Redirection: A necessary, useful skill

Now that my father has progressed into the last stage of Alzheimer's, redirecting his thoughts has been almost impossible.

Previously I was able to turn his fixation onto a different subject, but now his delusions and hallucinations have become so pronounced, I can only divert his train of thought for a few seconds at best.

Caring for an Alzheimer's patient, you must learn to use redirection to your advantage. Knowing just when confusion is beginning to snowball straight into delusion, and using simply phrased words that can create an U-turn in his thought patterns. These are skills you need to master.

When the afflicted patient begins speaking of a topic which makes absolutely no sense, causally interrupt with a quick question like, "That color looks great on you; do you enjoy wearing that shirt?"

Steering the patient's mind onto a subject he can actually see, smell or touch will save hours of misery of listening to meaningless chatter.

Anxiety could be playing a significant role in causing severe disorientation. If the patient has already been on a particular anxiety medication for a long period of time, it might be beneficial discussing with his physician about the possibility of increasing the dosage or trying something new. I was against medicating my father at first, but quickly learned as the disease pushed forward it became a blessing.

Many of my father's mornings have begun with him believing he's on a train. "Could you please tell me when the next stop is going to be? I believe that's where I have to get off." When I tried to reassure him that we're home in our own house, his response was, "Come on! I can feel the train moving." It's best to just go along with the ride. The last thing I need is to get his feathers ruffled before his day even starts.

So for the caregiver, hold on tight. From here on out, the ride will have fewer stops. Certain memories that drift through the patient's mind just won't float away anymore. If a mental image has worked him into a frenzy, chances are it's going to last the entire day. One of the hardest things I deal with is convincing my father he's home. Constantly wanting to know why he can't go to his parent's house or some other place that he believes is his abode.

All during this stage of the disease, caring for your loved one at home, you'll probably need the minimum of two people. Attempting to do everything yourself could erupt into a physical or mental fiasco, probably both. Create a schedule so that you know when relief is coming.

When the suffering's finally over and they pass on, you want to be certain you still have enough energy left so you can begin enjoying your own life. It's what your loved one assuredly want. Hopefully there will be plenty of rails left for you to ride.