I usually do this post on Thursdays, however, last week I was super busy and I have some ideas for this Thursday's post! I figured I would do it today instead.
Happy Monday! I genuinely am considering
doing a links + loves every Monday, it’s becoming a routine that I’m loving.
It’s so fun to share random things that I’m loving each week.
I am a huge Gilmore Girls fan, plus my mama is my best friend. Hence the
photo that I included for my cover photo. Below is my mom and I on our way to a
winery for Mother’s Day. I am so incredibly excited for Seasons to come out, I
guarantee you that I’m just going to order junk food and sit around with my mom
to watch it. While I wait, I’m going to obsess over these products from Etsy
from Gilmore Girls: 1, 2, 3,
4, 5.
I discovered this website a while ago while I was browsing
through Tumblr. Some posts make me laugh out loud, some really make me think
and some make me go WTF! It’s definitely worth it to check it out.
I
have been super into faux leather tote bags for the fall! This,
this
and this
are definitely on the top of my wish list; however, I’ll likely go for this
more cost efficient version from Old Navy.
I love my job,
working with seniors is my passion. I currently work as a 1:1 live-in support
worker, as well as an activity aide at a long-term care home. I have experience
working in retirement living, community care and a day program. No matter where
my career tries to take me, I always end up back in dementia care.
The Alzheimer
Society of Ontario describes dementia as:
Dementia is an overall term for a set of
symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain. Symptoms may include
memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language, severe
enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. A person
with dementia may also experience changes in mood or behaviour.
Dementia is progressive, which means the
symptoms will gradually get worse as more brain cells become damaged and
eventually die.
Dementia is not a specific disease. Many
diseases can cause dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia
(due to strokes), Lewy Body disease, head trauma, fronto-temporal dementia,
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. There
conditions can have similar and overlapping symptoms.
(Source; you can also donate to the Alzheimer
Society of Ontario by clicking here!)
In addition, the
Alzheimer Society has some extremelyinteresting statistics about
dementia care:
·Approximately
564 000 Canadians live with dementia
·Within
fifteen years, there is going to be a 66% increase of Canadians living with
dementia
·Over 65%
of the population with dementia are women over the age of 65.
·47.5 million
people live with dementia worldwide and annually, there are 7.7 million new
cases
·In 2011,
family caregivers provided 19.2 million hours of unpaid care
·Up to 75%
of family caregivers will develop a psychological illness; 15-32% of those will
suffer from depression
·Alzheimer's
disease is the most common cause of dementia; it contributes to approximately
60-70% of dementia cases
There are so many
different things that you learn working with people who have been diagnosed
with this disease, as well as when you work with their families.
Person-Centered Care is #1
Everyone that you
meet with dementia is so incredibly different, based on their diagnosis, the
current stage and their personal needs/concerns. For example, Sally may be
aggressive and outspoken whereas Helen is the kindest, most gentle lady. There
are so many factors that contribute to this, which is quite often referred to
as an individual’s biopsychosocial
needs. Biopsychosocial means of,relating to, or concerned with the
biological, psychological, and social aspects in contrast to the strictly
biomedical aspects of disease (source: Merriam-Webster dictionary).
Honestly, sometimes
I can catch myself generalizing people with a diagnosis but it’s so
important not to, because every single person is so different. One of the greatest
parts of the job is getting to know each individual for who they are and how
they became the person that they are today, not what their diagnosis is.
Debunk the Stigmas!
This video, as well as this Ted Talk, are excellent videos
that talk about the stigmatization toward dementia.
Kubler-Ross’s Five Stages of Grief is
a Real Thing
The five stages of
grief are: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
Personally, I have had so many instances in dementia care where this has become
a reality not only for the person with the diagnosis but their family as well.
Going back to person-centered care, it is extremely important to understand
that it's scary, overwhelming and difficult for an individual to accept that
they have dementia. It can also be even harder for their family. Family support
groups within the community are a fantastic resource, as well as family
councils in long-term care homes. Individuals who are struggling with accepting
the diagnosis needs so much love and support, which should be a priority when
helping a client/patient.
Always be Patient, Always be Kind
Some days, there
are days that I walk out of a client's room and want to rip my eyes out.
However, I would never let a client know that. There are so many days that it
literally takes me all that I have to smile, be patient and work through
difficult challenges. However, here's the thing: people with dementia are quite often scared; they have no control over
their behaviours and they're probably way more stressed than you are.
There's a saying
that always sticks with me, and it's absolutely one of the truest things that
I've learned thus far in my career. They may not remember your name, but they
will always remember how you make them feel.
Seniors are the Best Population to Work With!
Quite often, people
say to me “wow Felicity, I don’t know how you do what you do!” Honestly, I don’t
know how I would fit into any other field. I love watching people overcoming
struggles, achieving their goals and getting to know them and getting to know
their life stories. If you’re kind, they’ll generally be kind back. My current
1:1 client and I will look at each other, smile and go to each other and hug.
People are compassionate if you give compassion back. I’m genuinely the
luckiest person in the world. I may not make the most money, but if you love
your job; you’re rich enough.
To finish the post, here are two songs that I have fallen in love over the years. To me, they describe loved ones who are coping with dementia.
A week and a half
ago, I did a post on my dream bedroom. Today,
I’m going to talk about products that I want for my future living room, because
let’s face it… it’s going to be one of my favourite rooms to decorate as I
spend most of my time in my living room or my kitchen with my parents.
One
Kings Lane Baron 75 Sofa in Ivory: Okay, so an
ivory couch may not be the best idea for me because I am the worst person to
spill stuff on me (at least once a week I spill tea on me). I think this
couch would be a much better option for me; or most cost effectively, this
one would be even better.
Christopher
Knight Home Settee in Grey: I love this product,
I love Target and I’m currently in love with Christopher Knight Home. There are
so many days that I get so sad that we no longer have Target in Canada.
Accent
pillows: Pillows are my favourite thing; I always
walk through Ikea with a million pillows in my hands then put them down.
Therefore, here are ten pillows that I'm currently loving: 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8, 9,
10.
Throw
Blankets: The same as pillows, I love blankets! I
would love to have a trunk somewhere in my future house full of blankets.
Again, here are my top ten favourites: 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9, 10.
Owen
Retro Coffee Table: This again is a fantastic
product from Target; it's so simple and cute! Plus it's only $62.99 US, so it's
a great price. I also love this
coffee table.
Kate
Spade New York Woodland Park Owl Vase: My
future aesthetic consists of a handsome bearded man who brings me home daises
every Friday from work. Therefore, I'm clearly going to need an adorable vase.
I've been in love with this vase for so long. I love this
vase too; as well as this
one, this
one and this
one.
Someday
Inc. Press for Whiskey Wall Art: I LOVE this!
Anyone who knows me knows that whiskey is my drink of choice (other than wine).
I think this is so adorable, and I would totally hang this in my house and be
proud that I have it. I also love this,
this,
this
and this
for wall art.
Crosley
Radio Cruiser Turntable: This is a super random
product on my list, however, I am a record lover! I grew up having dance
parties with my grandma to records in her living room and I want to dance like
Olivia Pope in my own living room. If I owned a record player, these (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) would be the five vinyls that I’d be
constantly playing!
As much as I love my parents, I am so
incredibly excited to be able to move out one day and have my own home to
decorate and love. I’m considering doing a kitchen theme next week; which would
be fun because I love to cook and bake!
When I was
diagnosed with Celiac disease five years ago, I was relying solely on premade
products from the gluten free aisle in my grocery store. I ended up gaining sixty pounds within six months of my
diagnosis as the foods are so carb-y and full of sugars and additives. About
two and a half years ago, I decided to make it my mission to find and develop recipes
that worked for me by me, instead of
the prepacked stuff I was finding at the grocery store.
One of my friends
at the time was a bodybuilder so she was full of recipes that she found out of
boredom and while playing around in the kitchen! These turkey meatballs were
one creation that she introduced me to and I have been making regularly ever
since.
I personally love these meatballs and since they're only three ingredients, they're so simple and affordable. I personally like to make them with pasta, a chopped up grilled pepper, spaghetti sauce and Parmesan cheese! One of my girlfriends eats hers with a quinoa/brown rice mix, which also is an awesome idea.
Recipe
1 package of lean ground turkey 1/2 zucchini 2 tsp. Mrs. Dash original OR Mrs. Dash Herb & Garlic
Preheat oven to 350° F. While it is heating up, chop up your zucchini. Then put your zucchini, turkey and Mrs. Dash into a bowl together and mix it up! I personally prefer to put on a pair of rubber gloves and mix it all up with my hands; it makes it blend much better together. Once they're mixed together, roll them up into balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Cook them for 30 minutes at 350° and voila, you have the simplest turkey meatballs.
I hope you enjoyed this post, and let me know if you would like some more easy gluten free recipe ideas!
