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 …

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 …

When End of Life Decisions are Difficult to Honor

This month we have a special guest author for our Alzheimer’s Texas Blog, Carmen Buck, former nurse practitioner who has helped many families cope with the challenges of dementia. Sarah and her father discussed his Living Will 10 years ago.  Howard went to his attorney and updated his will, created a living will,  a medical power of attorney (assigned his …

Sundowning

Caregivers might notice that their loved one is especially agitated or confused during the late afternoon or early evening.  The person might to get anxious, restless, irritable, demanding, or suspicious around the time of day when the sun goes down.  Studies indicate that as many as 20% of people with dementia experience this symptom.  End-of-day confusion and agitation, or “sundowning” …

Anticipatory Loss, Grief, and Dementia

Some have called Alzheimer’s disease “the Long Goodbye;” because of the gradual decline people with the disease experience, those close to them feel as though they’re losing them little by little over many years.  Caregivers can become trapped in a cycle of grieving as the disease progresses and they mourn new losses.  Because  loss and disability have a significant impact …