This was and is a big fear for me. Noticing that Ma was "missing" things right in front of her. She’d reach for a cup or fork but wouldn’t be anywhere near it. She would try and reach for the door handle and missed it. She’d even miss steps on the stairs. She could spot a crumb all the way across the room, but when it came to objects close by, like a cup, I had to guide her hand to find it.
A clear glass of water would go unnoticed (I replaced with coloured unbreakable glasses and cups)
After researching, I learned it’s called depth perception and it happens to people with dementia.
Here’s what I found:
Depth perception in dementia: (saw this quoted): A decrease in depth perception can make it hard to tell flat surfaces from raised surfaces. It affects balance and the ability to judge distances, which can make everyday activities riskier and impact quality of life.
Anyway, I take it for granted but our brain is so important for "seeing," and not just our eyes. Depth perception is part of how the brain and eyes work together.
When I was working, I spoke to an (amazing!) Optical Scientist who explained it to me.
Simplified - it's like this:
"When light hits the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye), tiny helper cells called photoreceptors turn the light into signals. These signals then travel through a “wire” called the optic nerve to the brain, which reads them and turns them into the images we see. Both the brain and eyes need to be working together to judge distances and see clearly."
Unfortunately, Ma’s dementia was affecting how her brain is processing these signals, making it harder for her to judge distances and objects. Someone from the mental health team once described it to me as “looking through binoculars....”
Desperate and wanting to make sure I covered every angle, I took her to an eye doctor, hoping there was a solution. She could read much of the eye chart, but the optometrist explained it wasn’t just her eyes – it was dementia. He shared that his own mum faced similar challenges.
Also, if everything is the same colour (white on white) it was much more difficult. It's like a rainbow in our house. Many different colours of everything. And if it is white - I wrap it in red or pink ribbon.
So this is what I did to help Ma:
Here's a link to Kitchen Safety Tips that may help too.
Decluttered the Environment: Keeping areas simple and clear helped her avoid tripping and reduced distractions. Hence removing mats.
Simplified Items: I removed anything fragile or that could easily cause injury.
Added Motion Lights: These helped guide her in the dim areas or at night.
Replaced Utensils/Plates with Bright Colours: I chose bright yellow plates, blue cups, and easy-to-see utensils so they were clearer for her to find.
Large Button Phone: I ended up removing the pictures and just putting bright colours in it's place. She just had to pick up the phone, press a button and would get in touch with the people I had on memory. I think I was on 6 of them.
Grab bars: I had a lot of these throughout the house. Take a look at Bathroom Gadgets where I have a bunch of changes I put for the bathroom. I had a couple of all white grab bars - I would wrap a red ribbon around them.
Toilet Seat: Yes, even the toilet seat. Contrasting colour is best for us.
By making these small changes, I could reduce her frustration and help her navigate her surroundings. It will change as time goes on, so adjust as necessary.
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