Not Just Your Run of The Mill Resolution

By: Michelle Remold

With the start of a new year just around the corner everyone is coming up with new resolutions for the year. For some, these resolutions include things such as losing weight, walking more, not eating out as much or just all around being healthier.  While these are good resolutions, why not make Alzheimer’s or dementia the focus of just one of your resolutions? There are many ways to do this.

Learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia. Expanding one’s knowledge isn’t a bad thing. Learn more about these diseases or just even take a look at the statistics. Each person who learns about Alzheimer’s and dementia is another person who can help spread awareness and who can share information on these diseases. I like to read personal stories about people who have been affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia, it helps to give me a feel for how each diagnosis is truly different.

Volunteer with people who have Alzheimer’s or dementia. Skilled nursing facilities love volunteers. You can volunteer to do a variety of things. Help with activities on a dementia care wing, help bring residents to activities, be a companion to someone with dementia or their caregiver; there are so many possibilities, it just takes time to find them and one that would interest you and fit your skills.

Learn how to interact with those with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Much of this will come from experience, but once you learn how to interact, it doesn’t go away. I think that in learning how to interact with two grandparents with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and the residents where they, lived has taught me to be a more compassionate and more patient person in general. You never know what you might learn.

Each of these ideas can be rewarding and help expand one’s knowledge of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Whatever your resolutions are for this year, I wish everyone the best of luck and a great 2014.

Michelle graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with her Bachelor of Arts in Gerontology: Social Sciences and a minor in Family Studies. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Aging Studies and Nursing Home Administration from Minnesota State University Mankato.