tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post3137300288024531898..comments2024-03-17T11:17:53.826+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: Don't Mention the War by Julia JonesKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-85150377873024534812021-10-25T12:33:49.156+01:002021-10-25T12:33:49.156+01:00Sign its time for memory care facility Many famili...<a href="https://www.senexmemory.com/blog/signs-its-time-for-a-memory-care-facility" rel="nofollow">Sign its time for memory care facility</a> Many families struggle to determine the best time to transition to memory care. Still, just like how particular warning signs can forewarn a cardiac arrest, dementia or Alzheimer’s will reveal symptoms that can emphasize the presence of a progressive cognitive disorder. It’s understandable considering that dementia is a progressive condition, which means spotting the perfect time while multiple symptoms uncover may not be easy.<br /> unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11747952216207313675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-49363668206461326542016-07-17T22:10:43.649+01:002016-07-17T22:10:43.649+01:00PTSD incarnate. PTSD incarnate. sfin1000https://www.blogger.com/profile/17853394509004017451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-25481417239822905942016-01-10T01:32:25.123+00:002016-01-10T01:32:25.123+00:00Late to this, as usual. An aamazing, reverberating...Late to this, as usual. An aamazing, reverberating post, Julia, which I'd comment on at length if I wasn't using up someone else's data. Wonderful about WW2, Coventry and Alzheimers, held together as a whole perfectly.<br /><br />Dennis Hamleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08003209263201885118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-91937901798582085552016-01-09T21:53:50.769+00:002016-01-09T21:53:50.769+00:00Stunningly revealing and almost shockingly honest ...Stunningly revealing and almost shockingly honest about your personal journey witnessing a 'deminding' if it could be called that. People with dementia may invent complex narratives to fill gaps they are aware of in some way, I think. Sometimes they 'borrow' stories they hear or see elsewhere. Early trauma can come back with other powerful early memories. Also our more primitive and longer surviving 'reptile brains' can respond to the feeling of something wrong, untrustworthy, something frightening, with aggression, drawing on long ago experiences (this is what happens when stroke victims can only swear, not speak otherwise, at first - defence mechanism of a damaged brain trying to defend itself but unable to identify the threat and the enemy). Keeping secrets is very stressful, but it's the price we and particularly the war generations paid for survival and moving on, and it may be that the wheel will turn and keeping the stiff upper lip buttoned to the other one will once more be the 'expert' advice. A very moving account Julia, and so far-ranging, as you work so tirelessly to 'keep mum.'Lydia Bennethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09328239009863878547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-20098708845364666192016-01-09T18:53:15.954+00:002016-01-09T18:53:15.954+00:00I can only echo what others have said, Julia. A mo...I can only echo what others have said, Julia. A moving and profound post. Kathleen Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07645566938871914385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-69793665146358288612016-01-09T18:13:05.843+00:002016-01-09T18:13:05.843+00:00I feel grateful for the opportunity, once a month,...I feel grateful for the opportunity, once a month, for having this literary context to reflect on a phase of life which will pass, I know. Then how will it be? what will come next? Thank heavens for books that give a different slant and for friends with whom one can 'talk' in a different way<br />julia joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09773900100240758504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-75619817751185450722016-01-09T15:24:12.481+00:002016-01-09T15:24:12.481+00:00A brilliant and very moving post.Thank you, Julia....A brilliant and very moving post.Thank you, Julia.Sandra Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01761260568729338471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-4592876005653363392016-01-09T15:24:10.347+00:002016-01-09T15:24:10.347+00:00I can't add much to the other comments, Julia,...I can't add much to the other comments, Julia, but thank you for writing this honest, moving, calm account.Mari Biellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14221256993468150226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-89253998528397571052016-01-09T13:10:26.987+00:002016-01-09T13:10:26.987+00:00Thank you Julia.Thank you Julia.Jan Needlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823078224282953782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-2176769731120736902016-01-09T12:01:54.909+00:002016-01-09T12:01:54.909+00:00You are completely right Catherine -- this is a tr...You are completely right Catherine -- this is a traumatised generation (potentially). A dear older friend of my mother's - the gentlest, loveliest violin teacher you could imagine -- made extraordinary attempts to kill his carers and escape when he was being moved from place to place. He'd been a Japanese pow, building bridge of River Kwai and was one of only two survivors from entire regiment (might have wrong term there). Fortunately, in his case he was calmed when he (and his violin) was in a secure mental health unit & friends from outside came regularly once a week to play quartetes with him<br /><br />It's not only the wartime survivors who can suffer so disproportionately when dementia both removes their defences and their means of articulate expression -- abuse victims may also show extreme distress through their behaviour. However I do think there is more understanding (or wilingness to understand) in many places. Cally Philips,ages ago recommended me a lovely book by a consultant psychiatrist called (from memory) And still the music plays. Exactly the sort of personal insights and adjustments you woudl like to have seen in the cases you mention. Just before Christmas I was invited to a conference at Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, which was adopting Johns Campaign and between each session or visiting speaker, the deputy chief nurse read out extracts from this book to help us all think more imaginatively and compassionately. <br />There are some WONDERFUL dementia specialist nurses, amid the chaos. Just not enough nearly of them <br /><br />(Am about to be putting up some good examples from Ayrshire oimn the4 JC website soon. it CAN be done)<br />julia joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09773900100240758504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-32265411227696649532016-01-09T12:01:15.096+00:002016-01-09T12:01:15.096+00:00I'll just echo the others (as usual); this is ...I'll just echo the others (as usual); this is so beautiful, studied, thoughtful. Also, despite the awfulness - for her and you - of the things your mother is going through, it maintains a calmness and invites a reasoned, balanced consideration of the processes of memory and the mysterious work of 'reminding'. Thanks, Julia.Bill Kirtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345949773423764808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-84798300822652839922016-01-09T11:29:40.386+00:002016-01-09T11:29:40.386+00:00Moving and disturbing, Julia. I think the effects ...Moving and disturbing, Julia. I think the effects of long buried memories on people with dementia are poorly understood. We need more accounts like yours. A friend of ours finally succumbed to dementia in her nineties and was consigned to the worst possible nursing home. I remember visiting her when she had been placed in the usual hideous circle to tick the 'socialisation' box and she seemed utterly terrified of where she was, clutching at my hand, pointing out people who were not to be trusted and people who were threatening her. Since we were neither relatives nor even close friends, there was little I could do except try to comfort her and ask the staff to attend to her. After her death, I discovered from other people who had visited her that she had often responded like this to this ghastly version of circle time. Only at her funeral did we realise that she had been a spy in occupied France. One very brave lady, consigned by an appalling care system to spend her last weeks thinking that she had been outed and was confronting the enemy. What she really needed was simple and easy enough, the equivalent of the place where she had spent her last lucid years: a quiet room, a little music, a few papers to work at, tea and toast and the occasional visitor with chocolate or flowers, which she loved. Nobody at all, charged with her care, seemed to show an ounce of imagination. It hurts me still to think about it, and just how many people must be suffering in similar ways. Catherine Czerkawskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14554969254207924049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-82757400061525233002016-01-09T10:03:20.822+00:002016-01-09T10:03:20.822+00:00What a beautiful account. This really touched me. ...What a beautiful account. This really touched me. I live in Dundee and the link is fascinating. Thank you for sharing something so interesting and, ultimately, personal Wendy H. Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04022089775887274043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-23762177269415715742016-01-09T00:23:54.802+00:002016-01-09T00:23:54.802+00:00Julia, this is so beautiful and moving, and covers...Julia, this is so beautiful and moving, and covers so much, I am full of admiration. Thank you.Susan Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738737493756183909noreply@blogger.com