“Coping with Dementia“
January 20th, 2009: Sally Hughes Smith, the local author of “The Circle — A Walk with Dementia,” spoke to our club last week about dementia. Her novel is a memoir of her personal experiences with dementia. Ms. Smith is an author, a painter, and a Duke graduate, who describes herself as a non-expert in dementia. While she may not be a scientist or researcher, Ms. Smith has had first hand experience with dementia in the form of two close family members. She gave a gently uplifting talk about coping with mental deterioration and remembering your own needs at the same time.
She also reminds us that dementia is nothing new. While diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s have probably been around for thousands of years, recent social patterns create new problems. When there are no longer multi-generations living under one roof, a child is under more pressure and faces more obstacles to assisting a family member who is facing dementia.
Smith does not attempt to sugar-coat the devastating process of mental deterioration, but she does put some humanity into the by-stander’s experience. She reminds us that it is okay to laugh at yourself and your experiences. One should not take oneself too seriously, and should always remember to cherish each day. She relayed a simple story about how her aging mother would tell her over the phone that she was placing all of her odds and ends behind her “green sofa.” Smith expected to find piles of things behind there on her next visit, but was surprised to find nothing. Now Smith uses the expression, “putting it all behind the green sofa” as a way to clear out junk from her mind when something just does not fit.
Smith’s talk was moving and reassuring. We thank her for her providing her insight and for sharing her literary work. Ms. Smith’s website, http://www.sallysmith.com/, showcases her other works.
Reported by Jackie Grau, Keyway Committee