There seems to have been a lot in the media about Dementia in the last couple of weeks. So I thought I would tell you how Bach Flower Remedies (sometimes called Essences) can help those with Dementia. No. Bach Flowers can’t cure this disease, but they can help with the confused feelings of the patient.
Dementia seems to be spreading fast. And its really difficult for the sufferer to cope with, but the Bach Flower Remedies can bring relief.
I met John at one of my talks on Bach Flowers. He approached me and asked if the remedies could help his wife Mary, who had Dementia. I told him they could.
Helping Others
The Remedies are natural and simple to use and can safely be used alongside medical drugs. You can’t over dose and there are no side effects from the remedies.
This is what John told me about his wife. He said “I can’t tell how she feels, but she seems ‘lost’ and I know that trying to remember things makes her fearful and extremely anxious, also, she’s afraid of being left alone”.
All dementia patients seem to be afraid of being alone. This is because they have no short term memory and so don’t know where they are – or sometimes even who they are. Bach Flower Remedies can help.
Remember to always seek medical attention when you’re ill.
Helping with Recommended Remedies
John said Mary’s mind was beginning to fade, so much so, that she had now lost her ‘point of reference’ that our memories give us. She had no anchor and always felt lost.
And because Mary has no present day memories, she gets terribly anxious when she tries to remember anything, and so very naturally, she feels lost and is terrified of being left alone as she doesn’t know or remember where she is.
Although it might seem too simple, I gave Mary Rescue Remedy. Rescue Remedy does just that – it rescues.
Why Rescue Remedy
Rescue Remedy is a combination of these 5 remedies below and I’ve also mentioned why these remedies helped Mary.
1) Star of Bethlehem is the remedy for shock, trauma and for sadness and its the remedy that ‘sticks us back together’ as it were. This is the ‘grief’ remedy.
2) Rock Rose is the remedy for ‘urgent fear’ or panic. John said Mary was extremely fearful and anxious. Intense anxiety is a feeling of panic.
3) Clematis is the ‘grounding’ remedy. This helped Mary come out of her thoughts. It helped to ground her in the moment.
4) Cherry Plum is for obsessive thoughts. When you’re trying to remember something that is just beyond your mind, as you try to reach it, your thoughts will become obsessive. Cherry Plum is a very useful remedy.
5) Impatiens helped Mary when she had sudden outbusts of frustration and irritation. She would become very irriatble when she was trying to remember how to do something simple.
Although Rescue Remedy will do lots of good, it isn’t a panacea for all ills and Mary needed a few more remedies to help her.
Click here to find out more about Rescue Remedy.
Helping with Recommended Remedies
I made up a treatment bottle for Mary with …
Rescue Remedy to ‘Rescue’ her intense anxiety and sadness.
Honeysuckle because she was living in the past. This remedy will bring her more into the present day.
White Chestnut to stop the repeated thoughts running through her head.
Larch to give Mary some confidence.
Heather to help connect her to daily life.
Walnut to help Mary move into the next stage of her life.
Click here to find out the most effective way to take the Bach Flower Remedies.
A treatment bottle should last about 3 to 4 weeks. Four weeks after giving John the bottle for Mary, I received a message asking for another bottle.
John was delighted with the result of the remedies. Mary was less stressed and the remedies had certainly reduced her anxiety. She was able to remember a few things and have short conversations. And she seemed much happier in herself. I sent another bottle of the same combination.
About four weeks later, I received a message from John letting me know that Mary had passed on, peacefully in her sleep. He was very relieved that the last weeks of Mary’s life had seemed easier and that she’d gone peacefully. (John also mentioned that he was now taking Rescue Remedy to help with his grief.)
I hope the blog is helpful and encourages you to perhaps find out more about these wonderful remedies. The blog however, is not intended to replace learning about the remedies, and how to use them. They will will you a life-long tool to help you and your loved ones navigate the trials of life.
I have a Foundation Course which is designed for you to help yourself and your family, and a Practitioner Diploma Course.
Over to You…
As always, I love to hear from you, so please leave your thoughts and comments in the comments box below.
Thank you. Rose
This was lovely. At least the last few weeks of her life were happier ones. Thank you for doing what you do.
Dear Christi. Thank you for taking the time to write.
And bless you for your kind words too. I do apprecite it. Thank you again.
Warm wishes Rose
Rose this is an amazing explanation for such a problem and I am now beginning to understand how you analyse such conditions. Also a useful guide for self help if you feel these emotions coming on. Not just a fast fix but an easing for handling your heart and mind. Thank you for this.
Hello Pat. Thank you for your kind words about the blog and glad it has helped you understand how to simply look at our situation. I think you’ve beautifully summed up what the remedies do – “an easing for heart and mind”. Thank you again. Warm wishes. Rose,
Dear Rose – I have been using flower essences along with giving 3-4/week Jin Shin Jyutsu with a 61 year woman diagnosed with dementia for the past 2+ years. Flower essences lifted the dark cloud she described around her and calmed her anxieties. When the bottle runs low, it is the one thing she asks for. I change the flower combinations as needed depending on how she describes her feelings. Her family reported seeing positive change within days of the addition of flower essences. What a gift.
I’m preparing essences now for another dementia patient I work with with hope for similar relief and symptoms improvement.
Dear Jennifer. What a wonderful story. Thank you very much for sharing it with me,
And thank you too for sharing the fact that Bach Flower Remedies really can help people with dementia.
I’m delighted your cilent feels the difference the remedies make for her and that her family notice the difference too.
Bach Flower Remedies is a beautifully simple and extremely effective system of healing. Thank you once again for writing to tell us how much they have helped your client.
Warm wishes
Interesting… too few books speak about flowers and dementia and/ or Alzheimer … I m very much looking for that type of books… thank you for your help .. if by any chance you know about some others books please be kind to let me know
Dbrard /france
Hello Danielle. Thank you so much for your comment.
As Bach Flowers heals and soothes negative or unwanted emotions and not circumstances and situaitons, and as everyone of us has our own unique response to situations, I don’t think there’ll be many books about this or other diseases.
However, if you obnserve and are aware of the behaviour of the patient, then you’ll be able to deduce some of their feelings, and therefore be able to choose the best remedies..
The blog dealt with the ‘obvious’ and common emotions/symptoms. You might find that these remedies are enough to help the patient (or your loved one).
The more you use the remedies, and the more you get to know them, the more easily you’ll be able to choose the remedies that will give the most relief.
I’m sorry that this is not what you were looking for, but it is the best I can do.
If you have any other questions, please get in touch, and I’ll help where I can.
Take care.
Much love Rose. [email protected]
Dear Rose.
I am a many decade’s long user of the Bach Rescue Remedy as well as in more recent years the RESCUE Sleep. There was a time when I did see a practitioner who prepared a personalized treatment bottles for me but I now rely on the two mentioned as they are the most readily available to me. I am a huge believer.
This said, I am now facing the challenge and sorrow of caring for my husband who is suffering dementia. The evening hours (sundowning) are often the most difficult.
I have experimented successfully with giving him the RESCUE SLEEP in the late afternoon as well as at bedtime and occasionally if he wakes during the night. Neither of us suffer insomnia, but we both do sometimes wake during the night and find it hard to fall back to sleep. The Rescue Sleep always works. I will sometimes take it myself, if I feel I am obsessing on some aspect of his condition.
I might consider order working with you to obtain a more personally prepared treatment for him. Thank you for you fine work.
Hello Dove 99.
Thank you for writing to me. I’m sorry I didn’t reply sooner.
I”m always delighted to meet a fellow Bach enthusiast. I too am a ‘huge believer’.
You seem to be doing very well with Rescue and Rescue Night.
I would be very happy to work with husband and (if you’re in the UK) I would send you treatment bottles.
Here’s the link about my consultations, if you’d like to have a look.
https://rosetodd.com/bach-flower-remedy-consultations/
If you’d like to get in touch, please email me on [email protected]
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm wishes Rose.
Thank you, Rose
I am NOT in the UK. I live in Brooklyn, NY. BTW did you ever know Mrs. Starnaman (now deceased): she was a Bach practitioner living here in NYC, had been a student of Dr. Bach and was the person I worked with many decades ago.
Hello Delores. Thank you for your reply.
Even though you’re not in the UK, I can still do your consultations on Skype. If you have the remedies/or some remedies yourself, then you can make up the treatment bottles as per my suggestions. So, that’s not a problem.
No. I’m afraid I didn;t know Mrs, Starnaman. Golly what a gift it must have been to talk to her. I didn’t know any of the orignal people’ of the Bach Centre. I only came to live in England (for the first time) in 1987 and by the time I’d got mysefl sort-of settled and discovered the Bach Centre it was 1990. Nora Weeks, Bach’s loyal assistant died about 1956 (I think.) I didn’t even meet Nickie Murray, (who I understand was taught by Nora Weeks). She was so knowledgable too!
There’s a whole new ‘brand’ of us now, doing our best to spread the Bach Flower word!
I hope you and your husband are well. I’m here to help when you’re ready.
Warm wishes.
Rose
I was reading about Bach flowers in a Natural Dog Book and happened upon your information because I was curious if there was a use for Bach flowers for people with dementia. My 92 year old mother is now in a nursing home and has extreme anxiety.
Hello Phyllis.
Thank you for leaving a comment. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you yesterday.
Bach Flower Remedies deal with negative emotions, so, yes, the remedies will be able to help your dear mum.
I’ve written on blog about how Bach Flowers can help with Dementia and there’s a short story there or how I mixed together the remedies that would help – and how they did help. The remedies are perfectly safe for her to take along side her other medication.
Here is the link to the blog. I’m sure you’ll find it helpful.
And here is the link that will tell you how to mix the remedies together, and how to give them to her.
https://rosetodd.com/bach-flower-remedies/taking-bach-flower-remedies/
And here is a link to a blog that will tell you exactly how to mix together there remedies that will help her.
https://rosetodd.com/bach-flower-remedies/bach-flowers-helping-others-dementia/
And don’t forget to let me know how your repsonds to the remedies. Thank you.
Take care.
Warm wishes to you and your mum.
Hi Rose, Thank you for addressing this growing issue in our world and the many ways Bach Essences can help. I know you ask questions about what people want to hear in your blog and this is one of them. Could you address how a variety of flower essences could be used knowing how a person is feeling when there is failing memory, dementia and Alzheimers. As with all our flowers, we treat the person not the disease.
Hello Shirla. Thank you for writing. I do like to receive questions about the Bach Flower Remedies.
I’m not quire sure what you mean by “address how a variety of flower esswences could be used”…
Do you mean, how the Bach Remedies I’ve listed in the blog can be used to help those with Dementia?
Or do you mean how a variety of different brands/systems of Flower Essences could be used?
The Bach Flower remedies I’ve mentioned in my blog are to help the anxiety, fears and the ‘lost’ feeling those with failing memory, dementia and Alzheimers have.
I can’t help you with other brands or types of Flower Essences, I’m afraid as I only work with Bach Remedies.
Bach Flower Remedies (Essences) is a complet system of emotional healing, so I have no need to use other Flower Essences. But lots of people do. It’s a matter of what suits you.
I hope I’ve answered your question, if not, please write again. Warm wishes. Rose
Hello Shirla. Thank you for writing again. Well done doing so much good with the Bsch Flowers. They are amazing, and I don’t know why they’re not more widely used! So, I’m doing what I can tp spread the word!
We both know that we treat the patient and not the disease. However, even looking at the symptoms, (ie memory loss) is not going to help those suffering.
The key lies in treating each individual response. For example, the two extremes of memory loss could be one of anger and irritablity, or withdrawal. If they’re depressed or feeling lost, do they cry a lot, or go wandering off. It’s the suffers unique and indivual respons that needs to be treated to give them a better quality of life.
Bach Flowers is a wonderful conversation, and its a great idea to keep it going.
If you’re a Facebook-er perhaps you might like to join the conversations that are going on in either of my 2 Groups. Search for Bach Flowers with Rose Todd and you find me.
I have a second group, niostly for my students. This is more advanced than the first group. This is a membership group. If you’re interested in this group, please email me on [email protected] and I’ll send you a link with more information.
Thank you once again for the conversation. I do enjoy talking about Bach Flowers.
Take care. Warm Wishes. Rose
Hello Rose
Thank you for posting about Dementia and how it can help people, we have a family member who may benefit so very apt. Keep warm. Best wishes Kathy
Helly Kathy. Good to hear from you. Thanks for writing.
It’s a pleasure. It’s a very hard disease to deal with, so I’m glad you think the remedies could be helpful.
I think keeping worm is essential! The cold seems to have hit us hard.
Warm wishes Rose
Tanks dear Rose for sharing your experience!
Dear Rose,
Thank you so much for all your efforts. I love reading your posts.
I was wondering if you can recommend back flower remedies for Frontotemporal Dementia/Pick’s Disease at all? Very sadly my mother is morphing into a completely different person.
She has trouble communicating, cannot express herself, not only is losing her memory but is also becoming verbally aggressive, doesn’t want to socialise. Normal hygiene rituals are out of the window and she is willing to talk less and less these days.
The medications prescribed by the doctors are ridiculous and we have had to cut them as they put her to sleep for days. We are at our wits end.
Please advise.
Best wishes
Maria
Hello Maria. Thank you for leaving a comment. Bach Flowers deals with emotions and not the symptoms or the disease. So, you look at how the symptoms are making your mother feel. You say, she’s aggresive and angry, so she needs a remedy for that. There is a remedy for not wanting to be socable. She could also do with Rescue Remedy. That would help her, with the additions of the other remedies too.
It’s too difficult to unravel a case like this via a Comment so it would be better to have a consultation. Here is the link to the Consutlation page on my site. Have a look, and if you have any questions, please let me know.
https://rosetodd.com/bach-flower-remedy-consultations/
I hope the Rescue Remedy helps your mother. Rose.
Dear Rose,
Thank you for your kind response. Would love a full consultation. Will book when we return home in a few weeks hopefully via skype.
Have a blessed evening.
Maria
Hi Maria. It’s a pleasure.
Rose.
Thank u so much. My doctor just told me a few days back that my mother in law has started with senile dementia. She keeps calling out but does not recognise me when I attend to her calling out. I have been a follower of Bach flower remedies for quite some time now. I had started her on Rescue Remedy and White chestnut. Is that correct?
Hello Preeti. Thank you for leaving a comment. Sorry to hear that your mother-in-law is starting to show signs of senile dementia. My mother-in-law had it too. So I understand your position. Bach Flower Remedies deal with emotions not physical symptoms and behaviour – although the symptoms and behaviour can lead us to the remedies needed.
You say your mother-in-law cries out. There is no remedy for that. But what is her feeling behind iher cry Even if you asked her, she would not be able to tell you.
So what is her tone of voice telling you? Is she frighten, panicky, sad? What does her voice sound like. When you knw why she’s crying out – then you can choose a remedy that will help her.
And adding Wbite Chestnut would be helpful too.
I know this is not the answer you were hoping for, but this is the way to find a remedy to help her mother-in-law. Take care. Rose.
Thank you Rose. I don’t know how often should I give her the remedy in a day. Could you pls guide me on that? I have started giving it to her 4 times in a day. Is that ok?
Hello Preeti. We’re supposed to take the remedies at least 4 times a day. But this is not always the most effective way of taking them. Or the most economical either.
There are many ways to take the remedies. I’ve written a blog about it – so if you read it you can see if you’re giving the remedies to your mother-in-law in the most effective way to help her.
I hope this helps you. Take care. Rose.
https://rosetodd.com/bach-flower-remedies/taking-bach-flower-remedies/
Your naration is so reassuring…! Thanks…!
Thank you Ravi. I hope the remedyt suggestions help. Rose
How beautiful that the flower essence was able to help at her end of life
Thank you Michelle. It is. But just think, if her husband had known about the Remedies earlier, she could have had a longer period of relief. I too was glad the remedies helped her pass on peacefully. Thank you again for writing. Rose.
Hello Sue. Sorry I missed your comment. Thank you for leaving a comment. I know you speak from experience and I’l so glad that Rescue and the other remedies hve helped you. Take care. Rose.
I would love to know what I can do for my Mum who at 95 suffers from Sundowning and gets very aggressive! She lashes out at everyone, the carers have received scratches and kicks and biting! She is on no medications what so ever. It’s distressing and thinking of some anti anxiety meds as a last resort.
Hello Pamela. Thank you for leaving a message. Your poor Mum. She must be so confused. (And its hard for the family too).
Bach Flower Remedies deal with emotions, and as you say you’re mum is angry and violent. I suggest you give her Rescue Remedy – always good to help ‘stick us back together’. And I think Holly will help her a lot.
Put 2 drops of each remedy into a small glass of water. Then when you make her tea or coffee, take a teaspon of the water and put it into her drink. That glass of water might do her for 2 days. But please make a new glass every alterative day.
I’m sure the remedies will help. Rose.