05.29.08
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Assisted Living Referral Service, Assisted Living Safety, Caregiver, Depression, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Nursing home, Nursing home alternative, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services, care at home, dementia, forgetting to take medication at 6:05 pm by admin
Do your mother and/or father need to be moved from home to an assisted living? Do they need to be moved from an assisted living to a nursing home? Or are they at a facility that you are not happy with? Moving your parents can be the best thing that you can do for them, but it can also be the worst thing.
Moving is a dramatic change for an elderly person, especially one with Alzheimer’s disease. A move from home to a nursing home may be the best option but look into getting care at home. Moving can confuse and depress an elderly person. If your mother or father is able to, let him or her be a part of the decision.
When an elderly person is familiar with a facility or the staff at one assisted living or nursing home it’s usually best to keep him there. An elderly person is more likely to willingly receive care and feel comfortable with care attendants and nurses that he or she knows as opposed to a stranger. Also when elderly people are familiar with a facility, such as knowing where the dining room, medicine, activities, and their apartment is, they are usually emotionally stable longer than if they are moved from facility to facility and getting disoriented and confused.
However, when you see your loved one needing more care than what the facility gives, you need to act quickly. There are nurses that come to where your parent is and give care to him. Some facilities have care packages that start at minimal care (such as reminders to come to meals and take medicine) and maximum care packages (such as bathing, transferring from bed to wheelchair and feeding). If the facility that your loved one is does not offer more care and getting a nurse to come and care for him or her is not an option you should not leave him or her there, moving would be a must in that situation.
If your parents are at a facility and you are not happy with the care that they are receiving, talk to the management about your complaints. They may not be aware that your parent is being neglected. Also talk with the care staff and let them know that you care about your parents and want the best care for them. Politely tell the care staff your complaints (i.e. moms hair needs to be brushed, I noticed dad lost his dentures). Visit your parents often. Keep the care staff accountable by making visits at different times of the day or maybe spend a night there if possible. If the quality of care still does not improve make a complaint to DADS (Department of Aging and Disabilities Services) and move your parents to a more quality facility.
Most importantly make sure your parent is taken good care of and is happy.
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04.10.08
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Elderly Diseases, Nursing home, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services, care at home, dementia, exercises, forgetting to take medication, medication at 11:34 am by admin
U.S. News and World Report researched and found that men that were diagnosed with diabetes in middle age were at a higher risk for alzheimers. They found that low levels of insulin caused damage to blood vesels in the brain.
If you or a loved one has low insulin levels be sure to follow doctors orders and get proper medication. Remember to get enough exercise to keep a healthy circulation and healthy weight.
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02.28.08
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Caregiver, Depression, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Nursing home, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services, arthritis, dementia at 10:45 am by admin
This morning the sunrise looked like sunshine was gently stroked with a paintbrush onto the pale blue and pink sky. There’s something therapeutic about sunshine. I believe that it helps calm and uplift a person to a degree. When a baby is born the doctor tells the mother to sun bathe the baby by bringing the infant in direct sunlight for a few minutes to half an hour. Everyone, not just babies, could use some sunlight. The elderly however aren’t able to get out much and maybe don’t have a good view out the window. Not getting sunlight may be a factor of depression. Statistics have shown that there are more suicides in places that don’t get much sunlight such as Alaska’s winters. So if your loved one is battling depressing from alzheimer’s or has been cooped up for too long take them out for a walk and a picnic. Your loved one will enjoy your company as well as the fresh air and sunshine.
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01.25.08
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Dimentia, Elderly Diseases, Memory Exercises, dementia, forgetting to take medication at 1:53 pm by admin
Stops Memory Loss in its Tracks and Reverses Dementia
Doctors in Britain have found a cure for Alzheimers that can stop the spread of Dementia and partially reverse it. The technology is actually pretty simple. The doctors discovered the break through when pointing infra-red light on mice in a maze cage each day for a few minutes. This few miutes of time under the low level infra-red light improved the mices perfomance in the maze cage. The experiment done was a controlled scientific experiment with verifiable results.
The new experiment will now be with people. The helmet is safe and does not require then use of drugs. What the infra-red light will do is assist in telling old cells to go ahead and try to repair yourselves. Old people generally see there cells grow old and die and with it their memory. This new technology helps to encourage cells that are not in the business any longer of regenerating to go ahead and start regrowing new cells again.
The plight of people with Alzheimers and Dimentia related diseases could quickly become an easy curable and preventable ailment and will bring youth back to many lives. The potential is there to see elderly people leaving in droves from Assisted Living facilities and nursing homes throughout the world. Of course, this technology is just beginning to be tested with humans but the testing results so far show a remarkable likelyhood that this new device will indeed cure the elderly disease.
You can read more about this new elderly memory disease cure at this site: Daily Mail
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09.28.07
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Caregiver, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Nursing home, Nursing home alternative, Senior Citizen, Senior Citizen Fathers, Taking Care of a Loved One, care at home at 3:29 pm by admin
When illness turns family members into caregivers there is often strong emotional experiences that the caregiver goes through.
Sadness: It is disturbing to see a loved one rendered physically helpless, particularly if the injury had a sudden onset. But the advent of cognitive deficits, causing changes in the patients personality and behavior, are generally found by researchers to be far more wrenching for families. When even so simple a task for the caregiver as sharing the events of one’s day and being understood is precluding by a patients dimentia, the loss of companionship is profound. Decreases in functioning, especially intellectual capacity, will often force patients who were working to retire, creating economical hardships for the family. When other family members shift to shoulder the bread-winning burden while also assisting the patient more at home with daily activities, they suffer dramamtically increased workloads and drastically reduced personal time. Some caregivers find relief in tears and take solace from sharing their mornful feelings with others who respond understandingly. Many caregivers however feel uncomfortable about expressing sadness and shame. They typicallycite several objections: 1-”I don’t want to feel sad because it will make me depressed.” 2-”I don’t want to express sadness because other people will think that I’m weak.” 3-”What do I have to feel sad about when I’m not the one who is disabled?” or 4-”I’m afraid that if I express sadness, it will make my loved one feel worse.” Generally though empathizing with the caregiver’s sadness is one of the most effective ways that a patient can give back something meaningful to the person who has made sacrifices on his behalf. When a caregiver is willing to take the risk of expressing sadness to a loved one in a non-blaming way, it most often results in a greater feeling of comunion or shared mission between the two that helps them both feel better understood and supported.
Anger: Caregiver anger depends mostly on the relationship between the patient and the caregiver before the illness. At its simplest, it takes the form of blaming the patient for bringing the tragedy upon the family. The sting of being unjustly trapped often lies at the root of anger. Sometimes the anger isn’t toward the patient but at God. Anger must be dealt with promptly or it will turn into bitterness.
Worry: Every family member of one who is suffering worries. But a caregiver must be careful not to worry him or herself too much or he/she will get burned out.
Guilt: Many family members feel guilty that their loved ones have become ill as if it is their fault. A family member might feel guilty that he or she hasn’t visited a loved one in the nursing home. Also there may be guilt because a relationship went soar before the illness took place. It is never too late to love. Visit that family member in the nursing home. Start talking and praying for him or her.
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09.18.07
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Safety, Bathing, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Nursing home, Texas Elderly Care Services, dementia at 3:21 pm by admin
Bathing is a particular sensitive issue for persons with dementia. Those with dementia become confused easily and often misinterpret what others are doing and saying. In such individuals, often even the smallest thing that is unpleasent such as water in the eyes or ears can make the individual respond with fear or violence.
A guideline for bathing without a battle:
-Focus on the person more than the task.
Try to meet individual preferences and focus on the well-being of the person. Always protect the persons privacy and dignity (such as covering the person with a towel after turning off the water and in transfers)
-Be flexible!
Modify your approach to meet the persons needs. Methods such as singing and talking with the individual while bathing can distract him or her from the fear, anxiety or shame of being bathed by someone else. Be flexible with the procedure divide up tasks such as washing hair and washing the body.
-Use persuasion,not coercion.
Help the person feel in control at bathing time. Give choices and respond to individual requests. Avoid asking “Do you want to take a bath?” when you know that the answer will be “no”. Instead say something like”It’s time for your spa, would you like body wash or a bar of soap? Would you like to wear the green and tan outfit or the blue one?” Use a supportive and calm approach and praise the person often. Ask questions that are not exasperating or that have maybe two or three answers. Sometimes questions with endless possibilities can overwhelm a person with dementia such as “what do you want to wear?” narrow the question down to 2 or 3 possibilities.
-Be prepared!
Gather everything that you will need for bathing before approaching the person. Warm the room (no one has a good expeirence bathing when they are cold and wet). Have towels, washcloths, and clothes ready. Get shower chair and bath mat securely in place.
-Stop.
When a person becomes distressed, stop and assess the situation. It is not “normal” for a person to cry moan, or fight during bathing. Look for underlying reason for the behavior. What can you do to prevent the person from becoming more upset? If you are unable to calm the person you will need to shorten the bath. In such a case wash only what is necessary for good health. If the person becomes too distressed or aggressive you will need to end the bath. Try to end with something pleasant such as offering a cup of coffee or a back rub. This may make it easier when you return. Reproach the person later to finish washing critical areas if necessary.
-Ask for help.
Talking with others about ways to meet the needs of the person gives you an opportunity to find different ways to help make the bath more comfortable.
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08.19.07
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Dimentia, Memory Exercises, dementia at 11:32 pm by admin
Great memory exercise to help regain memory and keep it longer
Here is a very useful memory technique. If you feel as though your memory is going you can draw the memory back out of you. Scientists now agree, use it or lose it! So get started, here is a really good technique for starters:
Mnemonic Techniques
Memory exercises and techniques involving “peg words” and other mnemonic devices work well if you master them. They really do! Scores of books have been written on the subject. But do you want to study and master a mnemonic technique? Honestly, most of us don’t want to take the time and effort to do so. The good news is that not all memory techniques are that complicated or time-consuming.
One memory technique you can learn and use right now starts with a walk around the house. Pick ten locations or permanent objects in your home or office. Memorize these in some logical order (this is the hardest part). Now when you want to remember a list of things, associate each item on the list with with one of your ten locations or objects. Do this with mental imagery and even sounds, always in a ridiculous way. When you need to consult your list, you’ll simply walk around your home in your mind, and you will “see” the items on the list.
Make the images very vivid and this technique rarely fails. It was used two thousand years ago by Roman orators who would “place” parts of their speech in locations along a garden path, then mentally walk the garden “picking up” the topics as they gave the speech. I use this one a lot, when I can remember to, and it always works.
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08.17.07
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Safety, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Elderly Diseases, Home Health Care, Senior Citizen, arthritis, care at home, exercises, pain releif, soothes joints at 3:42 pm by admin
Elder Care Safety
Falls are the most common cause of injury in American adults age 65 and older. According to the National Safety Council falls are the leading cause of death. One in three of those 65 and older falls each year and 90% of hip fractures that occur in the U.S. are the result of a fall.
But do not panic over these statistics. Here are a few things to do to fall-proof your home and to learn how to fall the correct way to help prevent injury.
To fall proof your home:
-Don’t pile clutter or items in pathways or stairways.
-Put adhesive texture strips or a rubber mat on the bottom of shower. Install grab bars on the walls. Place a slip resistant rug on the floor to safely get in and out of bath.
-Keep appliance cords out of walking area. Don’t put them under rugs.
-Remove small area rugs at top and bottom of stairs and put adhere non-slip treads to bare-wood steps.
-Place night lights to light the way from bedroom to bathroom. Keep a flashlight with new batteries close to the bed in case of power outage.
-Clean up spills immediately.
-Wear sneakers around the house and outside. Do not wear stocking feet or high heals.
In case a fall does happen here are a few steps to follow to do avoid or minimize injury:
-If at all possible try to fall on your butt or side. Roll over naturally, turning your head in the direction of the roll.
-Keep joints (wrists, elbows and knees) bent. Do not break your fall with your hands or elbows.
-After falling take several deep breaths. Do not quickly get up especially if you feel you have been injured.
-If you feel you have been injured call 911 or a family member for help.
-If you feel you are not injured and are able to get up, crawl to a stable piece of furniture like a chair to support and help pull yourself up. Put both hands on the seat.
-Slowly begin to raise yourself up and bend whichever knee that is stronger keeping the other knee on the floor. Slowly twist and sit in the chair.
Remember to have physical checkups and exercise regularly.
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06.04.07
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Elderly Diseases at 3:51 pm by admin
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative disease of the brain that attacks the nerve cells in all parts of the cortex as well as some surrounding structures. It impairs a person’s ability to govern emotions, coordinate movements, recognize simple mistakes, and remember things well. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for half to two thirds of all dementia cases. The disease is uncommon to those under 65 years and occurs in less than 5% of those aged 65-72. The risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease increases with age. By 95 years of age as many as 55% of people are affected. Alzheimer’s disease is the fourth leading cause of death in adults. About half of the people in nursing homes in theUSA have Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease occurs mainly in women partly in the fact that women live longer. Lifestyle may affect a person from getting Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that if a person exercises not only his or her body but mind as well it can prolong Alzheimer’s disease. For many years there was a theory that overexposure to aluminum causes Alzheimer’s disease because some people with Alzheimer’s disease have deposits of aluminum in their brains. After many years of studies, however, no one has been able to link overexposure of aluminum directly to Alzheimer’s disease. So this may just be a tall tale.
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