Alama Foundation

06/13/2022

Help children affected by the war in Ukraine

Donate now following the link
https://www.alamafoundation.org/ukr-orphans/

05/25/2022

https://www.alamafoundation.org/ukr-orphans/

05/24/2021

I love the spiritual aspect of Katya's book!

Today’s guest is Katya De Luisa, an artist, expressive arts program designer, freelance writer, and author with 20 years’ experience working with those living with dementia and their families. She firmly believes that when we change the way we look at something what we look at changes. Katya’s...

03/31/2021

EMPTY SHELL
March 31, 2021
This story was recently shared.
My MIL had Alzheimer’s and for 15 or more years she had not recognized any of her children... or anyone else. She was 78 yrs. old and had fallen and broke her hip, so she had gone to the hospital. They did her surgery and sent her to a Rehab. My husband (her son) and I had gone to see her, she was asleep. We had been sitting there for quite a while when a nurse came in to check on her... After chatting with us and and finding out who we were... she went over to my MIL and said “Ruth, Ruth. Wake up. You have visitors here"...
MIL opened her eyes, and looked at my husband. The Nurse said " Ruth, do you know who this is?" MIL said " Of course I do, this is my sweet son Lawrence.".... LOL....
We all almost fell over! She talked only rarely, and never recognized anyone!... Of course, my husband hugged her, kissed her... told her how much he loved her... We left the facility to go home. Just as we got home, we received a call we should come back... quickly. All the sudden she took a turn for the worse.... and she passed away just a few moments before we arrived.
We have always considered it a miracle, and what a gift from God. What great peace it brought my husband... that after all those years, we were told "her mind is gone"..."she does not know anything" ... "she is just an empty shell " ... They were all WRONG! She knew her boy... her child...
Never, ever give up, and never believe there is no one in there. Our LO's are in there... they just cannot communicate. 🌹
I can’t tell you how many people in later stages of dementia who supposedly “Are now an empty shell” have come around and spoken. Just a few words but enough to know they are still in there. I ran communication with dementia workshops with caregivers for years and have seen these miracles first-hand.
We are all so quick to judge by outward appearances. They look like they are gone so they must be, right? Wrong. Dementia damages the brains’ ability to form thought processes and communicate in a way we understand. Usually this is with words. So how can we really know what awareness they still retain when they are non-verbal and in later stages of this condition. Isn’t it easier to just assume they are still there?
There are many forms of communication and touch is one of the best for later stages. Hold their hands while talking to them, touch their face in a gentle caress while telling them you love them, and never say anything in their presence about anything you wouldn’t want them to hear regardless of whether they appear asleep or unconscious.
They are never an empty shell.
By Katya De Luisa Author of Journey Through The Infinite Mind, The Science and Spirituality of Dementia.

02/25/2021

In these socially distant times, we're missing out on many great moments of connection and celebration that we typically take for granted. Like Mardi Gras, for instance. ...

02/22/2021

🥰

01/16/2021

what goes around comes around :)

01/15/2021

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=745419683014937

01/14/2021

"get to know the old people man, because the new old people we've got coming are gunna be the worst old people we've had yet" 🤣😅

Nobody wants to hear stories about your food blog, grandma.Catch Lachlan Patterson on the sixth episode from the 23rd season on Halifax Comedy Festival this ...

01/12/2021

I'm not crying, you're crying 🥰

′′ He is 85 and insists on taking his wife hand in hand wherever they go.
When I asked why your wife is distracted, like she wasn't following anyone? He replied: She have Alzheimer's..
So I said, will your wife worry if you let her go? He replied, ′′ She doesn't remember... She doesn't know who I am anymore, she hasn't recognized me for years ".
Surprised, I said, ′′ and still you continue to guide on the way every day even though she doesn't recognize you ".
The elderly man smiled and looked into my eyes.
he said, ′′ She doesn't know who I am, but I know who she is ".

′′ SHE IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE ′′!" ♥️