It is no secret I have a weakness for hot chocolate.
It is still my hot beverage of choice, long after my peers switched to a daily coffee habit. So what does hot chocolate have to do with dementia? Everything and nothing at all.
Nothing at all? Our lives do not become a compressed, medical version of ourselves when dementia enters the picture. So moments for play, a treat, or a visit from a loved one should never become a line item on the care plan or viewed with a medical lens. It should happen simply because, and enjoyed for the beauty of being in a relationship with a loved one.
Life is made up of Moments. Dementia does not change this; these moments become more important with dementia. They are moments of joy, sorrow, care, and faith. So make some hot chocolate in your favorite mug, sit down, breathe, and savor the moment.
How did your January go? Did you find moments of joy? Moments to magnify the dignity of those living with dementia – yourself?
What does it mean to magnify the dignity of those living with dementia? It means to see them, to hear them, to be with them. It means that dementia does not bring you to a point where you treat someone different because of their dementia. It means you allow one’s purpose to shine through each care plan, each moment you spend with another.
While the day is coming to an end, I encourage you to grab a mug of hot chocolate, sit down with those you love living with dementia, and to enjoy a moment or two forgetting about dementia.
