This American Life: Magic Words: Rainy Days & Mondys -- improv & dementia
Link here: http://m.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/532/magic-words?act=2#act-2
This is Act 2 of this week's episode, and it talks about using the shared reality of improv as a means of communicating when it's not working. It's also a deep look into the dynamics of the family relationships.
Also, monkeys in the house. In pants. And dogs digging coal mines.
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Very interesting.
I've gotten one of my sister's to "play along" with my mom like this, but my other sibs so far don't get it.
When I had to move my mom into a home a few years ago, we were fortunate enough to find an amazing caregiver who taught me to just go with the flow. Sometimes it's a little hard -- like when we touch on some past trigger -- but at those times, distraction is a great tool. At least once a day I shout, "Look! A squirrel!" 
But seriously, my mom was a nurse and she's still a mom, so the best thing I've stumbled upon to distract her is to tell her about some affliction -- a bruise, a cut, a stomach ache. No matter what she was doing or saying at the time, she immediately goes into nurture mode. It's good for both of us....
