Enjoying the Elderly
My mother and I were sitting at the table peeling potatoes together. I began reminiscing about the delicious potato latkes (pancakes) that she used to make, how wonderful they smelled and how we used to grab them off the plate as soon as she lay them down.
It was a lovely moment and my mother smiled in remembrance and happiness.
My mother has Alzheimer's.
She easily forgets day to day events and no longer initiates conversations. But her eyes light up when I talk about the past.
A recent study confirms my experience. Researchers found that "for lonely people, drawing on nostalgic memories of happier times could provide a coping mechanism for their feelings, magnifying perceptions of social support and restoring an individual's feelings of social connectedness."* These results held for children, college students and factory workers.
Nostalgia also helps people who are isolated from their loved ones because of dementia or Alzheimer's.
It's another tool to connect with those we love.
*http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/131239.php
It was a lovely moment and my mother smiled in remembrance and happiness.
My mother has Alzheimer's.
She easily forgets day to day events and no longer initiates conversations. But her eyes light up when I talk about the past.
A recent study confirms my experience. Researchers found that "for lonely people, drawing on nostalgic memories of happier times could provide a coping mechanism for their feelings, magnifying perceptions of social support and restoring an individual's feelings of social connectedness."* These results held for children, college students and factory workers.
Nostalgia also helps people who are isolated from their loved ones because of dementia or Alzheimer's.
It's another tool to connect with those we love.
*http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/131239.php
posted by Dr. Spiegel at
8:50 PM
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