10/19/2026
💜 MEMORY MONDAY
Sometimes families ask, “Do they still know who I am?”
The answer isn’t always easy to see.
Recognition may look like a smile, reaching for your hand, settling when they hear your name, or responding to your voice.
But it can also look very different.
A person living with dementia may become anxious, irritated, fearful, or even angry when someone they have loved deeply comes into the room.
That doesn’t mean you did something wrong.
It doesn’t erase the relationship you shared.
And it doesn’t mean your presence never mattered.
Dementia can change how a person interprets faces, relationships, surroundings, and even their own emotions from one moment to the next.
I’ve seen someone settle down and begin getting ready for the day simply after hearing that her husband was coming. I’ve seen someone warmly kiss a spouse she could no longer identify. And I’ve seen visits become so distressing that a loving spouse had to step back.
All of those experiences are real.
Recognition isn’t always something we can measure by a name, a smile, or even a warm response.
Recognition can look like comfort, not just a name—but sometimes dementia makes even familiar people feel unfamiliar.
Keep the waves gentle, & the care joyful.
