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Joined: 12/2/2011
Posts: 138
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I am curious to know if live Chat had any significance in dealing with your daily life.
As a 24/7 caregiver, it was a lifesaver for me time and time again. Just wondering if it was useful to you too.
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Joined: 12/15/2011
Posts: 18723
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Heart, you have posted on the site for older AD/dementia patients. Most of them are not comfortable with chat because the action moves too fast. I know because we have discussed it before on the old boards.
I use chat frequently because I learned a lot from listening to the caregivers. It helped me to understand what THEY were going through, especially their emotions. I learned a lot about managing behaviors and feeding AD patients. I also had an avenue for evening companionship. especially since most of my friends have abandoned me.
Losing the message boards and chat in October 2010 when my computer crashed put me into a deep depression because that connection was severed. I was afraid for my mental status with the current loss of the old message boards and chat. It's been very rough for me, but I'm happy to say two new chats have been discovered for our use.
Iris L.
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Joined: 11/29/2011
Posts: 514
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Heart, thank you for your interest by asking if chat was helpful for AD patients. Iris, answered for a majority of us. The rapid pace can be difficult if the AD patient is joining a regular chat room because it involves quick thinking, typing, and response.
If two or three people with AD or other dementia are in chat it's easier to communicate and keep up. The problem we have had historically with the AD chat room is that there is not a large number of us that actively post.
There needs to be a designated chat time. In the past, we scheduled our chats with each other. We would announce a time and ask those that were interested to come.
Live chat is nice because it allows you to talk about issues you may not want everyone to read. It allows you to have a private talk since the message board is open to read.
I hope that answers your question. 
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Joined: 12/15/2011
Posts: 18723
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Geegee wrote:
The problem we have had historically with the AD chat room is that there is not a large number of us that actively post.
There used to be many more patient members on these boards, several of whom chatted along with the caregivers, as well as in the dedicated Dementia chat room.
Iris L.
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Joined: 11/29/2011
Posts: 514
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Iris, yes I miss some of our friends! We have a few that have registered. When the archives are up, admin. will try to contact them.
In the past, I had a hard time keeping up with ghe pace and topics in caregiver chat. Perhaps it was because I was new and still continuing to try to learn.
Also, I guess I felt My interaction with them needed to be more thought out. It seemed to be easier with my AD peers. Does that make more sense? 
You and a few others were able to interact well with everyone. I think we lost some of those members last year to the Facebook format. ...Irony?
I do hope we get everyone here for the Message Boards. Then we can go from there. Hope to hear other views...
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Joined: 11/29/2011
Posts: 7027
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In the past we never had much luck with the chat rooms just for AD people. Although that was how I first connected with Geegee and that has worked well.
First problem: there are too few of us for it to be truly convenient for us to schedule a good time.
And even then, there was the additional problem of one of us forgetting. Imagine that!
Possibly if we get one established and keep a set time, it might work. It will take time to get it established.
Like Geegee, I also had problems communicating in a large group.
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Joined: 11/29/2011
Posts: 514
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Mimi S. wrote:...chat rooms just for AD people. Although that was how I first connected with Geegee and that has worked well.
Possibly if we get one established and keep a set time, it might work. It will take time to get it established.
That is probably the key; to get an set time since routine and calendar scheduleds work best with AD!
Mimi! What a good memory you have! Thank you for reminding me! NOW, I remember that chat! LOL!
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Joined: 11/29/2011
Posts: 182
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Geegee wrote:Mimi S. wrote:...chat rooms just for AD people. Although that was how I first connected with Geegee and that has worked well.
Mimi! What a good memory you have! Thank you for reminding me! NOW, I remember that chat! LOL!
Possibly if we get one established and keep a set time, it might work. It will take time to get it established.
That is probably the key; to get an set time since routine and calendar scheduleds work best with AD!
Mimi! What a good memory you have! Thank you for reminding me! NOW, I remember that chat! LOL!
What is the web address and what time are you going to meet?
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Joined: 12/15/2011
Posts: 18723
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Ttom wrote:
What is the web address and what time are you going to meet?
Tom, there is a chat room with schedules on DASNI. The web address is: http://www.alzinfo.org/alztalk/home.php
Click on "chat" and sign up. You can also enter as a guest.
On the first Thursday of each month they have a psychologist.
Iris L.
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Joined: 11/29/2011
Posts: 514
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Tom, this was a "what if" discussion. IF we had a chat room like BEFORE, we would schedule a chat.
Sorry, we can't tell you a time YET! LOL! We have to wait until we get one.
Then you will be one of the first to know the time for us to chat! K?
ROFL...BCGU
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Joined: 12/15/2011
Posts: 18723
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Geegee and others you don't have to wait for chat. You can chat on the DASNI site if you want to. It's already set up, it's for PATIENTS ONLY, and it's free.
This was just a suggestion for patients who do want to chat but don't want to chat with the caregivers.
Iris L.
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