“Deborah
Forrest was born in Maryville, Tennessee to older parents. Her early years were
shaped by an extended family of white-headed elders who were fond of imparting
choice words of wisdom gleaned from their own lives in the late 19th and early
20th centuries. For twenty-four years Deborah worked as a Registered Nurse and
a biomedical laser researcher. In 1995 she completed her doctoral degree in
clinical health psychology and began working in the fields of aging and
spirituality. In 2002 her ground-breaking book "Symphony of Spirits:
Encounters with the Spiritual Dimensions of Alzheimer's” became an
international best seller. Her newly released book "Touch the Spirit:
Connecting to the Inner World of Dementia" details many new ways to open a
window into the memory banks of a person with dementia. She moves beyond
discussions about dementia of the Alzheimer's type to include stories of
persons with dementias created by other conditions like Pick's disease,
Fronto-temporal lobe disease, Lewy Bodies disease, Vascular disease/Strokes,
Parkinson's disease, Huntington disease, Traumatic Brain injuries/Shaken Brain
Syndrome/CTE, HIV/AIDS, "Chemo-brain", Open-Heart Surgery induced
dementia and Sports-Related brain injuries.”
“Touch
the Spirit” is a very straightforward book written for people like me who never
sought nor attained a medical degree, yet either want or need to know about
Alzheimer’s. The writing is clear, to the point, easy to understand, and
sometimes even appropriately humorous. Though the book thoroughly covers
Alzheimer’s, it also contains advice for caregivers (the unsung heroes) and
family members; realistic advice, not pie in the sky perfect world suggestions.
Deborah shares with readers that it’s okay to cry – we don’t have to stay
strong twenty-four hours a day, and fear, tension and guilt can sometimes be
relieved with a little “retail therapy,” aka – shopping. And chocolate; never
underestimate the power of chocolate.
Though
I opted to add a touch of lightness to a dark subject, that really is one of
Deborah’s points; that it’s okay not to dwell in the darkness cast by
Alzheimer’s. “Touch the Spirit” is a marvelous book, covering every aspect of a
condition we all know the name of, but still may not know much about until it’s
too late and one of our loved ones is diagnosed with it. Whether the reader
seeks information, knowledge, assistance, or hope, “Touch the Spirit” is a book
we should all read, if not for ourselves, then for those we love.
Q)
Can we become overprotective to the point of inhibiting progress, and how do we
know when we
are?
A)
Yes, it is possible to be overprotective IF the person who has been diagnosed
with a dementia condition is aware of his/her problems with memory loss, poor
judgment and/or behavioral changes. Talk with the person about your concerns
and work together to help the person with dementia maintain as much
independence and sense of self-control as is possible. IF the person has been
diagnosed with a progressive neurodegenerative dementia e.g. Alzheimer’s
disease or Lewy body disease then added protection is probably warranted. Many
of these individuals have no awareness that they are having any problems with
memory loss. They will deny that they have any problems at all. In every case of dementia, work with your
medical professionals to determine what level of care is warranted now and what
may be required in the future.
Q)
Many like to believe they can and will care for their loved ones to the end.
Sometimes that just isn’t possible. When should a person surrender that the
condition has become more than they can handle?
A)
There are many different situations that might trigger the need to make such a
decision. The more common ones will be (1) the caregiver’s own health is in
decline and she/he can no longer deliver the care that is needed (2) the level
of care that is required for the person with dementia is beyond the caregiver’s
ability to deliver it. Two or more people are required to help the caregiver
perform activities of daily living for the person with dementia. (3) the person
with dementia begins to display aggressive behaviors toward the caregiver (4)
the person with dementia does not sleep for three or more days and becomes
psychotic and agitated (5) the person with dementia develops repeated episodes
of fevers, urinary tract infections and/or pneumonia that require ongoing
hospitalizations with medical supervision. In all cases where surrendering dementia care
to others is warranted, the decision to make this change needs to be made by
the caregiver and her/his family members together.
Q)
What sparked your interest in helping people to cope with dementia?
A)
A number of years ago, I sustained a traumatic brain injury during a motor
vehicle accident. It produced many symptoms like those experienced by people
with dementia. As I began to study
these symptoms, I came to realize that I had personal and academic knowledge
and skills to share with dementia caregivers and many of those who are living
with a traumatic brain injury and/or shaken brain syndrome. Over the years, I
have collected stories from family members and caregivers about the challenges
and successes of caring for a person with dementia. Many of them allowed me to
share their stories. Eventually, I realized that helping people learn how to
cope with the challenges of dementia was the most important thing I could do.
Q)
There are hundreds of thousands of cases of people under 65 afflicted with
dementia. What signs should we watch for in, as an extreme example, children?
A)
In adults who develop dementia, the initial signs center around such things as
short-term memory loss, repeated episodes of confusion, or getting lost while
driving. The concern about the long-term cognitive problems and memory issues
in children is associated more often with sports-related concussions that occur
during games like football and soccer. The link between repeated concussions in
children and adults is complex. Research in this area is relatively new. These
researchers do emphasize the importance of giving a traumatic brain injury time
to heal. A Center for Sports Concussion Research and Service opened in May
2012. It is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and
NFL Charities. For information about concussion testing in children visit www.concussion.psu.edu
.
Q)
How can art, a visual medium, stimulate an open channel of contact?
A)
As a health care professional, my immediate thoughts go to the special cells in
the eyes that carry nerve impulses of images and colors to the occipital lobe
in the back of the brain. The shorter answer is that art can stimulate the
visual center of the brain where memories of things seen in the past are
stored. Viewing works of art can stimulate long lost memories in a person with
dementia. In some cases, an emotional response on the face of the person with
dementia can be seen. In a growing number of senior centers around the globe,
people with dementia are using various art mediums such as watercolors, acrylic
paints and oil paints to express themselves non-verbally with colors and
images. Many of these budding artists are shocked and pleased to see their own
creations and to learn they have a talent for art they never realized they had.
A)
Humor can be a valuable tool to use with persons who have dementia. “Humor
Therapy” helps them with their communication skills, their memory processes and
their recognition of family members. Don’t be afraid to use it where you can. Finally,
researchers have discovered that dancing is clearly the best method we have for
preventing dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.
DA Kentner is an
award-winning author www.kevad.net
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