Life story as a care aid.

[AliceA]

I found a form on a site that seemed to be a simple way of creating a life record rather than a heavy tome!
I started one sometime back but I want to do another as I feel it is a great aid to Carers understand the PWD. To see some as a person who was young and lived a life.

The form had 11 pages including spaces. I planned to open it on the laptop so I could customise it.
I thought the questions were grouped well.
Now I cannot find it on the iPad so cannot find the details.
I thought I would do one for each of us.
We have lived a very full life, so it needs to be concise.

If any one knows what I am talking about or has any ideas I would be grateful, I have found some but it would be more of an biography.

 

[nitram]

Can you do a global search for words or phrases that are more or less unique to the life record ?

Schools, areas, etc.

 

[Izzy]

This one has 16 pages but not sure if that's what you're looking for -

https://www.dementiauk.org/for-professionals/free-resources/life-story-work/

 

[Spamar]

There is a pamphlet called This is Me. Is that what you mean?
Personally, I wouldn’t include everything. OH never remembered lots of things, even before dementia. There’s other things he didn’t want to remember anyway. ( second marriage for both of us, fathers we didn’t get on with) But the basic outlines, yes. The problem is, things change, so have to allow for that.
On the whole it seems very few people read them! Which is a problem!

 

[Shedrech]

This is me link
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets/this-is-me

 

[AliceA]

This one has 16 pages but not sure if that's what you're looking for -

https://www.dementiauk.org/for-professionals/free-resources/life-story-work/

Thanks, I will look. X

 

[AliceA]

Can you do a global search for words or phrases that are more or less unique to the life record ?

Schools, areas, etc.

Nitram, my brain is addled today so everything I thought of was not quite right! I started to think of care for us both. Thank you for your suggestions. X

 

[AliceA]

This is me link
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets/this-is-me

Thanks for link, that is the sort of thing I had in mind. Just enough to spur on memories.

 

[AliceA]

There is a pamphlet called This is Me. Is that what you mean?
Personally, I wouldn’t include everything. OH never remembered lots of things, even before dementia. There’s other things he didn’t want to remember anyway. ( second marriage for both of us, fathers we didn’t get on with) But the basic outlines, yes. The problem is, things change, so have to allow for that.
On the whole it seems very few people read them! Which is a problem!

Hi, yes, I agree. I am mainly thinking of one with a list of places, people, pets, and jobs etc. Just as a skeleton for initiating conversation. An understanding of what he is referring to.
I was in hospital a couple of years back. Age meant I was put in the geriatric ward, hardly the most restful. One poor soul was very agitated. One night a young doctor, well everyone looks young to me, came around. He gently asked what did she do in the war. She said she was at Bletchley Park, he said can you tell me about that?
Mary snapped, of course not I signed the official secrets act.
Yes, I agree, it may not get read, to many mobile phones about. Perhaps I am doing it for me, I need to feel should I not be there there is a record.
I will keep the meds etc. separate as this needs to be constantly updated.
Thanks for your help.

 

[AliceA]

This one has 16 pages but not sure if that's what you're looking for -

https://www.dementiauk.org/for-professionals/free-resources/life-story-work/

While looking for notifications on the FB Support for Vascular Dementia. One came up as a saved linked!
It is a organisation specifically for Crisis Management and specialist dementia care; it is for social workers and Carers. www.crisisprevention.com/cpi/media/Media/specialities/dcs/life-story-questionnaire.pdf
Media is included twice.
I am trying to sort a little more support as I am on a radio therapy programme and it could be increased.
I do have a short term emergency care in place for an emergency. My health muddies the water a bit, my husband says too many birthdays are the problem! I just need things in place in case I am out of action.

Thank you everyone for your help. Such a blessing having you all in the background. X

 

[Izzy]

Well done and good luck!!

 

[Helly68]

We have used photos of my Mum, displayed prominently in her room, to try and tell a simple story that illustrates her life. So, pictures, including old ones, of family, friends, pets, homes and, as far as we can, pictures of Mummy recieving her degree, with work colleagues etc, reminding all the care workers that she had a life and achievements before dementia.
We chose the pictures as a family, with Mummy as far as she was able and I think they work pretty well and give her room a more personal feel.

 

[AliceA]

We have used photos of my Mum, displayed prominently in her room, to try and tell a simple story that illustrates her life. So, pictures, including old ones, of family, friends, pets, homes and, as far as we can, pictures of Mummy recieving her degree, with work colleagues etc, reminding all the care workers that she had a life and achievements before dementia.
We chose the pictures as a family, with Mummy as far as she was able and I think they work pretty well and give her room a more personal feel.

Yes, so important, in our case we are two at home together, muddling along. What I am doing is preparing as far as I can for an emergency as I am due for another treatment myself. Hopefully it will not be needed but it is a case of plan for the worst but hope for the best. I do feel that often people only see the condition so you are so right to personalise care as much as you can.

 

[AliceA]

While looking for notifications on the FB Support for Vascular Dementia. One came up as a saved linked!
It is a organisation specifically for Crisis Management and specialist dementia care; it is for social workers and Carers. www.crisisprevention.com/cpi/media/Media/specialities/dcs/life-story-questionnaire.pdf
Media is included twice.
I am trying to sort a little more support as I am on a radio therapy programme and it could be increased.
I do have a short term emergency care in place for an emergency. My health muddies the water a bit, my husband says too many birthdays are the problem! I just need things in place in case I am out of action.

Thank you everyone for your help. Such a blessing having you all in the background. X

Link does not work, I will recheck it but I did get it on laptop. X

 

[marionq]

Hi, yes, I agree. I am mainly thinking of one with a list of places, people, pets, and jobs etc. Just as a skeleton for initiating conversation. An understanding of what he is referring to.
I was in hospital a couple of years back. Age meant I was put in the geriatric ward, hardly the most restful. One poor soul was very agitated. One night a young doctor, well everyone looks young to me, came around. He gently asked what did she do in the war. She said she was at Bletchley Park, he said can you tell me about that?
Mary snapped, of course not I signed the official secrets act.
Yes, I agree, it may not get read, to many mobile phones about. Perhaps I am doing it for me, I need to feel should I not be there there is a record.
I will keep the meds etc. separate as this needs to be constantly updated.
Thanks for your help.

This reminds me of a 90 year old lady we met on the train going across Canada in 2010. She was travelling with her daughter and told us she had married a Canadian airman at the end of the war. Many years later they were all sitting at breakfast when she opened the mail and found that the War Office were now giving her permission to talk about the fact she had worked at Bletchley Park. She asked her husband if he would like to know what she had done in the war. "No". So she never did tell him but her daughter knew the whole story and they had a good laugh.

I wonder if he was afraid of being upstaged or just didn't care.

 

[AliceA]

This reminds me of a 90 year old lady we met on the train going across Canada in 2010. She was travelling with her daughter and told us she had married a Canadian airman at the end of the war. Many years later they were all sitting at breakfast when she opened the mail and found that the War Office were now giving her permission to talk about the fact she had worked at Bletchley Park. She asked her husband if he would like to know what she had done in the war. "No". So she never did tell him but her daughter knew the whole story and they had a good laugh.

I wonder if he was afraid of being upstaged or just didn't care.

Never underestimate a woman of any age!