"Promoting skills to cope with Alzheimer’s is increasingly important", says nationally known Alzheimer's disease expert Teepa Snow. In this Q&A with the Sun Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, FL, Snow talks a bit about her Positive Approach method for both patients and their families to help them cope with Alzheimer's disease.
Snow explains that "people with Alzheimer’s are trying to deal with what they have lost. We need to take a step back and realize they aren’t crazy. Our job is to figure out the reason why they are doing what they do, then modify or change things to make the situation better."
Snow, also an occupational therapist, trainer, and educator, became interested in Alzheimer's after her grandmother was diagnosed with the disease, and says she has always been drawn to people with unique challenges, and finds joy with them.
When asked how it might be possible to associate a word like 'joy' with a devastating disease such as Alzheimer's, Snow said that the most important thing is to find a special moment with your patient or loved one and celebrate it.
Believing active social interaction with other people to be an important factor in improving brain health, Snows also adds that "nurturing something, like caring for animals or plants, seems (helpful)."
Read more: Learning to approach Alzheimer’s caregiving in a positive manner
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