"While scientists work hard to find a cure for Alzheimer’s, here are eight ways to help a family member experiencing any form or stage of dementia:"
Posts tagged as “Caregiving”
"My grandfather is currently living with dementia and communicating with him has become challenging. When we’re helping him get ready for the day or prepare for a meal, we often give him visuals when he is having a difficult time telling us what he wants. Seeing items can help him recall things easier than trying to recall them by memory. Having patience and listening closely are also important in helping him maintain dignity while navigating the disease."
"Almost from the moment Jerry Parks was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, he began changing the status quo. He was 56 at the time, and about a decade younger than all but 5 percent of those with dementia. At the adult day center he attended, Parks insisted the staff stop reading the newspaper out loud to him and others when they were perfectly capable of reading it themselves. Parks became an activist. He met with lawmakers, spoke at national gatherings of the Alzheimer’s Association and pushed for better Social Security disability benefits for people with various forms of dementia."
"t doesn’t take a huge stretch of the mind to understand why caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease is challenging — especially when that someone is a loved one. It can be physically taxing work, particularly in later stages of the disease when the person needs more and more help with daily functioning. The disease progresses, so care strategies that may work one day may need to be re-written the next."
"Ask people about what they worry might happen later in life, and dementia often ranks high on the list. The disease can have a far-reaching impact on a person’s independence, family, and retirement plans. But there are steps people can take to help, ideally before a diagnosis, but even after."
"Physical frailty may exacerbate the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BSPD) in patients with Alzheimer disease, and also increase caregiver burden, per study data published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry."
"My mom is in her early 70s and has been diagnosed with advancing Alzheimer’s disease. She is very fit and lives at home with caregivers helping her. She seems very bored with her limited activities and is starting to exhibit undesirable behaviors of aggression and agitation. Do you have any suggestions to make her life more meaningful and less dull? "
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"My husband of 50 years passed away shortly before Christmas this year. He’d had Alzheimer’s and naturally everyone — family and friends both — views his death as a blessing. They’re not wrong. Alzheimer’s is a terrible, terrible disease. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. And, because I was my husband’s primary caregiver, the past few years have been unbelievably challenging."
"Robots are increasingly replicating more and more lifelike human behavior, but can they imitate animals? This is a different twist on robotic pets and scientists say they can serve as friends and therapy aids to the growing elderly population."
"It’s natural to freeze up when confronted with uncomfortable situations. But that can mean missed opportunities to spread more than cheer this holiday season as we visit relatives and friends who have dementia or Alzheimer's."