ANGELS WATCHING OVER LYDIA

Long ago as an art teacher, I worked with gold, silver, precious and semi precious gems to create beautiful sculptures. A part of that time was devoted to watercolor and oil paintings. It was a romantic time of beautiful colors, powerful forms and an undeniable sparkle that was captivating to the spirit. I consider the victims of Alzheimer's disease as our Creator's most precious jewels and attractive paintings. We are heading into a creative direction. You noticed. Good for you. Throughout this book, you will find out how to have your patient shine and learn to paint a picture of beauty through one of the most feared diseases society has witnessed in modern times. You can be instrumental in polishing and restoring some of the luster that once was so prominent back into your patient's life. I view Alzheimer's disease as an opportunity to present an attractive new daily painting, which under first-class leadership will excel beyond any preconceived ideas you have had of Alzheimer's patients. My mother-in-law's poem is a complimentary endorsement covering a concept our family embraces. Dear God By Shirley C. Hayden In the morning when I wake up I clasp my hands and pray To thank You that You've given me A new unblemished day That I can fill with anything And everything I choose. It's new; it's clean and waiting here, And it's all mine to use! Shall I toss in bright bits of joy? A song of praise or two? Or will I paint in splotches Of angry, darker hue? Dear Lord, please guide me and my brush Help me paint my scene, and then, Give me a brand new canvas To do better on. © One note of interest, Mom Hayden was ninety when she wrote the above poem and is still writing and publishing her work at ninety-three. We accept the premise that each day is an invitation to an invigorating new start and that we are the ones in charge of the emotional direction it will take. In the early morning hours, the canvas for the day starts out blank. As the day progresses there is potential for a display of memories, splendid enough to remember or dreadful enough to forget. Having an art background is hazardous to conformity. I consider our Alzheimer's patients as more valuable than gold, silver or any of the precious gems I ever worked with during my career. Your patient in need is waiting for your motivation to shine. When we view some artist's paintings or sculptures in progress, the rationale of their intent is questionable until the work is finished. Even though there are rough edges to contend with, my delight is picturing the true jewels of creation in the most brilliant illumination possible. Unless you become more discerning, the nonsensical behavior of Alzheimer's patients will trap you into an unforgiving and jaded perception of the adult you call your parent. Beyond any doubt, their current conduct has become a life form unto itself. Communications are vague and unclear, but think about it, before the strokes of genius are applied, the canvas an artist paints on is vague and unclear, and remains that way until the product is finished. We preferred to create an extraordinary day as we moved along the Alzheimer's path. If our preference is enticing to you then find your Vincent Van Gogh hat and smock. Grab your paintbrushes, a paint pallet filled with an array of fresh expectations not tarnished by yesterday's failures and we shall proceed on the canvas of a fresh new day. I think you will find it a rewarding expedition not often included within the care-giving itinerary. Your new hat covers a mind-set readied for patience. Your new smock surrounds any perceived infraction from your patient with love. Of course, your new paintbrushes are the verbal and mental skills especially tailored to portray your patient in a brighter light to others and yourself. Learn the skills well so that each day becomes the fresh canvas upon which you will capture a special memory. My desire is that you view your patient in the same bright light we focused on to introduce joy into our mother's life. After you review Lydia's story and start with your new daily exercises, others will wonder what you are doing when you use our suggested skills. You will be encouraged to break away from unadventurous methods of Alzheimer's care. In doing so, you will bewilder the die-hard believers that the conventional methods of clinical recommendations are written in stone. Included in this work are the murky colors of the day, which we avoided. You will discover that intense emotions, surface information and constant correction are of little value. The benefits of down to earth involvement with your charge are worth your effort to throw out the nonsense and make some simple and appropriate changes. You say, “I cannot paint.” (Change some of your preconceived ideas.) Did you ever refinish a table or chair in your home? You covered the ugly piece of furniture and restored its hidden beauty and charm. By making the object attractive, you granted others the luxury of enjoying the article. People think of Alzheimer's with rancor and mistakenly view the victim as disposable. By using the same energy exerted in restoring an old piece of furniture, renewing the concealed value underneath the veneer of dementia is just as exciting. Then you say, “I flunked art class.” (There are no grades given in this course.) With proper tools, you will be able to grade intelligently your own achievements; there will be many. Even when you fail, the opportunity to start over is available and self-criticism is a waste of your precious time. The patients oscillate around a plethora of disconnects, so when you find yourself falling backwards because you do not understand their language just a hug and acceptance becomes effective medicine. You continue to lament, I do not know the first thing about perspective.” (Gaining a new perspective working with your loved one develops into personified freedom.) It is worth your time. I will take you through the doors of the care facility later in the book, and we will deal with the light and darkness of the lock down, and how the material contained within this work applies when necessary. For now, I will make some comparisons between the computer and our patient's brain.