"Sharing caregiver's experiences" – 21st January, 2012



The monthly caregiver's meeting was held on Saturday, 9th April, 2011 from
2.30P.M. – 4.00 P.M, at Memory Clinic, Ground floor, Millennium Block, NIMS.

This month's topic was "Sharing Caregivers Experiences". The audience comprised of family members of the patients, ARDSI volunteers and volunteers of other NGO.

The session was coordinated and organized by ARDSI Staff who explained about the importance of sharing one's experiences. The Staff interacted with the family members, caregivers and volunteers and encouraged them to share their experiences, problems, difficulties, and concerns.

While introducing themselves, many of the participants shared about the patients they were taking care of, their personal experiences and the problems and difficulties faced by them they were facing.

Mrs. Safiya (Psychologist and Co-coordinator, ARDSI Hyderabad Deccan) introduced the resource persons, Ms.Shobha Madhavarao and Ms.Preethi Bhanushali to the audience.

Mrs. Shobha, shared her experience as a caregiver whose husband (Late Madhavarao), a former Chief Engineer, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2002. After knowing and learning about the disease, she worked towards providing better care to her husband , which she eventually did for almost ten and half years. She explained about the behavior problems in the patient at various stages of the disease, such as hallucinations, blaming others and the inability to recognize the near and dear ones. (She told that at a later stage her husband even failed to recognize her and asked her if she would marry him). She emphasized that support and care should be given to the patient in the best way possible.

After Mrs.Shobha, Mrs.Preethi Bhanushali shared her experiences as a caregiver for her mother in-law. She emphasized that it is important to engage the patient in activities in which the patient is interested. She shared that her mother in-law enjoyed cooking and hence she made it a point to engage her mother in –law in cooking (Supervision is necessary). She further elaborated that the patients should be engaged in some activity or the other like singing, Rangoli Making, Embroidery, paints etc.Mrs. Preethi informed that at a particular stage her mother in-law even forgot that her husband had passed away and she would keep on insisting for him to be called for lunch or dinner, and how they suffered and managed.

A question and answer session followed.

 

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