Sadly, it can become easy to write off Alzheimer’s and dementia patients as having little potential, relegated to a life of sitting around and occasionally being entertained. South Mountain Memory Care, a memory care community serving Allentown and the surrounding Lehigh Valley, PA, knows that such a characterization is far from true. Alzheimer’s and dementia patients often can learn new skills and information for a meaningful quality of life. Dementia does not mean that the person can no longer take part in favorite activities or learn new things.
What makes it possible for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients to learn new things?
Dementia primarily affects episodic memory, which is the ability to remember personal experiences and events, including times, locations, and other details. Episodic memory plays an important part in your self-identity. The loss of these memories can lead to identity issues and the frustrations that attend a loss of sense of self.
Procedural memory is an unconscious storehouse of skills and tasks that, through repetition, can be performed without much conscious effort. In a sense, they are hidden behind the wall of mental effort that involves facts and other “forgettable” data. It is by training the procedural memory that dementia sufferers may learn new things or relearn old tasks that many of us take for granted.
What techniques can be used to help Alzheimer’s and dementia patients learn new things?
One technique that has been studied is errorless learning. Errorless learning (EL) teaches tasks by breaking complex procedures into smaller steps that require less cognitive energy. Because we tend to remember errors more readily than positive results, this instruction takes place in an environment where errors are unlikely and positive reinforcement is immediate. Also, the learners may not be able to distinguish the difference between errors and success, and will indiscriminately store the errors in their brain. The practice is more complex than that, but it has proven to aid in the rehabilitation of dementia patients.
Repetition and daily routines help imprint correct steps on the brain. An example would be placing adhesive footprints and signs on the floor, elevator buttons, etc., to guide a patient from their room to the recreation area. Success is achieved when the hints and cues are removed and the patient follows the route without help.
Successful case studies give us confidence that dementia and Alzheimer’s patients can be taught new (or old) tricks and continue to enjoy life as much as possible!
Whatever the cause or level of your or your loved one’s memory issues, South Mountain Memory Care, with our unique culture, “small house” model, and abundance of certified caregivers, offers you the peace of mind of knowing your loved one will be cared for as if they were our family—which they are!
South Mountain Memory Care is committed to providing individualized, compassionate care to support our residents in achieving a well-balanced lifestyle. We strive to allow our residents to remain independent while emphasizing safety. Our focus is to enrich their life—mind, body, and spirit—by bringing new initiatives into their day-to-day regimen while maintaining the activities they find comfort in. South Mountain Memory Care offers the peace of mind you deserve. When it comes to those you care so deeply about, we understand because we care, too.