Don't Let Those With Dementia Watch the News!

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Tue, October 23, 2007

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I live in Southern California, so I have been obsessively watching the news about all the terrible fires we are having - showing on every channel. I am not in danger (yet), but the smoke is so bad I can't even open a window, and I am glad I don't have to go anywhere. I have been worried ...

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Chris B.

10/26/07 12:33pm

I do strongly agree with you on this. Mom has been living with us for 5 months now. At first, the news programs on TV seemed to be a decent diversion. The stories were short and easy to follow as opposed to a movie or even a sit-com. But I began to see the same behavior as you. Mom is fearful of many things and it seemed that some of the news stories added to those fears. I do however rely on TV to occupy her, I am sorry to admit. I just can't sit and converse with her ALL day. Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune are OK, but we have recently discovered that the Food Channel is excellent for her. Maybe because she used to like to cook, but I think that it really works because the TV cooks look right into the camera and talk to the viewer as they would talk to a friend. It's really engaging instead of passive. I recommend any of the programs in which the cooks do this!

Jacqueline Marcell

10/26/07 5:04pm

Hey Chris, great idea. I wish all the cooking shows had been on when I was taking care of my mom--she loved cooking too. I used "The Golden Girls" a lot.

I also got subsciptions to the gossip mags (lots of pictures) and my parents would look through them over and over and report all the Hollywood news. Then Dad would give me advice based on what he read in the rags!

I also got Netflix, which was great in always having a comedy to put on. And Dad always loved the Three Stooges, so that assured lots of giggles for him. He also loved the Space Program, so I had a nice collection of those that he'd watch again and again.

11/29/07 2:05pm

I wonder if most home health care agencies and assisted living facilities are aware of this. It would be interesting to find out. Any person who is either shopping for a home care agency or assisted living facility should inquire about this prior to signing on to have someone care for their parent.

I run a website called caregrade.com where people can write reviews on these businesses. It would be great if they could mention if the business they are writing about adheres to this practice.

3/25/08 6:56pm

We know about this too well. My father-in-law cannot watch anything stressful. Last time he watched Virginia Killing in April, 2007, he thought someone was going to come to kill him! He was so upset. So the caregiver took him out to the yard. He cannot watch anything strange or horrible. He has home care so they know too well. However, I am not sure about a nursing home. Would they care to help the elderly not to watch bad TV programs? I heard that the nursing home does not provide such personal service.

Maybe they should just show good programs on the TV in the common areas.

Nina

Don't Let Those With Dementia Watch the News!

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