This is an open topic thread cleverly located at the intersection of faith* and politics. This street prophets coffee hour is brought to you by dementia.Cognitive code learning for the next few weeks I’m going to be sharing some of my hard learned knowledge about caregiving. I do not have all the answers, but let me say having faith* helps one get through the experience.Cognitive code learning and politics may determine the quality of the support you get in caregiving for someone. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of dementia notice the british spelling in the word recognizing.Cognitive code learning it was a free graphic in public domain. ( click to enlarge)

The first thing to understand is the word dementia. It is a general word that stands in for upwards of eighty different specific diseases.Cognitive code learning the mind is so complex and we know so little about it that using this one word becomes a simplification for the whole caregivers support system.Cognitive code learning there are stages defined in dementia but these are general and only helpful for communication quickly between new support personal.

Politics steps into the equation in a dramatic way because of insurance issues.Cognitive code learning I’m hoping everyone reading this caregiver diary has some form of insurance because I could not at this stage of my struggle in life imagine caregiving without medical and materials help.Cognitive code learning and this help costs money. Sadly the help we receive from the county, state, and federal government often depends on politics.

I will be writing from the view of the two extremes of the california health system.Cognitive code learning one charge I cared for was poor. The had the best insurance money could buy and would be considered “well off” by some. My heart goes out to those in the middle because they do not receive as much government support.Cognitive code learning they do not have the money to buy quality insurance and they have to much money to qualify for county and state assistance. Often they are at the mercy of weaponized religions that demand they vote republican in exchange for food.Cognitive code learning

The challenge for the this series of monday articles is figuring out how to care for our charges as the environment and social systems collapse over the next few years.Cognitive code learning specifically I’m looking for suggestions from other caregivers on how to continue care without support from the extraction economy. There are other outstanding support groups on daily kos with different focus such as KOSABILITY, so I hope to distinguish this monday caregivers coffee hour by the traditions established on the old blue street prophets created by pastor dan & markos moulitsas zúniga.Cognitive code learning

The astute genital reader might have noticed some strong language being used above. I learned while caring for a friend with stage 4 cancer the value of of being direct.Cognitive code learning I was with my charge when the doctor said flat out to him, “you are going to die. Get your paper work in order.” the benefit was more for me than my friend as I found out after my friend passed.Cognitive code learning

Please limit community links to one per user because we want to encourage greater diversity of submissions of community links from different users.Cognitive code learning in the case of a needed fundraiser, either the member in need will write a diary or someone will do it on their behalf. That diary is then linked to in the comments.Cognitive code learning please only post community links in community links comment provided.

As my regular readers might suspect I have an interest in how the mind works.Cognitive code learning in the early 70s I earnestly searched for knowledge that would allow me to understand “the hard problem,” as philosopher david chalmers, calls it.Cognitive code learning how consciousness works. After a few years of searching I found rené thom’s structural stability and morphogenesis: an outline of a general theory of models.Cognitive code learning now I was good in math, but his work won him the mathematical equivalent of the nobel prize called the fields medal at the international congress of mathematicians in edinburgh in 1958.Cognitive code learning

My reading about the mind and how it works over the years and my intensive study of george lakoff’s writings on embodied cognition came in handy when I became a caregiver for a individual diagnosed with dementia.Cognitive code learning it is this combination of theory and practical experience that I want to share with the readers. So I’m going to writing a lot about dementia every monday.Cognitive code learning

And lastly, perhaps the most important thing I want this to be a support coffee hour for caregivers. You do not have to be a professional caregiver the need support or to contribute loving ideas to help our progressive community.Cognitive code learning so, please share your pain, share your wisdom and share your love to all that gather here under the street prophets banner. Discipline

But, I will start out by noting the controversy over those creating diaries asking for financial help.Cognitive code learning we have a community links comment below and all request for financial help should go there in a reply to the comment. I think maintaining this tradition for those in need of financial help it is critical to the sustaining of our community.Cognitive code learning

I’m expecting elfling on the daily kos staff to put in writing the guide lines for for asking for financial help and when these guidelines are done they will be added here.Cognitive code learning note to readers the daily kos rules are changing and elfling is not kidding around if she warns you about breaking the rules. Clearly all visitors to this open thread should also follow the daily kos rules of the road.Cognitive code learning

Next week I will be continuing to talk about dementia and I will focus on how stress shortens the life expectancy of caregivers. For those that want to jump ahead please check out the following video.Cognitive code learning it is a bit dated as it was recorded in 2012, but I’m going to do a little research and see what the state of the art is today. And in addition I’m going to translate as best I can the upshot of the video into text for those that do not have a technical background to understand it and for those that can not view video on their computers.Cognitive code learning it is a interesting video as it talks extensive about caregivers and stress.