June Caregivers Meeting
On the second Saturday of June (June 13, 2009), a caregivers’ meeting was conducted on the topic of ‘Activities for persons with Dementia’. The meeting was attended by 13 family members of persons with dementia, representatives from Aasara senior citizens forum and ‘Palliative care society’ of Hyderabad.
Dr. Vani Rupela gave a presentation on the importance of activities for persons with dementia. Other volunteers from ARDSI, Hyderabad Deccan also spoke about activities and how to select the activities. Practical examples were shared describing the different activities that can be done based on the hobbies of the person pre-morbidly; suitability for the person with Dementia (early vs. advanced stages). It was emphasized that different types of Dementia manifest differently, each individual is different and therefore activities have to be decided upon based on individual needs. Audio and video samples from some of our clients were played as examples for the caregivers. Sample books were distributed to audience and addresses of where such books can be bought were also provided. This was done to encourage caregivers to carry out activities for persons with dementia. ARDSI national office newsletters were also distributed among the audience.
All attendees gave a very positive response during the interactive session that ensued. Queries regarding stages of dementia, and activities were answered by ARDSI volunteers.
