Despite my years of experience, it was Mitzi who taught me one of the greatest lessons about how to handle this disease a couple years ago when we were volunteering at the memory care residences. She said it’s so important to touch the people…hold their hand, hug their shoulder, some kind of physical touch. She said that if they can’t talk and they can’t understand what you say, they will always understand touch.
Today, even after her medication, she did the perfect demonstration of this in case I had any doubts about her teaching. A sweet friend had stopped by and was with me but Mitzi was so restless and uncomfortable that it was hard to focus on anything but trying to calm her. I finally got as close as I could and she latched onto my hand. She pulled it close to her, kissed it and fell asleep almost instantly. I didn’t move for quite a while until I absolutely had to. Hated to.
I wouldn’t trade anything in the world for the memory of that sweet moment. What a gift…????
