I’ve just had the most almighty shock to my system… I was sitting at the computer engrossed in typing and completely unaware that my son-in-law was standing directly behind me waiting for me to finish what I was typing so that he could say he was of to work, and then as I eased back in my chair to check what I’d written I suddenly (out of the corner of my eye) caught sight of his posture standing extremely quietly with arms crossed… at which point my skeletal body almost jumped out of its wrinkled skin ‘so much so’ that I slipped out of my chair onto the floor clutching my chest with my heart rapidly pounding, shaking in anxiety and sweating profusely… which then caused me to lose my temper and harshly telling him not to creep up on me in that way.
I realize that all the family think that by being so quiet in this way that their helping me, which is great… but then it can also have an extremely adverse effect on a person with dementia (this being a prime example)
People have to understand and must remember that it’s not just ‘LOUD’ noises that make us excessively jump… as it can also happen from (SILENT behaviour) as in my own case, and I’ve told the family “again” that it would be less of a shock to my system if they were to at least fake a soft cough… or just stand where I can clearly see them so that I know they want my attention… after the event of this I had to go and lay down to recover!
So please, please do not creep up on a person with our illness…
I realize that all the family think that by being so quiet in this way that their helping me, which is great… but then it can also have an extremely adverse effect on a person with dementia (this being a prime example)
People have to understand and must remember that it’s not just ‘LOUD’ noises that make us excessively jump… as it can also happen from (SILENT behaviour) as in my own case, and I’ve told the family “again” that it would be less of a shock to my system if they were to at least fake a soft cough… or just stand where I can clearly see them so that I know they want my attention… after the event of this I had to go and lay down to recover!
So please, please do not creep up on a person with our illness…
