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Should young children visit a grandparent with Alzheimer's?
Results so far:
| Yes | 86% | 147 votes | Total: 171 votes | |
| No | 14% | 24 votes |
Yes
by Ted Sherman
Created on: June 19, 2009
Of course, young children should be brought to visit grandparents who are afflicted with Alzheimers. Patients suffering from that tragic condition are still viable members of their families, and deserve the same consideration as anyone else who is ill or has been injured. Why should they be ignored? Is it right to prevent young children from visiting parents and other relatives who've been wounded in war or injured in auto accidents?
Of course, parents must use common sense in considering such visits. If they believe the experience will be too traumatic for the small children, then they should make the visits very brief. They may choose to omit the visits entirely until parents feel the children are mature enough to endure the experience. Spending their last days confined and in confusion is enough of a disaster for the elderly, and all efforts should be made by family members to help make the ordeal as comfortable as possible.
There other reasons for encouraging visits to Alzheimers patients by all members of the family. As a volunteer who's had ten years of experience with aged people in nursing homes, I found there were many stages of Alzheimers or dementia in the patients. Some still recognized family members all the time, some had difficulty remembering names and faces, and, of course, others in the latter stages of dementia were profoundly affected. However, even those unfortunate people deserve consideration from family members.
If the patent has some recognition of family members, they should visit and bring their small children with them. Additionally, it's a medical fact that even the most profoundly affected Alzheimers patient reacts to positive stimuli. Many of my fellow volunteers brought their own small children and grandchildren to participate in the nursing home activities for an hour or so on visiting days. Others brought family pets, including cats, dogs, parrots and other small animals.
In my experience, all of the nursing home patients, even those who rarely reacted to anything around them, were visibly very happy to see the small children and to pet and hold the animals. In summary, Alzheimers patients, as with those injured in auto accidents and wars, should be treated with consideration. The sooner children of all ages are made to become aware of them, the better the children will be prepared to cope with their own challenges throughout their lives.
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No
by Sanrdra Hudnso
Created on: February 22, 2008
A young children ,are in their development stages and grandparent with Alzheimer's, are declining everyday. Which can benefit from the other? There is no gain for a child who is too young, to discern the grandparent's pains, or understand why the grandparent don't even know their name. What's the purpose? if either cannot connect, in conversation or the ability to relate in some childish way. One to the other is simply a human destruct. Children are rapidly growing, and are taken in much of what is said. Imagine, if they heard a most despicable word. They repeat and rattle off, loudly, words they ought not. They reenact ugly energies, that others may well think they were taught. Why should a young child visit a grandparent, that is progress going out of their head, even if it's in and out, just to ask the child,"what did you say" ! Better that a young child not be seen, in close proximity for any means. For youth are pictured as good health and with prosperity, and Alzheimer has a dooming picture of death. Visit a grandparent with Alzheimer's, for what? to see the affects of confusions, or a person fickle and disarrayed and less inhuman.
Alzheimer's is an inherent disease. Once the family members learn of its' debilitate affects; nights of chills, long lasting tears, and flashes run through their head,"I wonder, if I'm next". Adults rarely can handle the pain,of watching the disease claim its' fame. Alzheimer never leaves the affects that it was a friend. It captures the person, then reaches furthers deletes any memory, until they seem to just to waste away. Little can be done for the parent with Alzheimer's. But to, make every effort to try to comfort them, and sooth you. For Alzheimer's have no constant nothing, great for the days Alzheimer's remember you. And its' still okay, if they wonder all day, but, blink and wonder in and out. So why ! would anyone in they're right mind, bring a child to visit a grandparent with Alzheimer's. Is to destroy the precious youth? or is it to accompany the another who is drifting away.
Children are precious. Their methods are penetrating to our hearts, screaming and with cries that seem so sincere, "grampus". Parents, and guardians should be aware, they're charged to love and protect. Young children are not aware of the types of dangers or tragedies that can befall. Young children have no fears, and cannot perceive the different personalities of the harmful affects. Again, children are not prepared for what a sick person may do, they cannot separate the things that are real or imaginative. What kind of positive growth could come out of fear? The child may try to communicate, with a loving gesture, but, Alzheimer's cannot translate whether its' violence or a cheer. The child may go into shock, a loss of speech, or perhaps later develope some unhealthy forms of flashes backs. Experiences may reoccur maybe not the way you would desire your child's to be.
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