Friday, April 22, 2011

Great things about being blind. Can you help me find the way?

I wrote yesterday about an experience workingnwith seniors. Here is another one. When I worked in a day program for people with dementia, there was a delightful man there with alzheimer's. He had the best one liners and a great sense of humour. He was at the stage in his dementia when he believed he lived just up the street and could get to his house with no difficulty. His house, in fact, was completely across town. He would sometimes get very angry and storm out of our program trying to get home. One or another of us would go outside and talk with him and try to get him back inside. It was bettr if we could keep him from going out but this wasn't always possible. One day, out he went. I went out after him with my guide dog at the time. I said that I just needed to take my dog for a little walk so she could go to the bathroom. Would he like to come along? "Certainly." We walked around the parking lot. Then I said, "I'm a bit lost. Could you show me how to get inside." I really wasn't lost at all. I was hoping it would get him back inside too. He said, without missing a beat, "That smart dog brought you out here. She can find the way back inside." I did manage to get him to come back with me but don't remember quite how I did it. I shouldn't have tried to trick a very smart man or to sell myself short I guess.

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