Holiday Caregiving Issues

The holidays can be a stressful time for us all, but those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s face an added set of challenges, both practical and emotional.  Dealing with grief during this cheery season, whether you’re grieving a deceased loved one or grieving the many daily losses of dementia, is very difficult.  Furthermore, attending to holiday shopping, hosting …

Dementia-Safe Bedrooms

Home Design: Use this safety Checklist for living at home with dementia. It can alert you to potential hazards. Your home is a personal and precious environment. As you go through this checklist, make adaptations that modify and simplify without severely disrupting the home. You may want to consider setting aside a special area for yourself, a space off-limits to …

8 Medication Questions for Caregivers to Ask Doctors

Taken from: Alzheimer’s Weekly at alzheimersweekly.com/2013/04/8-medication-questions-for-caregivers.html Medication Care Tips: People with Alzheimer’s generally take a lot of medicine. Some drugs boost memory and cognition, while others help with mood, behavior and other conditions. Learn how caregivers can help ensure medication is taken safely & correctly. There are 2 things that can be said about all FDA-approved medications: They help many …

10 New Year’s Resolutions for Alzheimer’s Caregivers

Taken from: IlluminAge AgeWise at http://caringstrategies.com/2018/01/2018-new-years-resolutions-alzheimers-caregivers/ Do you make New Year’s resolutions before or after the first day of January? If you are caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder, you may think you don’t have time to make them at all! But now during the first week of the year, as the holiday …

Alzheimer’s and Spirituality

Spirit can be defined as the animating force traditionally believed to be within living beings; a human being’s essence.  It is the part of the human being association with the mind and feelings as distinguished from the physical body.  Spirituality is not a doctrine.  It is a remembrance.  It is a feeling.  It is the knowledge that you are more …

Lewy Body Rollercoaster

Article by www.alzheimersweekly.com Attention, alertness and cognition have dramatic fluctuations in Lewy Body dementia. Caregivers call these ups and downs “The Roller-Coaster of LBD.” Learn more about it and where to get essential support. “I watched my husband experience a decline in cognition followed by a period of what seemed like improved function only to plunge again into confusion with …

Creative Solutions to Common Caregiving Challenges

Adaptability is critical when working with people with dementia, because every person’s and temperament and personal history is unique. However, there are some typical challenges that people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers experience.  While not every problem has a simple, one-step solution, here are some reliable solutions to common problems. General: Respond to outbursts, accusations, or other dementia-related behavior by …

Dementia and Sleep Disorders

Information is taken from Mattress Clarity, www.mattressclarity.com/blog/alzheimers-and-sleep Dementia and sleep disorders share a paradoxical ‘chicken and egg’ relationship. While many people living with dementia tend to experience poor sleep on a regular basis, patients diagnosed with certain sleep disorders – such as insomnia and sleep apnea – are also more likely to develop dementia symptoms. The Relationship Between Dementia and …