Is it any wonder that upwards of 25% of caregivers suffer from self-induced stress over the holiday season?  I was not at all surprised by  that statistic, and actually I believe it is probably higher.  Then I read that 65% of stress is due to family and in-laws!  That puts a whole new twist on WHY caregivers by and large are at great risk of stress related emotional, physical and spiritual breakdown that starts in November and last for at least 2 months!

Empathetic listening is defined as a method via which you can prevent or manage disruptive or challenging behaviors.  Caregivers can benefit from practicing empathetic listening, especially with people living with dementia.   The result will be improved communications and reduced stress for both care partners.

Having just returned from Australia,  I'll be devoting several upcoming blogs to my research and fact finding with how Australia is advancing in aging and dementia care, as well as dementia and age friendly best practices.  I found their award wages for aged care workers to be one significant difference from the US and worthy of discussion.

As my mother's Parkinson's Disease progressed,  it was very apparent that food and the mealtime experience became more important to her.  So much so, that I remember saying "Mom's still finds joy in yummy food".  That said, her "yummy" was not always the healthiest, but we wanted her to be happy.  We knew that healthy foods were important, but probably not as important  as the joy of witnessing her with excitement dig in to a chocolate fudge sundae with extra whipped cream.  Now THAT was a  quality dining experience!

As bankers and financial advisors we must develop systems, policies and facilities that meet the every changing needs of people living with dementia, allowing independence to access and manage their money without fear of financial abuse.  Creating a dementia friendly bank will require training, education - and looking at their world through a different lens.