This week on the APFM blogs, everything from GPS technology to coconut oil, which oddly (at least to me) can be a touchy subject with some. I’ve always been of the opinion that if it won’t harm me and there’s a chance it may help, I’ll give it a go – I have nothing to lose… especially where it comes to this disease.

On the GPS front, if you aren’t familiar with location based services in the context of wandering, it’s definitely something to check out. I would have loved to have access to this type of monitoring when my mom was still living independently. It’s pretty amazing, and available for a reasonable monthly fee. If you have a loved one living at home, this might be just what you need to give you some much needed peace of mind.

Last but not least, I recently saw an article that I thought was worthy of sharing. We’ve all been in that awkward situation – a friend loses a loved one. What do you say? Now having experienced what it’s like to be the one grieving, I think, “I’m sorry, let me know if there is anything I can do,” accompanied by a hug (if it feels right) is perfect. Nothing more, nothing less.

In the article, Carole Brody Fleet tells us what NOT to say.  And believe me, it’s easy to unwittingly say the wrong thing despite having the best of intentions. I’m sure we’ve all done it. This was a topic at one of the grief classes I attended, and it was interesting to get other perspectives… things that I may have said in the past, I now realize are best left unsaid… Things like “She’s in a better place.” – innocent enough, and true if that’s in line with your beliefs, but it really doesn’t help the one hurting. Hell, five months later it’s still true for me. I know she’s in a better place, and I’m extremely grateful that she’s no longer suffering – but my heart still hurts more than words can begin to describe. The gap between what the brain knows and what the heart feels is immense.