The Fundamentals

The Tape Reel Concept is the foundation of how I have come to view the dementia journey. Understanding that with the onset of an Alzheimer’s-type dementia, a person’s “memory tape” gradually erases. The most recent is erased first at the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms, and gradually the person goes back in time. Not only does he go back in time, but he loses each skill in the reverse order he gained it as a child. He loses the more sophisticated part first and gradually regresses to the loss of the skill.

What impact does the Alzheimer’s Tape Reel Concept have on the caregiver? A caregiver learns to “Simplify, Simplify, Simplify” the routine, environment, clothing, food, and instructions for the loved one. People with Alzheimer’s type dementia seem to respond well to a simple routine. The Tape Reel Concept provides the caregiver with a greater understanding of how to manage the many challenges that must be addressed during the disease process.