I want to pass on a link sent to me by my friend Caregivee, who has become my friend and conscience:
Caregivee sent me information about a new British study, “Carers’ diaries in dementia: Is there a role in clinical practice?”
I cannot verify the validity of this scientific study, which compared information recorded by 78 caregivers in daily diaries to what information caregivers gave in retrospect, but I was particularly struck by one conclusion:
“Our findings suggest that there may be a potential use of carers’ diaries in the assessment of dementia, in that they may identify more problems compared to relying solely on the retrospective account of patients and carers in clinic. More research using carers’ diaries in dementia covering longer period than a week may be required to ascertain other benefits.”
This study seems to suggest that by assembling the details from the diaries of many caregivers’ daily experiences–those small problems and/or solutions that we forget about once they’ve passed, those fleeting reactions, those moments of clarity–health professionals may find ways to help caregivers improve caregiving and make the experience better for caregivees. We can use all the help we can get.
Although I may write here about my anecdotal experiences with some regularity, I have never been good about keep an actual diary. Perhaps I should start.
(But no promises that I can keep it up.)
Alice in Memoryland 
I keep a diary – have done since I was about 13. However, there are gaps and often I’ll turn to a diary to remind me of somethign that happeend and find I didn’t actually record it. Looking over the diaries written when caring for dad there are gaps when things became difficult and sometimes there’s nothing about dad at all. And I certainly wouldn’t want anyone else to read them. There’s going to be a big bonfire at some point in the future!
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I am impressed. I have kept diaries on and off but never been consistent and never really in the sense of daily life. I am not sure I am up to keeping a daily record on life with Ralph but I am going to pass on to a group I am involved with that is trying to improve the caregiver experience…thanks as always.
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