How do you teach someone to use the computer through glass? That was the question when my brother tried to teach my father how to use his new i-Pad. Are people with dementia able to learn new material? An additional challenge is his hearing. Using a phone while teaching would be good, but he cannot hear instructions. Would larger visuals help? Posters? A whiteboard on an easel?
The text read as follows: iPad lessons, happening now, hard!!! After my last visit, I can only imagine. My father probably was shaking his head in confusion most of the time. My brother and nephew were probably standing outside the window, wishing someone from Best Buy would miraculously appear and begin teaching him.
However, when I take time to look at this picture, one word keeps popping in my head: love. My brother loves Dad so much that he takes time to teach him through the glass. He knows it will take time, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to help Dad communicate while in isolation. He knows that it will be frustrating for everyone, but he persists. Loving your aging parent means you sacrifice, persist, and continuously search for answers to life’s challenges.
A Journey Worth Remembering 