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Happy August everyone! This will probably be another hot month so keep cool and enjoy our beautiful community. Our next meeting and support group will be on Thurs., Aug. 18 at 10 am in the Main Clubhouse Multipurpose Room. There is no guest speaker this month. This will give each of you time to share. This group is for YOU the CAREGIVER. This program is open to ALL CAREGIVERS, and it is free. We have another free program that will care for your loved one while you enjoy the meeting. Please don't leave him or her home alone. We are right next door in the Arts & Crafts Room. We offer entertainment, games, and fun. No one is forced to participate. We will do whatever needs to be done to entertain your loved one so you can relax and enjoy the meeting. If you think your loved one isn't ready for the arts and craft room group just yet, you might be surprised. Sometimes they feel more comfortable chatting with others like themselves. Give us a try. If you have any questions, would like to learn more about Memory Loss, or would like reading material that we can loan you, call Diane, (951) 769-0130, Doug, (360) 840-5559 or Anne, (951) 845-8700. Remember we are here to help. Here is the fourth and final stage of communication for Alzheimer's Disease. 4. COMMUNICATION IN THE LATE STAGE The late stage of Alzheimer's disease, sometimes referred to as severe Alzheimer's, may last from several weeks to several years. As the disease advances, the person with Alzheimer's may rely on nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions or vocal sounds. Around-the-clock care is usually required in this stage. Here are some tips for successful communication. Treat the person with dignity and respect. Avoid talking down to the person or as if he or she isn't there. Approach the person from the front and identify yourself. Encourage nonverbal communication. If you don't understand what is being said, ask the person to point or gesture. Sometimes the emotions being expressed are more important than what is being said. Look for the feelings behind words or sounds. Use touch, sights, sounds, smells and tastes as a form of communication with the person. It's okay if you don't know what to do or say; your presence and friendship are most important to the person. To find more communication tips, visit alz.org/commtips. | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | AUGUST 2022 | 41 Caregiver Support Group Once again, it is time for our on-again, off-again Sun Lakes Creative Writers Group to get together. Mon., Aug. 1, is looking good. The meeting will be in the Sun Lakes Main Clubhouse Multipurpose Room from 1 to 3 pm. Anyone with an interest in writing is welcome to attend. We share our projects and then discuss them. You may just get an, "Atta-boy!" (or girl) with a suggestion or two from the group. You will find a wide assortment of writing, from poetry (this could have been in rhyme but could only find the word dust to rhyme with August) or as serious drama: Walter is standing at the door to the meeting room. He is hesitant to enter. Roger smiles and says, "Hey, hi, come on in!" Even straight non-fiction where the story is true with no editorializing: The meeting was only minutes away. The chairs had been set out and the maintenance man was arranging the tables. Members arrived early to choose their favorite seats. And there is always at least one joker in the group. Usually it's the one wearing the Harry Potter sorting hat or a virus mask over his eyes. They say a picture is worth a thousand words but here we would prefer the thousand words. If you would like an audience for your writings — or just want to be around a few neighbors with like interests, pop on in. For more info, you can phone Roger Smith at (951) 769-2808.

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