71–80 of 108 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sadly this only works in places where public transportation is effective and has been so for a long time.
Oh for God's sake! These are OLD people, they remember public transport (which also still exists in Europe). A fake cafe, a fake second hand bookshop, anything that will make them pause and get less agitated.
In fact, they still use almost every corner as a bus stop.
I can't tell whether I find this crushingly sad or not. On the one hand, I cried like a baby at the end of the Notebook. On the other hand, this basically reminds me of what it's like dealing with my 2 year old daughter. Is it necessarily a tragedy that someone's mind dies before their body does? It's undoubtedly painful for those waching - but for what reason? I guess "potential" isn't tragic (ie. my daughter will e…
A story that turns that crushing sadness to 11 is Part Four (The Scholar's Tale) in Dan Simmons' "Hyperion", where a young woman catches a strange sickness that has her age backward - each morning when she wakes up she's physically two days younger and has lost one more day of her life memories. I think it's the saddest thing I've ever read.
Just think 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' with some extra rejuvenation added for fun!
I would gladly write some stuff in a diary and go back to 12 years old.
A mildly interesting old article that has nothing to do with anything. Am I on Reddit? Edit: Yep, posted earlier today: http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/yp94q/til_tha...
Now get out of my lawn!
People knowing about fake stuff NOW, who will have Alzheimer in 40 Years, will NOT forget that there are fake bus-stops and stuff in the backyard. So they will know that nursing homes have fake stuff and they will complain about it. My opinion about "it's sad": Alzheimer is not very sad for the pacients, but for their families. The patients, like my grandfather and grandmother, don't really know they _have_ it, and t…
The idea is that if I am aware that I am suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's, I will hopefully make life easier for those caring for me (e.g., stay calm when my son/daughter I do not recognize is attempting to care for me).
Earlier quoted context omitted.
A story that turns that crushing sadness to 11 is Part Four (The Scholar's Tale) in Dan Simmons' "Hyperion", where a young woman catches a strange sickness that has her age backward - each morning when she wakes up she's physically two days younger and has lost one more day of her life memories. I think it's the saddest thing I've ever read.
The med industry would love the technology to make that possible. Just think 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' with some extra rejuvenation added for fun! I would gladly write some stuff in a diary and go back to 12 years old.
SPOLERS AHEAD
The girl tries to keep herself updated via a diary for years, but eventually the information about this life she lived but can't remember becomes overwhelming (requiring hours to digest and come to terms with, repeated every day) and too disconnected from what she does remember. She asks her parents to simply lie to her and act as if nothing had happened and it really were the day after the one she last remembers (i.e. one day earlier for every day that passes) and there's just some unexpected problem that prevents her from going to school, meeting her friends, have a birthday party, etc. (since it's SF, it's possible for the parents not to age).
The parents agree, since watching their daughter struggle with that mind-boggling revelation every day anew had been painful, but the resulting charade is in some ways worse, especially after the mother dies in an accident.
In a way I find this kind of manipulation tragically sad, but in reality the true tragedy is the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's. I'm glad nursing homes have figured out a way to mitigate some of the problems until scientists can cure or prevent Alzheimer's for good.
Sadly this only works in places where public transportation is effective and has been so for a long time.
The anecdotes I heard weren't about rushing home to their families, but rather, using the car for things like getting groceries. Apparently it was a very successful tool.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sadly this only works in places where public transportation is effective and has been so for a long time.
There was a nursing home in my home town that had a rural American analogue: a car that didn't start in the nursing home's back yard. The anecdotes I heard weren't about rushing home to their families, but rather, using the car for things like getting groceries. Apparently it was a very successful tool.
I find it very endearing to be honest. I know how it feels to be lost and confused, wanting to be home. When you're extremely tired, when you've lost a loved one... I feel for these frail older people.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Oh for God's sake! These are OLD people, they remember public transport (which also still exists in Europe). A fake cafe, a fake second hand bookshop, anything that will make them pause and get less agitated.
Here in Colombia a fake bus stop would mean buses would use it anyway. In fact, they still use almost every corner as a bus stop.
Hell, the fake bus stop could probably be on a gravel path that doesn't actually connect with public roads, as long as the ends of the path are hidden behind trees.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Oh for God's sake! These are OLD people, they remember public transport (which also still exists in Europe). A fake cafe, a fake second hand bookshop, anything that will make them pause and get less agitated.
If you're going to go to the trouble of making a fake cafe or bookshop, you might as well make the real thing. The point of the fake bus stop is that it's trivially easy to do.
A fake cafe or bookshop wouldn't really be any more useful than the cafeteria or day room that the facility probably already has.