rummy said:
Hi Neil,
It was good to get your post and your perspective. I know AD is difficult to diagnose and that there probably isn't any good way to tell the person that has it or their loved ones.
When we took my Mom in to be evaluated, my Dad was in denial and soft peddled her symptoms and I'm the one that laid it all out for the doctor. Probably the first doctor was being very delicate and the second was more matter of fact.
I acknowledge that they don't have an easy task. (That is probably why we were told to bring more than one person for their different observations!)
It sounds like you are really trying to reach beyond the diagnosis and treat the whole person. That is rather rare and I would say that you are involved in your "calling" more than it just being a job. What a blessing to your patients and their families.
Best wishes to you and I look forward to reading more of you insights.
Rummy (Debbie)
Many thanks for those words - very much appreciated.
As to my job - here's what's happening currently, to give you some idea...
As part of my training, I am currently working with a Community Psychosis service, and one day per week I work with the Older Person's Community Mental Health Team.
In October, I spend six months on a 'Functional' ward for the elderly... that's an over 65's service for people with Depression/Schizophrenia etc. - I am really looking forward to that, as I requested to go on there quite a while back, and the folk at University accepted the request.
Re: Dementia care? Well, that's an area of interest (obviously lol, or I wouldn't be posting here) - once qualified, I'll have to see what's available...
Hopefully it will be working with an Older Person's service - I'm not specifically relating Dementia to Old Age here, yet the ward I was on previously (Dementia Assessment Unit) was mainly Older People... the youngest lady I remember being on there was in her 50s - the rest being 65+
I do try and see the 'whole person' - it's what Nursing is geared to nowadays I'm glad to say - we're taught about that at University, so hopefully we future professionals will remember that...
That's something I've always done though... I see people as having a history, a life, stories to tell, good and bad things to share... sorry if this sounds a little o.t.t. but I'm a bit of a chatterbox, and love a good conversation - always have... and communication is THE most important part of any relationship (always ensuring that listening is important/more important than having your say).
I'll leave it at that for now - I don't want to 'change the subject' of this thread - just to give you a wee bit more info about myself.
N.