I experience all the frustrations that everyone else does. With Dad, our family had all the joys AND distresses that other families have. Keeping my composure was a battle. The Lord taught me a few key things that ultimately produced victory to keep my emotions and frustrations in check.
(1) I had to stop teaching, or trying to "fix" Dad. Fortunately, this happened early in our journey together, while Dad was still highly functional. Training, instruction, repetition of a task were pointless methods. I accepted the nature of his illness, and realized all of these "problems" were not problems at all, just minor details.
(2) Dad knew when he missed the mark on some task; he experienced the discouragement. I eventually began to say "Dad, that's not a problem. You did nothing wrong. We'll take care of this, and move on with our day." I wish I had learned this one sooner, but thankfully, the Lord got through to me eventually.
(3) When a tough moment arrived, I paused, took a deep breath, stopped talking, thought about the mercy that I will want in 30 years or so when my health declines, and prayed inwardly "Lord, help me get over myself; this too shall pass, right?"
(4) Knowing that Dad was neither "lost" nor "gone", only hindered by illness. He was still the same wonderful man with the hand of God at work in his life. Dementia wasn't stealing from us. God was adding to us.
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