Naming difficulties

[shelagh]

Whenever I have one of those 'No its all a mistake I haven't really got it moments' The thing that brings me back to reality is naming difficulties. It used to be something I was really proud of that I could remember people's names. After the first day of a new term I had all my new student's names permanently lodged. Now I find I can't leart new names. I know who people are, I can produce facts about them but somehow the names don't stick. It isn't one person it's everyone. It also works when I'm reading a new book, I have to keep a note book at hand to remind me who is who. Thank goodness I have always re-read over and over again so I have no trouble with familiar well loved books.
Does anyone have any tips?

 

[KenC]

Hi shelagh

I have that problem and it gets me down at times. I was told by my consultant, to look at the person or thing I was to remember and then think of something to tag on to there name, as a way of trying to remember what or who they are. Word association

This works fine most of the time, but there are times when I simply can not work out a nickname etc for these people.
Other times I can remember my nickname for them and not there real name, so that gets embarrassing on its own as some of the nicknames are unrepeatable without causing offence these days.
I do have many friends who play along with this at times, and make light of the situation, just as a distraction.
But yes it is upsetting

Ken

 

[danny]

Hi Shelagh,no tips I`m afraid.

I will ask at the CST group tomorrow to see if they have any.

Best wishes, Angela.

 

[Skye]

Dear Shelagh

Forgetting names was the first sign of a problem with John. It started off with names of people, then objects round the house. He could describe them, and draw them, but not name them.

I never found a solution, it was just a symptom of his particular form of dementia. Usually I could follow what he was trying to say and help him out, so it wasn't too much of a problem. It must be so frustrating for you.

I'm sorry, I'm not much help, just wanted you to know I understand. Ken's method sounds worth a try.

Love,

 

[Helen33]

Dear Shelagh,

Alan also didn't know how to say names, including mine. I did make a board in the kitchen with photos on and names underneath which helped him for quite a while. I also made up a very small photo album with faces and names which I kept in the car so that it was available for when we visited anywhere and he didn't have access to the kitchen board

Love

 

[shelagh]

Thank you, Helen I like the book idea, I coud easily do that for Quaker Meeting on Sundays when it is really frustrating not to know names. I know my Quaker friends would give me photographs and it would help a lot.

 

[Helen33]

Morning Shelagh,

It helped to have really quite small pictures of just head and neck and in that way it means that you haven't got to flick through loads and loads of pages in order to find who you want
I think the pictures I made were about 2" x 2" because Alan's eyesight was good and that made them big enough.

Please let me know how you get on.

Love

 

[Padraig]

I've always been hopeless at remembering names. That is not just people's names. You can imagine how scary that can be when you had the years experience of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's. In recent years when I could not remember a name or item I feared the worst. But now I test myself and am reassured I'm not losing it. To recall a name I start with the alphabet and attach another letter to each first letter ie Ab Ac etc. People's names I wish to remember I relate to places or well known people. The first SW assigned to us some 15 years ago I had problems remembering his name. To-day I still know it:
Adrian Newton! 'Hadrian Wall' and the 'Apple that fell from the Tree'.

 

[danny]

Hi Shelagh,the group was cancelled this morning so I couldn`t ask them for any tips,will ask next week

 

[Sundance]

Hi Shelagh, no tips sorry. It's interesting to read about your experience with reading, over the Christmas period I was not sleeping very well so decided to read a book that my hubby had bought me last Christmas and it was like reading this book for the very first time, I could not recall any of what I know I had read before it's so frustrating. Hubby thinks it good (in a fun way) as he said he will be able to wrap it again this Christmas coming and I won't know...lol
I also have problems sometimes remembering peoples names, I have even forgotten my own name a few times which is embarassing as people in the village when they say hi tina and I am having one of my dull days as I call them, I am sure they think I am ignoring them. But I am not honest!
Have a good weekend x

 

[shelagh]

Hi Sundance, How well I know that don't remember my own name thing. Somebody rang me from the university asking if they could come and see me about a research project on dementia. When she asked me for my addreess I had to go and ask my husband what it was. I find the little blue cards from the Alzheimers Society useful when I'm out, especially on trains, I can ask the train manager for help and show him the card which makes it simple and people sitting around are none the wiser.