Today I found myself explaining Dementia to a man with an intellectual disability. Why? Because he was genuinely concerned about another client's behaviour... he asked why they kept swearing, and why they were yelling at an imaginary person, etc. It actually turned out to be a beautiful experience.
He was able to understand enough to ask further questions, such as, "Can the doctor help them get better?", "Will it kill them?"... and expressed genuine compassion towards his peer, knowing their brain wasn't working like ours, and some of the behaviours that caused. He accepted the suggestion that we need to try to be more patient with this peer...and know they can't help doing funny things, and they don't mean to upset us.
I was so blessed by this fairly short, but effective conversion between this client, another staff and myself. It made me think, if this man with an intellectual disability can try to not only understand something as significant as dementia, but also express compassion.. what is wrong with our world... people are so busy with themselves, they forget to treat others as they would like to be treated. Many react in anger, instead of looking to see what may have caused somebody to upset them. Many forget there can be underlying reasons, such as invisible illness, trauma, even just simple fatigue behind another's actions.
If a man with an intellectual disability can express this genuine compassion and desire for understanding... what's our excuse? 🦋
(I chose the above image from my camera...it reminds me of the mind gently & slowly switching off...)
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