As the days grow chillier I am reminded of a favorite folksy quote--the one with the cold tootsies and the cozy corazon.
If you are a caregiver; that is, if someone you know is suffering from a cognitive, language, swallowing or speech disorder, please get some help yourself. Your warm heart can use a little down time. It's not easy to take care of yourself, a family maybe, a job and someone suffering with a disability. It can make you grumpy and sad. Maybe the help will come in the form of a friend who can give you a couple of hours or days to yourself. Maybe it's going to come in the shape of somebody who you can speak with. Perhaps it's not possible to completely get away. Some other ways that people rejuvenate are walks or books or just getting a couple of extra Zzzzzs.
My point is, your warm heart can get pretty frosty when overwhelmed. I've seen people (who mean so well) actually hurt someone with a disability by demanding too much too soon. The flip side of this is to give up on the hope of any improvement at all. People who have communication disorders are not immune to other people's attitudes. Sometimes being a cheerleader, however tough that may seem, is just what the doctor ordered.
Remember that several neurotransmitters, or chemicals that go from neural cell to neural cell, increase with positive responses; that is, praise, hugs, exercise...sometimes a little reward, like something delicious, can do that, too. Then you both win. The patient is motivated to work harder, which is what you both want. The converse is also true. Yelling; "You know that! I just told you that!" can reduce someone's ability to remember/speak/think in a flash. So, as much as you'd like to let it rip, it's in nobody's best interest. Then you have guilt to add to your miseries--and you're too exhausted to deal with that one.
So, do a bit of acting if you have to--try to keep it light and positive--as much as you possibly can. And when you feel unable to do that, try to get some kind of change of scene or a willing ear.
I send you warm thoughts...to match your warm and caring heart. And I honor your commitment and bravery with all of mine.
