It Is Hard Watching Someone You Love Decline

Watching somebody you love decline is extremely difficult. But documenting this process can be an important way to honor their life and create lasting memories.

Documenting the Changing Lives of Parents

Lizette talks about the importance of documenting the decline of loved ones. She shares her own experience of taking photos of her parents, who have been married for over 54 years. She says that while it was difficult to see how much her mother has changed in the last year, she is grateful to have these photos to reflect back on her mother's life.

The Importance of Documenting the Decline of Loved Ones

Lizette explains that documenting the decline of loved ones is important because it allows us to hold onto our memories of them. When they are no longer with us, we have something to look back on and remember them by.

Gratitude for Memories and Documenting Hard Times

Lizette says that she is grateful to be able to document these memories with her mother, even in the hard times. She says that her mother has been a wonderful mother and has had a wonderful impact on her life.

The Takeaway

Lizette encourages viewers to take photos, videos, and the time to document the last part of the people they love and their life. She says that at some point or another, they will not be there, and then we have the memories.

The Testimony of Having a Loved One in Your Life

Lizette reminds viewers that while it is difficult to watch people decline, it is also a wonderful testimony that we have had this person in our life for as long as we have. She says that the alternative is worse, and that is not having had this time with our loved one.

How to Document the Decline of Loved Ones

There are many ways to document the decline of loved ones. Here are a few ideas:

Take photos and videos. This is a simple and easy way to capture memories of your loved one. You can take photos and videos of them during everyday activities, or you can take more posed photos.

Write in a journal. This is a great way to document your thoughts and feelings about your loved one's decline. You can also write about your own experiences as a caregiver.

Create a scrapbook. This is a fun and creative way to preserve memories of your loved one. You can include photos, videos, journal entries, and other memorabilia in your scrapbook.

Talk to your loved one. This is one of the most important things you can do. Ask them about their life and their memories. Ask them what they want you to remember about them.

Documenting the decline of loved ones can be difficult, but it is an important task. It allows us to hold onto our memories of them and create lasting tributes to their lives.

Let me know in the comments below if you have questions about dementia that you need answered.

If you would like more information on how to help a parent living with dementia, join our next free workshop here.

Read More:

Why Having Your Parent With Dementia Help With Their Grooming Is Good For Them

Why Having Your Parent With Dementia Be Independent With Eating And Drinking Is Good For Them

Disclaimer: These blogs, videos and any work done by Lizette Cloete OT, as a Member of Think Different Dementia, LLC, is given only as educational content and consulting work. This does not create an Occupational Therapist-Patient Relationship. The educational content and consulting work performed should not be considered medical treatment as an Occupational Therapist. The consulting work does not take the place of medical work normally performed by a licensed Occupational Therapist. Please consult a licensed Occupational Therapist for medical advice.

“Think Different” Dementia’s owner, Lizette Cloete, OTR/L graduated as an Occupational Therapist from the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 1992. She and her husband emigrated to the USA in 1993, and currently reside in South Carolina. They have 2 daughters and one son-in-love, 4 cats, one dog and 16 chickens.

Lizette has almost 30 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist in a variety of settings, the latest being in the home health environment. Among her many accomplishments, she served on the South Carolina Occupational Therapy Association’s Board of Directors from 2008-2014. She enjoys teaching on the topic of dementia, most recently presenting at a national conference on the topic “Dementia Made Simple”