A Song That Captures the Experience of Aging
“I don’t move as good as I used to.
Some days it takes me a minute or two.
But the world keeps turnin’
Like it’s meant to do.”
— Another Day Old
Eddie Dalton
A family member shared this wonderful song with me recently, by blues singer Eddie Dalton. Filled with wisdom and wonderful electric guitar accompaniment, this song captures feelings that are not possible to communicate with words only. For me it conjured a glimpse of what we witness every day as the caregivers of frail elders.
Understanding the World of Aging and Brain Change
Old age has been said to be like living in another country where a different language is spoken and the environment is unfamiliar. For those also living with brain change, it is more like living on another planet. And so as caregivers we are charged with the duty of approaching our daily tasks in such a way that our residents can feel at home; where we speak their language and create an environment that feels familiar.
Speaking Their Language, Creating Familiarity
Speaking their language may mean helping a resident with aphasia to find her words and give her time to respond. Creating an environment that feels familiar may include playing music of their choice, placing beloved photos around, and wearing a favorite sweater. This is done while being mindful of that person’s unique history and identity.
Personalized Care and Daily Connection
Knowing an elder’s preferred way of taking their tea or coffee, favorite foods, hobbies and interests is essential. Applying that knowledge in our daily routine fosters a positive rapport and puts them at ease. It can also help with transitions during the day when residents may feel anxious. For example, when returning from an appointment or outing, the change in place may be confusing at first. Offering their favorite beverage shows the resident is in a place where they are known and the people helping them care enough to offer their favorite.
We have a routine with one of our residents to make English breakfast tea with milk in her special cup when she returns from her appointments. It helps her to feel welcomed back and part of our community. I am also reminded of a resident who recently passed away at the age of 99, who liked Cosmopolitans. In the late afternoons, at change of shift, she showed signs of anxiety, and so making that favorite drink as a mocktail was a simple act that showed that we knew her, liked her, and cared about her. (See recipe below). We served her Cosmo in a martini glass and she always asked us to join her but cautioned that we should not drive!
Creating Comfort in an Imperfect World
While we cannot create the perfect world for loved ones living with brain change, we can create feelings of belonging and comfort. The effort may seem overwhelming but as Eddie Dalton says in his soulful song, “time don’t stop and it don’t rewind, but around every corner there’s something to find.” Let’s find what makes the elders in our care feel good in the moments that we create for them.
Listen to the Song
Want to hear the song? I recommend it!
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=XpGrqcy98o8&si=ozGNx_gUCOTrH7su
Cosmopolitan Mocktail Recipe
Cosmopolitan Mocktail recipe:
Cosmopolitan Mocktail -2 Non Alcoholic Versions- Entirely Elizabeth
Emerging Research on Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
Recent research on standardized diagnostics using eye exams to diagnose Alzheimer’s:
Vision test may offer early lens to dementia