During the MEPAP course I’m currently taking (MEPAP stands for Modular Education Program for Activity Professionals, and is part of the requirements to become a certified activity director) we occasionally have a chance to share experiences and stories from our facilities. One of our classmates shared this true gem.
At her facility, they have a resident to believes that he is Jesus Christ. One day, another person who was admitted to the facility also began claiming that he was Jesus Christ. Fearful of the outcome if Jesus ever met Jesus, they made sure their two rooms were in far apart units.
Now, I have to interject, when someone with dementia tells you that he is Jesus Christ, you should probably refrain from using ‘reality-orientation’ techniques. I’d hate to see him try and prove it to you if you tell him he’s not. He could try to walk on water or cast a demon out of you, all I know is that it is something to avoid!
Anyway, one day both of the Jesus’s happend to be wandering all the way to a common area in the center of the facility. As fate would have it, the two Jesus’s met each other and it was too late for the staff to intervene.
The two men sat down to talk. The first explained that he was indeed Jesus Christ. The other man then said that he was indeed Jesus Christ. The two of them started to discuss and they came to this conclusion:
They decided they couldn’t both be Jesus Christ. So, they decided that neither one of them would be Jesus.
Whew! Talk about dodging a bullet!
But, it goes to show you, that even someone with dementia can still make sense out of some things. They are not just ‘plain crazy.’
