Reeves Dementia Care and Consulting

09/15/2025

Stepping On Class starting on Thursday, September 18th!!! Call to sign up!!!

09/15/2025

Dementia Care Partner Support Group (DCSE) and Parkinson's Disease Support Group (PDSG) meet TOMORROW at 10:30 and 1:30, respectively, in the Theatre Room at the Montevideo Veterans Home. Contact me for more information at 320-435-1291 or contact@reevesdementiacare.com.

Come learn about the positive impact hydration can have on people living with dementia and people living with Parkinson's Disease.

Send a message to learn more

09/09/2025

I'm excited to share my upcoming speaking engagements!

9/18 CentraCare Hospice "Share The Spirit 2025" in Willmar Assembly of God Church

9/27 Big Stone Area Memory Loss group in Clinton, MN the Clinton Memorial Building

9/30 Redwood Area Dementia Awareness Network at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls

10/14 Content Expert at The Remember Project portion of the
Park Rapids Living at Home Fall 2025 Dementia Friendly Conference

Let me know if you need more information about attending these events!

320-435-1291
contact@reevesdementiacare.com

Send a message to learn more

09/08/2025

Don't miss this opportunity for some good local dementia education. If you're a care partner, friend or family member of someone living with dementia, this event is for YOU! Attend just the movie at 2 pm or 6 pm, just the Dementia Experience before or after the 2 pm showing at the Montevideo Community Center or BOTH! Call Lori Petersen to reserve a spot in the Dementia Experience! No reservations needed for the movie!

Attend this FREE educational and experiential event on Wednesday, October 22 sponsored by MAMLN (Montevideo Area Memory Loss Network.) Contact Lori Petersen to reserve your spot for the interactive experience 320-226-2343.

09/07/2025

Here's a care partner tip from my Dementia Care Partner Support Group earlier this week:

Occasionally check your person’s refrigerator for outdated/spoiled food!

Finding spoiled or outdated food in the refrigerator of someone living with dementia can happen for a few reasons:
a. What’s out of sight is out of mind
b. They may not recall the date of their last grocery shopping trip because of their inability to track time. They may think they JUST went so nothing should be spoiled yet!
c. When they do open the refrigerator door they may feel overwhelmed by all the choices and just shut the door, not thinking to check the food

You can't expect your person to do this task anymore. So care partners need to “Fluff the fridge” every so often, meaning throw away old/spoiled food and move everything to the front of the shelves. And remember to "fluff" when your person isn't there because it might be a trigger for a challenging reaction if they see you going through their things. And they don't need to be told that it was done, which also could trigger a challenging reaction.

Our next Dementia Care Partner Support and Education Group (DCSE) will be on Tuesday, Sept. 16th from 10:30 am - noon at the Veterans Home in Montevideo. The educational topic will be dehydration in dementia. Join us in-person or send me your email address and I'll send you a link to join virtually! This is a FREE service, brought to you in part by a Minnesota Board on Aging Dementia Grant, to care partners of people living with mild cognitive impairment or dementia of any type. Contact me if you have any questions. contact@reevesdementiacare.com or 320-435-1291.

Send a message to learn more

09/03/2025

RADAN is hosting a dementia training for professional and family caregivers; as well as, for anyone in the general public seeking more information about dementia care. Please call the ACE office to register. See attached flier for more details.

08/31/2025

Don’t miss out on MAMLN’s fall event! Another collaboration with the Millennium Theater! Come just for the movie or combine it with the dementia experience! Learn what it’s like to live with dementia.

Attend this FREE educational and experiential event on Wednesday, October 22 sponsored by MAMLN (Montevideo Area Memory Loss Network.) Contact Lori Petersen to reserve your spot for the interactive experience 320-226-2343.

08/30/2025

Happy Friday, everyone! What a beautiful sunrise we have today! ☀️

As the first day of school arrives for so many of our students over the next couple weeks, we wanted to take a moment to wish all the kids, parents, and educators a wonderful start to the new year.

This is a time of new beginnings, new friendships, and new adventures. As you and your children prepare for this exciting time, we encourage you to have a conversation about the importance of a few key things:

💙 Kindness to others. A simple act of kindness can make a world of difference in someone's day.

💛 Inclusion. Everyone deserves to feel like they belong. Let's make sure our kids are reaching out and welcoming others.

❤️ Happiness. Encourage your children to find the joy in learning and to embrace the unique qualities that make them who they are!

At Discover Your Sisu Therapy Services, we believe in helping every child build the courage and resilience to thrive. We are here to support you and your family on your journey.

Wishing you all a fantastic day and future upcoming weeks!

08/10/2025

At our last Dementia Care Partner Support & Education Group (DCSE) we discussed the topic of Apraxia in dementia. Have you ever wondered why your person can't use a utensil anymore, is challenged with dressing themselves, uses their toothbrush to brush their hair or refuses to sit down? The reason might be because they have apraxia. This comes in several forms and can affect any muscle in the body. Basically, the brain tells the body part to move to complete a task and the signal doesn't get through. The body part has the strength to carry out the task but it does it incorrectly or can't do it at all. Analogy: You order a table online. It comes in a box with assembly instructions (our brains) and all the parts to put it together (our body parts…hands, legs, arms, tongue, etc). You open the instructions and they are all mixed up, not in the right order, so it’s very difficult or impossible to put the table together (move the body parts to complete a task). Simplifying the movement/task and modeling the movement/task are two ways to help the person with apraxia. I'm happy to answer any questions you have about apraxia and how it may be affecting your person living with dementia. Contact me at 320-435-1291 or contact@reevesdementiacare.com or through my website at www.reevesdementiacare.com

Our next DCSE meeting is Aug. 19th at 10:30 at the Montevideo Veterans Home. To join virtually I just need your email address to send you the link. And then you will also receive notes from the meetings and information about any dementia education in our area.

RDCC is a speech-language pathology private practice that specializes in supporting individuals living with dementia and their care partners, as well as offering a wide variety of dementia education opportunities.

06/26/2025

From a dementia care partner

If I get dementia, I’d like my family to hang this wish list up on the wall where I live. I want them to remember these things.

1a. Every time you enter the room announce yourself. “Hi Mom- it’s Margaret.”
NEVER ask- Do you know who I am??? That causes anxiety.

1. If I get dementia, I want my friends and family to embrace my reality.

2. If I think my spouse is still alive, or if I think we’re visiting my parents for dinner, let me believe those things. I’ll be much happier for it.

3. If I get dementia, don’t argue with me about what is true for me versus what is true for you.

4. If I get dementia, and I am not sure who you are, do not take it personally. My timeline is confusing to me.

5. If I get dementia, and can no longer use utensils, do not start feeding me. Instead, switch me to a finger-food diet, and see if I can still feed myself.

6. If I get dementia, and I am sad or anxious, hold my hand and listen. Do not tell me that my feelings are unfounded.

7. If I get dementia, I don’t want to be treated like a child. Talk to me like the adult that I am.

8. If I get dementia, I still want to enjoy the things that I’ve always enjoyed. Help me find a way to exercise, read, and visit with friends.

9. If I get dementia, ask me to tell you a story from my past.

10. If I get dementia, and I become agitated, take the time to figure out what is bothering me.

11. If I get dementia, treat me the way that you would want to be treated.

12. If I get dementia, make sure that there are plenty of snacks for me in the house. Even now if I don’t eat I get angry, and if I have dementia, I may have trouble explaining what I need.

13. If I get dementia, don’t talk about me as if I’m not in the room.

14. If I get dementia, don’t feel guilty if you cannot care for me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s not your fault, and you’ve done your best. Find someone who can help you, or choose a great new place for me to live.

15. If I get dementia, and I live in a dementia care community, please visit me often.

16. If I get dementia, don’t act frustrated if I mix up names, events, or places. Take a deep breath. It’s not my fault.

17. If I get dementia, make sure I always have my favorite music playing within earshot.

18. If I get dementia, and I like to pick up items and carry them around, help me return those items to their original place.

19. If I get dementia, don’t exclude me from parties and family gatherings.

20. If I get dementia, know that I still like receiving hugs or handshakes.

21. If I get dementia, remember that I am still the person you know

ᴄᴏᴘʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀsᴛᴇ in Honor of someone you know or knew who has dementia. In Honor of all those I know and love and lost who are fighting Dementia/Alzheimer’s.

06/26/2025

I'm happy to announce my upcoming summer and fall speaking engagements!

July 30th: Clara City Care Center staff (12:30-2:30) and families (3:00-5:00)
Sept. 18: Share The Spirit Hospice Retreat in Willmar, MN
Sept. 27: Big Stone Area Memory Loss Group in Clinton, MN
Sept. 30: Redwood Area Dementia Awareness Network in Redwood Falls, MN
Oct. 14: "The Remember Project" Subject Matter Expert at the Park Rapids, MN Fall 2025 Dementia Friendly Conference

Send a message to learn more

06/26/2025

Care Partners! Our next dementia care partner support and education group (DCSE) is scheduled for next Tuesday, July 1 at 10:30. Susan Spieker, member of the group and my long-time fellow speech-language pathologist, will be facilitating the meeting in my absence. She will have information on Mild Cognitive Impairment, comparing it to typical aging and dementia. There will also be time for general support and information sharing. There won't be a virtual option and please bring your own beverages! See you on July 15th!

Send a message to learn more