The robin named Josephine!

Published Jun 1, 2005

2,595 Posts

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

I work in an assisted living facility. I have this patient who had some recent TIA's and went from totally independant to dependant in less than two months. She suffered such a change and dementia set in so badly and so quickly..you would barely know she was ever independant. A heartbreaking thing to watch!

About three weeks ago, she was wondering the halls looking for her apt. I saw her and went up to help her go to wherever she wished. She said "I want to go home and rest dear, thank you so much for helping me" as I saw a tear fall...

"Oh and dear...*more tears* what is my name?"

I about flooded with tears myself and I said..."how tired are you..I have an idea that will remind you!". She said not much and I took her to the piano in our exercise room and she is/was quite the player!

I said "play me your favorite!" She promptly played "Red Red Robin" and sang her heart out as I helped (okay not the greatest singer..but I try!).

I told her to name the Robin Josphine because that was such a pretty name..and we made up a song laughing and singing our little hearts out!

"So the Red Red Robin goes be bop a bobbin along..along, well I may not be a robin, but I will keep singin this same old song. Wake up wake up wake up dear Josphine, you have you have you have so much to see...live long, theres so much life ahead, go to room *** and rest your weary head"

Yesterday I saw her singing the song quitely as she walked in the hall towards her room. She remembered the room number, and her name.

I learned long ago that music is something that even dementia can't seem to take away. Even people suffering strokes...seem to understand music so well! I just thought...well...as you can see it worked! And so much better than escorting her all the time to her room trying to just tell her to remember as her soal ached for memory...I gave a good one back to her and she remembers!!!

I feel pretty good about my wierd way of doing this :).

DO others have some very unsual ways of helping their residents/patients/clients that worked well???