Imagine how difficult it might be for someone with cognitive impairment–dementia to look at a list of information types in a small front in the middle of a page text. Now imagine that there is a better way. Look at the two diagrams (click to expand) and see if you think that some graphics scattered around a web page or report might make it a little easier to understand what is being said. Even for a PhD with 35 years of experience in work directly related to dementia.

And the cost of creating accurate and compelling is not that much.

See my point?

I have argued for several years, especially in my book “Mind Mapping, Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia,” that communication among persons with dementia, their caregivers, and healthcare providers can be greatly improved by using visual thinking methods.

Mind maps are probably easier to understand for many persons with dementia than the traditional forms, small font information sheets, lists of to-do items, pharmaceutical labels, and guidelines. Mind maps can be used for visual journals and diaries that can still be understood at later stages of the disorder.

To use these methods effectively, it is imperative that healthcare providers and caregivers be trained in effective mind mapping methods. While many medical students are shown how to mind map, the techniques used are actually very ineffective ways of visual outlining that employ few, if any, of the real strengths of the method. These outline maps are clearly not appropriate for persons with dementia. Hence caregivers and healthcare providers need to be trained in “real” mind mapping methods AND how to communicate with these methods with persons with dementia.

Most of the trainings and mind mapping books and web sites are oriented to business users, especially at the management level. I have yet to find training sessions especially geared to both the mind mapping and patient care and management issues implicit in healthcare and caregiving. So how should we train healthcare professionals and caregivers to use mind maps effectively for the benefit of the person with dementia? The following mind map is a set of suggestions for how to train such individuals effectively. The trainings are designed to produce mind mapping experience specifically focused on patient care and management of those with dementia.

Click on the images to expand.

Bright and artlike = FUN.

People who have fun using a technique will tend to incorporate it into their day-to-day life.

Consistent use of a technique known to enhance memory, spark creativity, and most importantly ENGAGE the user may result in better thinking by retraining the damaged brain to use different pathways.

That’s my unproven theory. If you don’t believe me, run empirical studies and disprove my theory. When you design those studies, please include another technique which you think may work better.

I’ve been doing my own studies on myself for several years to determine what might work best for a person with dementia to jump start the process of using new and better ways of thinking in a “damaged” brain. If you have something that can be empirically demonstrated to work better than what I have proposed, I have a very strong PERSONAL stake in seeing your findings so I can change what I do.

At any rate, this is my theory (at least until the end of the day). And, if you have something better, please tell us as there is much at stake.

Click on images to expand.

or in 3D …

or as an animated presentation (using PowerPoint installed on your computer; click to download; click file to start in PowerPoint; click the start presentation box at the top of the screen; move through the presentation by clicking the right arrow at the bottom of the screen).

WHY USE COLORFUL AND ART-LIKE MIND MAPS FOR PWDS AND PLWNS

Have dementia? So do I. You and I and others can use Twitter responsibly to provide information and observations and comments to millions of others, any one of whom might use that information to make a difference in treatment systems, the development of pharmaceuticals, priorities for the use of tax dollars, or the care of a family member.

Pssstttt… these techniques are for anyone advocating for just about any social issue. Pick a good topic you know something about and become a One Person Advocacy Organization.

Click on image to expand.

I have written a book on using mind maps to deal with issues that arise in cognitive impairment and dementia. The left sidebar provides links to two online bookstores that sell the book.