Story Comprehension
What does the father with dementia wear in the summer?
A scarf
Name 3 different examples of possible caregivers for someone with Dementia
Family members, friends, spouses, long-term care facilities, travel nurses, etc
True or False: Changes in Mood and Behaviour are a common symptom of dementia
True
What does "incentivize" mean?
Given a reward after doing something.
In what way does the narrator compare his family's life to a family huddled on a lifeboat?
He says "the stress of living among overlapping spheres of illness and wellness was turning them small and inward" page 63
What does the author say that his son has become accustomed to?
Affiliating with his grandfather's non-speaking presence
What are two possible physical effects of caregiving AND two psychological effects of caregiving?
Physical: Headaches, acid reflux, joint pain, high blood pressure, exhaustion, stress
Psychological: Anxiety, depression, guilt, loneliness, no longer having time for oneself, lack of self-care. lack of nurture in other relationships, lack of doing things that one enjoys
What is the most common type of Dementia?
Alzheimers
What is "filial caregiving"?
When the caregiver is a daughter or son.
What does the narrator mean when he compares hospital visits to a storm ward? Explain.
What was the show that the author's father watched? Why?
Blue Planet 2. It could hold his attention the way narrative film could not.
Should caregivers join support groups? Why/Why not?
Yes...
-It can make them feel less alone
-Can provide access to others going through the same thing (can help eachother/relate to eachother)
What lifestyle factor can help reduce your risk of developing dementia?
Physical activity/Exercise
What is "Delineated"
Assigning or Indicating an exact position of something.
How does the author compare his father's illness to the ocean?
"There could be flat days when the water smoothed every disturbance into a glassy plane. There could be stormless days when the water became a serene mirror [...] He was dying, he was living. We existed without solid shore in the great sea of the moment" Page 63
Why did the author compare chronic illness to climate change?
It toppled the ideas of ever getting to the "other side" or conquering it.
How can caregivers effectively communicate with patients who have dementia? Name at least 3 things and explain.
-Having a calm demeanor/Being Patient
-Talking at eye level
-Speaking Clearly (Short and concise sentences, using visual cues/aids like hand gestures or objects, no open ended questions)
-Validating feelings
-Reducing distractions
-Being aware of non-verbal cues (Body language)
-Using familiar people, places, concepts and keeping a routine
What type of memory do people suffering from dementia maintain?
Emotional Memory
What does "fallacious" mean?
Mistaken or false beliefs.
What does the narrator compare the father to when speaking about how they are both dying?
A Planet
What did the author's caregiving help him do research on? Why?
Climate change. It made him understand durational care and how to attend to alternative forms of time (slow, constant, and non-acute).
Gentle, patient, compassionate, empathetic, kind-hearted, good communicator, observant, reliable, adaptable/flexible, respectful, being present in the moment and having a good sense of humour.
How many stages does Dementia have?
3 (Early, Middle, Late)
What is a "harbinger"?
A person/thing that announces the approach of another thing.
What is the authour trying to express when he states that "the lessons of the oceans is that the tiny affects the vast"? Page 63
That dementia impacts all aspects of the father's life, from physical/emotional difficulties to everyday tasks like remembering names.