactions. For example, when interacting
with others, if our perception of time spent waiting is distorted it will intensify
our frustration and boredom.
Perceptions of the passage of time is a multi-edged sword for the following
reasons.
• Most people with Dementia are aware that it is a terminal disease,
and their time is limited. As such a few minutes ‘wasted’ waiting for
some else is a measurable amount of our remaining time on earth
gone with no return.
• Because we know we have impaired short-term memory, we realize
that we may forget the purpose of our waiting and become frustrated.
This is a real problem with conversations. When one person is
dominating a discussion, we may become agitated and frustrated
because we realize we will likely forget our contribution.
• We may have difficulty in planning and sequencing steps in a non-
trivial task. This may lead to delaying an activity, that could further
confuse the task.
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