Now that my husband is VERY confused, he needs to be accompanied everywhere , especially in public places. He has actually become afraid of crowds. (For a while it helped him if I wore a brightly coloured hat, but now he can't even remember that.)
Like many carers of partners, I'm no longer agile and fit, so I can't scurry around fast if he should get out of sight.
I woke from a nightmare in which he had disappeared. Part of it was dealing with people who couldn't even understand my worry, and another part in which I was faced with running down an endless flight of steps and returning back up them in an effort to find him. What a warning!
Brightly coloured clothes seem a good idea....but often, after several changes of clothes throughout the day, I can't even remember what colours he's wearing. And, like so many older gentlemen, he doesn't much like dressing in bright colours. But I have realised that I should always memorise exactly what he's wearing, just in case.
On an earlier thread, someone mentioned coloured wristbands to identify a Dementia suffereer. There's a scheme called Purple Angel, which operates successfully in at least one hospital, Torbay. Their wristbands, or something similar, could be adopted to use outside hospitals. Some people thought it was a good idea, while others thought that identifying someone's Dementia was demeaning, and could even make the person vulnerable.
I think in Britain, we have something similar, and the logo is a FORGET ME NOT. does anyone know anything about it? And do they have wristbands, for instance?
My husband carried a card in his wallet, giving information about his having Dementia, and with details about who to contact if necessary. He lost it in a public place, and we never saw it again.
Personally, I would like to see a recognisable wristband for those who wanted to wear them, and an education programme for the public, so that more people would be understood and helped.
I suppose it depends on whether we think more people would help, or whether more would take advantage of a Dementia sufferer's vulnerability.
Meanwhile, for us, it's back to the card in the walket, and brightly coloured hats this winter!
Has anyone else got ideas about this?
Like many carers of partners, I'm no longer agile and fit, so I can't scurry around fast if he should get out of sight.
I woke from a nightmare in which he had disappeared. Part of it was dealing with people who couldn't even understand my worry, and another part in which I was faced with running down an endless flight of steps and returning back up them in an effort to find him. What a warning!
Brightly coloured clothes seem a good idea....but often, after several changes of clothes throughout the day, I can't even remember what colours he's wearing. And, like so many older gentlemen, he doesn't much like dressing in bright colours. But I have realised that I should always memorise exactly what he's wearing, just in case.
On an earlier thread, someone mentioned coloured wristbands to identify a Dementia suffereer. There's a scheme called Purple Angel, which operates successfully in at least one hospital, Torbay. Their wristbands, or something similar, could be adopted to use outside hospitals. Some people thought it was a good idea, while others thought that identifying someone's Dementia was demeaning, and could even make the person vulnerable.
I think in Britain, we have something similar, and the logo is a FORGET ME NOT. does anyone know anything about it? And do they have wristbands, for instance?
My husband carried a card in his wallet, giving information about his having Dementia, and with details about who to contact if necessary. He lost it in a public place, and we never saw it again.
Personally, I would like to see a recognisable wristband for those who wanted to wear them, and an education programme for the public, so that more people would be understood and helped.
I suppose it depends on whether we think more people would help, or whether more would take advantage of a Dementia sufferer's vulnerability.
Meanwhile, for us, it's back to the card in the walket, and brightly coloured hats this winter!
Has anyone else got ideas about this?