more comfortable. The "go along, get along" method is much more pleasant (even though it can cause a bit of distress amongst family members who don't want to deal with that particular type of "long goodbye&quot .

Until there's a cure, that's the way to go, even if you have the patient in an in-home setting, IMO. This village in Holland is several years old, they've exported the concept to Switzerland and Germany and elsewhere.

Article from a few years ago about the place -- w/pics:

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/aug/27/dementia-village-residents-have-fun

I have one friend dealing with dementia in someone she cares about, and she has the hardest time understanding why it is NOT in that person's best interests to challenge the reality she experiences. Don't know if I finally got through to her, or she just stopped talking to me about it.

there is a caregiver and the parent thinks the caregiver lives in the house and the child is the guest of the caregiver! It's got to be tough on the child, but that particular reality works well and keeps the parent calm.

This is a great concept; I wish we had some thing like this here. What harm is there in letting an old man thinking his world view is correct.

And who knows, maybe some day, medial science will be advanced enough that if some one is diagnosed Republican, they can be gently taken a way to a wonderful facility where they are loving cared for and they talk all about lowering taxes for the rich and how great job creators are.

And at only $8,000/year, it would be cheaper to keep them in the facility than to allow them to run amok in society.

depending of course on the situation not being dangerous or threatening to the person.
My step-mother who had dementia used to talk to me and tell me things about her recent life which I knew were untrue. I just listened and asked questions as if what she was saying were true. So we had a pleasant conversation. And what difference does it make if her facts were true or false?

My father was really bothered by that. He would always correct her, "No no Louise, we moved here in 1972, not 1990. don't you remember. I told you that before."

on and on, and both she and he would get upset.

Guess we won't be seeing this in the US, in that case.

. . . .



While other countries in Europe are trying (and in one case in England, failed) to create similar situations, the costs are prohibitive. In the United States, the cost of a private room in a facility costs more than $90,000 per year. Not to mention, we do not have socialized medicine. Dementia professionals are also not completely sold on the idea of creating what is like a “Truman Show” type of existence, with some considering this “dementia village” a form of lying to residents.

Van Amerongen disagrees.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/dutch-village-lets-dementia-patients-live-in-their-reality.html#ixzz3L34r52Fp

and Alzheimers someday, I get to live my last days in a place like this. One that is considerate of where my memories take me.

we find a way to heal these dreadful diseases)