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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