ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION JAPAN, MEWSLETTER
“Pole-Pole”
BULLETIN NO､302 September 2005
Summary Translation: Hirosawa Kayoko
Letters from the members
(1) Feature Article “Group home” ( Kagoshima pref. Miss Y. 31 years old)
I work for a group home. I think it is quite natural that the families expect an inner high quality of staffs. They leave their loving ones in the group homes, just because they cannot live together. I am in the same situation myself.
My grandmother ( she is nothing less than my mother) became the needing care 5 from 2 during her four years’ stay in the special nursing home for the elderly. How I regretted I had left her in the facility! As I wanted to help her, I got the qualification of caregiver and I changed my job. At the same time, I took her into the home where I work.
At the beginning I believed I would be able to care her, working for the facility; but by and by I came to be conscious of her state that I could not see directly as a family member and the friction of the staff relationship. I was sometimes overcome with the situation. I tried to see her as another. However, if I could do so, I would feel sad as her granddaughter. Though I cannot compete with the other staffs technically, I can catch the residents’ feelings all the better. I don’t want to regard their state of Alzheimer sufferers as their whole personality, but I want to think much of the long way of experiences.
(2) To Mr. I. who is wandering whether or not he should leave his mother in a facility
(Tokyo. Mrs. M. 53 years old)
It is 6 and half years since we received my mother-in-law to our home. She became needing care 5 by this year’s acknowledgement. My husband is a salaried man just like you and 55 years old as you. So I have to take care of her by myself. She does not have incontinence or railing. As to toilet, I just change her towel and clean the floor after she uses it. When she came to live with us, she gave me a memo: “I want to leave my daughter-in-law” or “I want to be happy, as I feel very lonely everyday.” I felt like crying, as I care her to my best. My husband cries out every night, “Hurry! Hurry!” to her, because she has become slow in every motion. As I am a bride, I hesitate to cry out. If I cry out, I will heart myself later.
The most bitter thing is that my own parents cannot come to see their grandchild, nor can visit my parents’ home. It seems to me your mother had better enter a group home in order that your wife will not damage her body any more. You can visit the group home every day. I am waiting for my husband’ words, “We will leave my mother in a facility.”
(3) I cannot take care of my children, because I need much time to care both my mother and my mother-in-law. (Kyoto. Mrs. T. 46 years old.)
I have just finished the first anniversary of my father who was suffering Pick’s disease. I was especially loved by him, so I cannot but cry and can utter any words when we talk about him.
At present I have to be energetic to raise my two children: one is the son(a third- year pupil of a junior high school ) and the other is the daughter(a fourth-year pupil of a primary school). Moreover, my mother (needing care 2) and my mother-in-law(having not yet applied) are constantly in and out of hospital. They need medical treatment at home too. So I am always involved with their care. My daughter is still too young to sympathize with them, though she can understand the situation in her mind. She says, ”I have to be patient all the time. You should be more sensitive to my feelings.” Children are growing day by day. As I am their mother, I want to have a good time with my children. In spite of the fact, my mother- in-law(I am the only bride) complains of making use of long–term care insurance. I am worried how I can get her understanding.
On the change of the name of the “Family groups (AAJ)
(1) I agree with the change ( Hyogo. Mr. Y.)
I think the name should be “so and so family groups (AAJ).” Most of the family members believe “I know the sufferers best of all. I can do anything for the sake of him.” Certainly it is true, but sometimes there is a conflict between him and me. Even more, it is possible that he is in a pressure cooker just because of my existence. I myself have been realized for the past 10 years. It would be better for the family to realize its own position.
It seems to me that the special meeting of the sufferers should be better constituted in the “Family groups (AAJ).” Maybe the meeting will be independent of the “Family groups (AAJ).”
Anyway I think the name of “Alzheimer’s Association” which sounds like the core of the meeting is not appropriate; because this “Family groups (AAJ)” has become “the meeting of the families only.”
(2) “Alzheimer’s Association” should consisted of the families. (Aichi pref. Mrs. Q.)
Last year we listened to the speeches of the sufferers at the International Conference. After that other sufferers also began to speak here and there. Ours has changed to be “the meeting of the families only.” Now is it the time when we should reconsider changing the name?
The Information of “the “21st All Japan Research Meeting for
Encouraging the Support of Alzheimer Sufferers and Their Families”
The theme: the Families, People, and Society (in order that sufferers can live wherever
they want, given a high quality care.)
Please come and live to Gunma prefecture whose shape is just like cranes are dancing.
There is the vast Kanto Plane in the south of Maebashi, capital of the prefecture. We have such spas as Kusatsu, Minakami, and Ikaho in the north. We are going to open the All Japan Research Meeting in Gunma prefecture where we have the mountain ranges such as Asama, Tanigawa, Oze, Nikkoshirane.
Let’s reconsider “Alzheimer” which is assuming a new aspect day by day and try to understand the feelings of sufferers and their families, living with them in the society. We could invite the proper persons for keynote lectures and a case announcement. We believe you can enjoy calm and rich nature of Gunma prefecture after you have studied.
We are looking forward to see you. (Mr. Yasuo Tabei, representative of Gunma branch).
The 21st All Japan Research Meeting in Gunma:
the 25th Anniversary of the “Family groups(AAJ)” which care senile elderly
Time: from 9:30 to 16:00, November 13th(Sunday), 2005
Place: Maebashi Terusa Hall
Time Table:
l Opening Ceremony………………………………………………………………9:30
l Keynote Lecture (1)………………………………………………………………9:45
“Thinking of Mind through Alzheimer” by Dr. Hajime Ooi (Chancellor
Professor of Tokyo University)
l Keynote Lecture (2)……………………………………………………………..10:30
“The Difficulty and Hope Seen in the Relationship of the Families
Involved in Home Care” by Dr. Kisuyo Kasuga(Professor of Yasuda
Women’s University)
l Case Announcement…………………………………………………………….11:20
(1) “There is No Limit in Nursing Care Now” by Mrs. Fumie Ishizuka
(Living in Azuma-cho, Gunma Prefecture)
(2) “The Effort to Support the Sufferers of Dementia of Early Onset
and Their Families” by Dr. Sadao Katayama and Mrs. Keiko
Murakami (“Family groups (AAJ)” of Hiroshima branch)
(3) “The Trial of Forgetfulness Café: Independent Day Service for
the Sufferers of Slight and Early Onset” by Dr. Noriko Okumura
Fujimoto Clinic in Shiga Prefecture)
(4) “The Effort of Making Use of IT Technique for Caring Alzheimer Sufferers”
by Mr. Shinji Abe(ATR Intelligence Robotics Institute, Kyoto)
(5) “Aiming at the Day Service Which Supports Alzheimer Sufferers from Its beginning to the End” by Ms. Hisako Tanaka (Day Misato, Gunma Prefecture)
l General Discussion
Commentator: Dr. Takahiro Sugiyama (Vice-president of “Family groups (AAJ),” President of Kanagawa Chapter, and Director of Kawasaki Saiwai Clinic)
Coordinator: Mr. Yasuo Tabei (Director of “Family groups(AAJ),”and President of Gunma Chapter)
Please Understand My Feelings-6“I want to help you.”
(1) “Sueko will make me misoshiru(Japanese soup) tomorrow morning.
The mother-in-law of Mrs. Sueko Watanabe (Oita branch) wrote so. Sueko wrote as follows:
My mother-in-law used to take notes. There have been conflict between us these 10 years. She has been taking notes about the matters which everybody can remember without trouble in order not forget. It seems to me that she has been fighting against another self whose forgetfulness has been growing.
(2) “I want to help you.”
The husband of the woman (Aichi chapter), who belongs in the Consultation
Meeting of Dementia of Early Onset, said so. The woman wrote as follows:
If my husband cannot act as he likes it, he starts to cry.
The Gathering of Pia- counseling of Wakayama Chapter
We are caring on the gathering of the people who are caring the sufferers of dementia of early onset and of the beginning of Alzheimer disease. It takes two years to have a lunch in the home-like atmosphere, which we make for ourselves. The sufferers and the family members spend the time in the separated rooms.
According to the telephone consultation since 2003, there is almost no special support for sufferers and their caregivers. So a lot of them are worried alone at home. We began this activity for supporting these people.
About three sufferers of the beginning of Alzheimer disease join us every time, taking lunch with the staffs, and they talk about their feelings among themselves……………………
