[Dysphagia] Dementing elders

[lobsterpam at aol.com (lobsterpam@aol.com)]

 http://www.nursinghomealert.com/seeme.html
 
 I think the above poem, which is available on various sites, should be required reading for anyone who is going to work with older people. 
 
 There is also a Newsweek "My Turn" column from, I believe, 1996, that is moving reading as well. I have a hard copy, but have never been able to find it online.
 
 psmith
    
 -----Original Message-----
 From: joanneaton@charter.net
 To: eripley@yahoo.com; dysphagia@b9.com
 Sent: Fri, 1 Sep 2006 7:51 PM
 Subject: Re: [Dysphagia] Dementing elders
 
  Hear! Hear! Very eloquently said. 
 JoAnn 
 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Irene Campbell-Taylor" <eripley@yahoo.com> 
 To: <dysphagia@b9.com> 
 Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 6:32 PM 
 Subject: [Dysphagia] Dementing elders 
 
 >I must protest most strongly to the recent opinions expressed vis-a-vis >regression to childhood in elders with dementing processes. To those of us >who have worked extensively with such patients, it is objectionable in the >extreme to contemplate that professionals are regarding elder individuals >who have lived, worked, raised families, paid taxes, supported the current >economy regarded as, in the way one elderly gentleman once told me about >himself, "something unthinking attached to a diaper." He was diagnosed as >having SDAT! 
 > We owe our patients better than this. They are not infants, they are not > to be infantilized, they are not to be regarded as unaware because, > believe me, they are far more aware than anyone realizes. 
 > I have spent many years teaching nurses NOT to speak to dementing elders > as though they were infants. I teach medical students, and demonstrate to > them that their patients with dementing illnesses are seniors worthy of > respect and consideration. The agism that is rampant in society and, > therefore, in medicine is deplorable and not to be supported in any way by > those who purport to care for them. Think for a moment. What if it were > your father or mother? 
 > 
 > 
 > Dr I Campbell-Taylor 
 > Clinical Neuroscientist 
 > Exclusive Distributor: 
 > www.interactivetherapy.com 
 > _______________________________________________ 
 > Dysphagia mailing list 
 > Dysphagia@b9.com 
 > http://lists.b9.com/mailman/listinfo/dysphagia 
 > 
 _______________________________________________ 
 Dysphagia mailing list 
 Dysphagia@b9.com 
 http://lists.b9.com/mailman/listinfo/dysphagia 
   
________________________________________________________________________
Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free.