Anyone else have the experience that they feel like they understand a lot of what their 'dementia sufferer' is trying to communicate, despite their not being able to say many words that make sense anymore?
I think my Mum thinks I make it all up, and sometimes I wonder if I do??
But on my visits with Dad we seem to communicate, I manage to make him laugh, I understand when he wants to get changed and i seem to know when he is coming down with something. I can work out why he is angry or at least do things that remove the anger. But am i just kidding myself?
I don't know, I'm not always right but I've been spot on so many times. The family keeps looking at me as if I am a nutter in denial that Dad has 'gone' however.
Another thing that i find hard is that I come home from a visit and want to tell my partner or whoever will listen all the things Dad and I did together, what he said, how he responded but as he doesn't 'talk' in words I can't tell people unless i resort to mimicking his facial expressions and movements, and then I look like I'm the one with dementia!! And i can't really explain even with these actions because part of the meaning comes from who he is.
Anyone else feel this way, have these problems?
I think my Mum thinks I make it all up, and sometimes I wonder if I do??
But on my visits with Dad we seem to communicate, I manage to make him laugh, I understand when he wants to get changed and i seem to know when he is coming down with something. I can work out why he is angry or at least do things that remove the anger. But am i just kidding myself?
I don't know, I'm not always right but I've been spot on so many times. The family keeps looking at me as if I am a nutter in denial that Dad has 'gone' however.
Another thing that i find hard is that I come home from a visit and want to tell my partner or whoever will listen all the things Dad and I did together, what he said, how he responded but as he doesn't 'talk' in words I can't tell people unless i resort to mimicking his facial expressions and movements, and then I look like I'm the one with dementia!! And i can't really explain even with these actions because part of the meaning comes from who he is.
Anyone else feel this way, have these problems?