Do you remember how Dumbo used his magic feather? When he was afraid he couldn't fly any more, the little mouse gave him a feather to hold in his trunk. With that feather he could fly.

Nine years ago my husband was in the hospital with a raging outbreak of the chronic phlebitis and staph infection that he's had periodically throughout his life. We wanted him to get up and walk. He was afraid to. I got him some new bedroom slippers and said now these have non-slip on the bottom (so did the old ones) and so you can walk with them. That did the trick. It was bogus, but it worked. (I do now suspect that this was the trigger for the AZ beginning, when he was about 74)

Much like giving him a placebo.

Since then I've found several occasions for magic feathers. A minor, meaningless adjustment in his routine or something he's phobic about can solve a difficult behavior problem. That's what the terrycloth toiletseat cover I mentioned in another post might do.

Have you found one that works for you? I'm sure I'm not the only one to have found them.

my lite went off just the other day, when i noticed DH got into the shower and sat in his shower chair without hardly any chiding from me.
i was elated of course then i realized the shower was NOT running when he got in.. i quietly turned the hose on and waited til warm and voila..since i have started to let him settle in then start the water...i am sure the sounds and wetness was causing him anxiety and stress...what a feather can accomplish...amazing. divvi