Just finished up teaching a class that included an elderly couple who had been brought in for a surprise by their daughter. Watching the woman, I was pretty sure she had some kind of early dementia, and every step I gave I had to go over and get her started and, in some instances, do the whole step for her. She just sort of sat there blankly for most of the class. But whenever her husband leaned over and whispered in her ear, she lit up like the 4th of July and would start to giggle. Then she’d reach over and start painting on his canvas instead of her own, and he just let her do it and made jokes about her taking over his life.

That’s the way to do this whole dementia thing, friends. Have patience and make them laugh.