Educating Children about Alzheimer's Assists Them in Learning the Importance of Gratitude.

Reasons to Educate Children about Alzheimer’s Disease

 #1 - So that children will be comfortable around and interacting with a person who has Alzheimer’s (See January’s Blog)
#2 - To teach children compassion (See February’s Blog)
#3 - Teach children how to create a safe supportive environment in which they can thrive by creating a schedule (See March’s Blog)
#4 - To prepare children to adapt to future changes that occur on life: Mild Alzheimer’s Disease (See April’s Blog)
#5 - To preserve memories: Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease  (See May’s Blog)
#6 - To promote inclusivity by teaching children the importance of treating everyone with respect, regardless of their cognitive abilities: Severe Alzheimer’s Disease (See June’s Blog)
#7 To reduce stigma - When children understand Alzheimer’s or any type of dementia they are more likely to approach someone who has this disease with understanding. (See July's Blog)
#8 To expose children to career options in healthcare - Children are influenced in career choices by the adults in their lives. Exposure to Alzheimer's education may inspire children to pursue careers in healthcare or research, contributing to the ongoing efforts to find a cure or effective treatments. (See August's Blog)
#9 To enhance communication skills: Learning about Alzheimer's disease enhances a child's communication skills because they may need to adapt their communication style when interacting with someone who has the disease. (See September's Blog)
#10 Educating children about Alzheimer's gives them a sense of purpose. (See October's Blog)

Reason # 11 Educating Children about Alzheimer's assists them in learning the importance of gratitude.  

Lionel Hampton said, “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart not in the mind.”

Story: Thanksgiving is always a favorite holiday in our homes. As Gran (Alder’s mom) sank deeper into Alzheimer’s, the family wondered how to make the holidays meaningful. Alder and her nieces and nephews (Gran’s grandchildren) sat down with Gran and went over the menu of favorites. Gran was able to give them pointers on how to make the cornbread stuffing and the asparagus casserole. Gran also insisted we make pumpkin and mincemeat pie. She gave us tips on making sure the turkey was moist and didn’t dry out in the oven.

We made sure we documented the entire day through pictures. Alder took the pictures and the recipes and made a memory book of Thanksgiving, using a popular photo book platform. This book was distributed among the family members. 

As Gran declined and eventually became bedbound and non-verbal, we pulled out the book and shared it with her. Sometimes you could see the ghost of a smile on her face as she listened to the wonderful family memories.

Information:

Gratitude is an amazing tool because it causes your brain to release ‘feel good’ chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. It can help you feel better without taking a pill. The only side effect to practicing gratitude is it might cause happiness. :-) 

Why practice gratitude? Science has shown that practicing gratitude can:

• Improve health

• Build positive relationships

• Effect the brain in a positive manner by releasing the ‘feel good’ chemicals of dopamine and serotonin and building neural pathways that create good feelings more often.

• Release toxic emotions

• Reduce pain

• Improve sleep

• Regulate stress

• Reduce anxiety and depression

• Help cope with grief

• Build resilience

See entire article here https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/#:~:text=When%20we%20express%20gratitude%20and%20receive%20the%20same%2C,immediately%2C%20making%20us%20feel%20happy%20from%20the%20inside .

Tips:

1. Set aside time every day to practice gratitude. This can be when you wake, at mealtime, or at bedtime. 
2. When you and someone in your family starts to feel cranky and maybe can’t say why, acknowledge the cranky feeling and turn the attention of that person to something for which that person feels grateful. Perhaps refer to the gratitude jar in your house.
3. If anyone needs a time out, give them a piece of paper and writing device on which to write their gratitude statements while they’re alone.
4.  

Activities: 

Gratitude Jar: Make a gratitude jar. Children and your loved one with Alzheimer’s or any types of dementia can help.

Materials needed: A non-breakable jar, paper, scissors, markers, glue, stickers and any other materials you think would be fun to use to decorate the outside of the jar.

• Decorate the outside of the jar. A non-breakable jar is best.

• Give everyone five slips of paper (about one inch by three inches) on which to create a decoration and to write gratitude statements. 

• When they are done with their five slips of paper, they can help someone else or do more. 

• Fold all the slips of paper, put them in the jar, and screw on the top.

• Put the jar where everyone can access it., for example, on the dining room table.

Uses for the Gratitude Jar:

• Place it on the dining room table as a reminder to give thanks for food. 

• Dip into it when you’re feeling down, angry, sad, or need a distraction or activity. 

• To refer to the first thing in the morning to start the day off on a positive note. 

• To refer to right before you go to sleep to aid in relaxation and positive dreams.

The act of writing gratitude statements, decorating the slip of paper, and putting it in the jar allows for ownership when you pull out a gratitude statement you wrote. Or, if you pull out a statement you didn’t write, it expands the realm of things for which you can also be grateful. The gratitude statements you pull out can either be kept to yourself or shared with your family. People are free to keep their gratitude statements, return them to the jar, or replace them with new ones. 

This is an ongoing activity. Encourage family members to add to the jar as you think of more things for which you’re grateful. If a gratitude statement chosen has become obsolete, for example if it has to do with a holiday long past, dispose of it, making room for more gratitude statements.

We’ve created a downloadable PDF with the gratitude jar instructions and with more activities to practice gratitude so you can have the information at your fingertips.

Actions: 

1. Download the PDF and use the suggested activities to reinforce staying in gratitude throughout their days as much as possible. 

2. Sign up for our newsletter and receive four weekly emails with information, tips and activities on improving communication. 

3. Purchase the MMAAP to get even more information, tips, and activities to incorporate children into the care of your loved one who has Alzheimer’s or any type of dementia. 

4. Please scroll to the bottom of this blog and give us a thumbs up if you found it helpful. Leave a comment. Feel free to conveniently share it.

Gratitude is so important that we have a national holiday called Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1623, because the rain came after a long drought and their crops finally grew. They were able to harvest the food and share a wonderful meal. Then In 1863 Abraham Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday of November as a day of “general blessings.” 

We suggest we make gratitude a part of our daily lives as a coping mechanism, to elevate mood, and to stay positive. 

Share one thing you are grateful for below.