Humor Is a Survival Mechanism for Caregivers; No Disrespect Meant
Dear Carol: Is it wrong for a caregiver to laugh at situations that occur when someone is living with dementia? My grandma has Alzheimer’s. She’s always been sweet and caring but now there are times when she says something so off the wall that I can’t help but laugh when I tell mom about it. I’d never laugh in front of Grandma, and I don’t mean this as disrespectful. It just hurts so much to see these changes in Grandma that sometimes I think it’s okay to relieve that by seeing the funny side. Am I wrong? – ER
Dear ER: I can tell from your letter that you have a good heart, and you aren’t making fun of your grandma. Rather, you are seeing the reality of the changes and acknowledging that some of the things your grandma says…
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