Dementia and Pain: How to Assess When Someone Hurts and Needs Help

The Caregive­r's Voice

7 months ago

PLEASE DON'T LAUGH or JUDGE... This is a powerful article, not only for loved ones with dementia and other cognitive impairing illnesses, but also for our BELOVED ANIMALS. For 7+ years--after caring for my late father with Alzheimer's--my husband and I have been caring for a cat with FIV (Feline Aids Virus). Early last year, during a blood test prior to getting his teeth cleaned, they found his liver values to be out of whack. This started a regimen of natural treatments that didn't resolve the issue. DON'T LAUGH...there's something to be learned here from an animal that can't communicate; much like my father couldn't express pain after one of his molars was removed. Our orange tabby got more tests--ultrasound, etc. LYMPHOMA in the spleen was the diagnosis late last year. The veterinarian (and we) thought we only had a couple months with our kitty. Well, he's still with us. Now, he experiences pain but we can’t figure out where exactly. It seems to change and yet he purrs and then sometimes meows then nips… These tips in the article surely apply to our loved ones as they do to the animals in our life. The key is loving patience and attentiveness.

lmarie

over 2 years ago

Thanks nursefluffers

nursefluffer­s

over 2 years ago

this is excellent, I am sharing this with co-workers!