Herr Schmitz is standing at the breakfast table and is holding his hand to his head. He seems clueless.

The everyday assistant: “Can you make your own bread today?”

Mr. Schmitz remains unchanged in his attitude.

The assistant: “There’s the bread. There’s the sausage.”

Herr Schmitz takes a deep breath and keeps his hand on his head.

The assistant: “If you can’t make it, then call them. Then I’ll help you.”

She goes.

He stays at the table and holds his head.

In this, as in the many other examples from everyday care, the author is not concerned with the question of whether the assistant’s behavior is right or wrong, but with the question of why she behaves as she does. The author gives a clear and practical description of the often helpless and sometimes desperate rescue attempts made by carers, companions and carers. With a lot of understanding for the employees, he opens up new perspectives and alternative courses of action with his image of the mainland and the sea of ​​madness.

In the second edition, some of the unusual perspectives are deepened and explicitly related to the situation in home care and care in shared homes for people with dementia.