January 18th is Winnie the Pooh day in the UK! So what does that have to do with care homes, elderly care, and Dementia? More than you might think. Other than being a childhood classic and loved character while most of your care home residents were growing up, he’s also somewhat of an ambassador for dementia (Even though that was most likely not the intention of A.A. Milne whatsoever).
Laurie, a blogger living with Dementia (her blog site is Dementia Daze and has some good reads for anyone looking for some laughs and positive vibes) has a unique insight into the connections between Pooh and Dementia. Laurie says that Winnie the Pooh “often mentions his forgetfulness, cognitive impairments and not being able to say what he wants to get across”. and “Although some phrases used in 1929 to describe dementia (such as “a bear of very little brain”) may seem unacceptable today, the stories often describe what dementia is like. And who can resist the words, wisdom and laughter of The Silly Old Bear? No matter what goes wrong – he ends up smiling!”
She’s right! Here are a few quotes from Winnie the Pooh that anyone living with Dementia, as well as their families and loved ones, can relate to.
***Please note that the quotes in this blog were also taken from the Dementia Daze blog by Laurie. For her full blog post follow the link here.
Trouble getting the words across? Sometimes it’s just so tiring to try and comprehend longer words, or complex sentences. Take a step back and smile with Pooh.
“For I am a bear of very little brain, and long words bother me.”
“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words, but rather short, easy words (like What’s for lunch).
Memory loss, getting lost, trouble counting – Pooh’s got a point of view for you.
“I did know once, only I’ve sort of forgotten.”
“My spelling is Wobbly. It’s good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.”
“I’m not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.”
“Something feels funny. I must be thinking too hard.”
“I do remember, but sometimes when I try to remember, I forget.”
The importance of loved ones, family, and friends is never understated by Winnie the Pooh.
“It’s so much more friendly with two.”
“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.”
“We’ll be Friends Forever, won’t we, Pooh?’ asked Piglet. Even longer,’ Pooh answered.”
“As soon as I saw you, I knew a grand adventure was about to happen.”
“A day spent with you is my favorite day.”
“Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”
“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can never be apart.”
“How do you spell Love?” – Piglet “You don’t spell it, you feel it.” – Pooh.
When reading these quotes and perspectives from the Silly Old Bear, it really dawns on you that Winnie the Pooh has a lot of wisdom for “a bear of very little brain”. We hope you enjoyed our short foray into the hundred acre wood as much as we did, and here’s to many more delightful years of Winnie the Pooh bringing his wise words to both young and old.
With small lessons and loads of love and laughter, Winnie-The-Pooh has inspired me through much of my dementia journey. My first two inspirations are: Lesson #1: When a challenge seems unreachable, find a new strategy – for example use a balloon to float to the honey hive. The way is not always easy, but with resilience, you may have a sweet outcome. Lesson #2: Every journey can turn into an adventure when you open your heart and mind to the possibilities. So don’t give up – try a new strategy! Love & Laughter, Laurie dementiadaze.com
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Thank you! We love your blog!
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A very insightful post, thank you 🙏🙏
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You’re welcome! We’re glad you enjoyed it!
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