by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Feb 25, 2016 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Uncategorized
Mediation is the practice of quietly focusing thoughts on the present moment or on a simple word or phrase. It is most commonly associated with religious practices, but it is often recommended to improve health and well-being. In fact, the Latin root of the word “To meditate” means “to remedy.”
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that meditation has been shown to effectively combat insomnia, reduce high blood pressure, relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and shorten the duration of the flu.
Meditation and Alzheimer’s
Several NIH-funded clinical studies also show that regular meditation could promote slow, stall and possibly reverse aging in the brain. And a recent study indicated that meditating at least two hours a week may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Researchers from UCLA and the Australian National University collaborated on a 2014 study which found that people who meditated regularly for years showed significant reduction in the amount of age-related brain atrophy than those who did not meditate.
In 2013, researchers at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School studied people with dementia and found that those who did yoga and meditation for just two hours a week showed less brain atrophy and stronger cognitive activity than those who did not meditate.
And in at least one study, meditation has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease, such as sleep disturbances, moodiness and chronic stress. Researchers note that these Alzheimer’s-related issues often result in the accelerated progression of the disease. Mediation therapy improved sleep and reduced stress, leading researchers to conclude that it could possibly slow cognitive decline.
Why meditation works
The research on meditation and its effect on brain health showed a reduction in unhealthy proteins and inflammation. Both are known to contribute to heart disease, stroke, and other chronic disease.
How to meditate to prevent dementia
The Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation recommends a 12-minute Kirtan Kriya exercise. The Kirtan Kriya involves deep concentration while singing and coordinating finger movements.
According to Prevention Magazine, brain-boosting benefits can come from other forms of meditation, too. Activities like walking, yoga and Tai Chi allow the mind to shut out distractions and concentrate on relaxation.
Taking a yoga class or enrolling in a meditation session is another way to learn mindful meditation. The University of Michigan offers a 16-week Mind n’ Motion class for seniors that combines balance exercises with meditation techniques.
Meditation can help Alzheimer’s caregivers
Caregivers of senior loved ones with Alzheimer’s and dementia deal with a great amount of stress. Meditation can help them reduce stress, fight depression and maintain good health.
A 2012 study at UCLA found that the Kirtan Kriya method of mindful meditation significantly reduced the amount of inflammation and increased immune cell production in family caregivers.
For more information about meditation and the brain, visit the AARP Brain Health and Wellness website.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Feb 4, 2016 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Uncategorized
We know firsthand how tough it is to talk with kids about a grandparent’s Alzheimer’s. People of all ages have difficulty understanding this debilitating disease.
Making time to explain what is happening to children is important. A grandparent or other senior family member may seem fine then suddenly become confused and a little paranoid. The unpredictability of the disease can be frightening for children.
What are some tips Michigan family caregivers can use to explain Alzheimer’s disease to children?
Talking with Children about a Michigan Senior’s Alzheimer’s Disease
Here are a few suggestions that may help the conversation go more smoothly.
1. Sit Down together as a family: Find a time for everyone in the family to sit down together when you won’t be interrupted. Explain the disease in its simplest terms. Be sure to educate your children on behaviors their grandparent is currently exhibiting. Don’t make the mistake of getting too far ahead in the disease process yet. You can tackle more advanced signs of the disease once the kids have an opportunity to digest the basics of Alzheimer’s disease.
One reminder is to make it clear to your children that Alzheimer’s is a disease and the disease is responsible for the changes in their grandparent (or senior loved one). Also be sure the kids understand that Alzheimer’s isn’t contagious like the flu or a cold. The idea that a parent or sibling might “catch it” might be frightening to them.
2. Talk about Communication: Another factor to talk about with your kids is how to communicate. For example, explain to them that they should approach their grandparent from the front. This is because Alzheimer’s often causes damage to a person’s peripheral vision. If an older adult living with Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t see you coming, they may be startled and strike out in fear. Also share with your kids how important it is to use a calm voice and to avoid making loud noises around the family member who has Alzheimer’s.
3. Video Series: A video library created by the Alzheimer’s Association, Kids Look at Alzheimer’s Disease, can be a great resource. This video project features children and teenagers talking about how a loved one’s Alzheimer’s disease has impacted their own life. One series was created for video series is for teens and the other for younger children.
4. Encourage Honesty: During your conversation with your children, encourage them to be open and honest about their feelings. For example, their feelings may be hurt because their grandfather was short-tempered with them or they are embarrassed by an unusual behavior of their grandmother’s. They might even being feeling frightened. Remind your kids not to feel guilty and encourage them to share whatever it is they are feeling with you so you can talk through it together.
5. Fun Times Remain: Finally, help your child understand that there are still activities and projects they can do with a grandparent despite the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Create a list of activities the two generations can safely enjoy together to share when you talk with your family. 101 Activities from the Alzheimer’s Association is a great resource to use when you are creating your list.
Memory Care in Michigan
When the time comes and you need to find a Memory Care program in Michigan, please remember Heritage Senior Communities. The Terrace is our personalized dementia care program. Call the senior living community nearest to you, to arrange a personal tour.
Photo Courtesy of FreeDigitalService.com
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Oct 20, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
Halloween can present unique challenges for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Ghosts and goblins, jack-o’-lanterns and skeletons are fun for most of us, but the sights and sounds of this spooky season can agitate and confuse seniors with dementia. Loved ones with moderate and late-stage dementia will need to be sheltered from items and activities that might alarm them.
Halloween Safety and Dementia
Here are some tips to help you keep your senior in Michigan safe and anxiety free this Halloween:
- Be realistic about much Halloween your senior with dementia can handle. Seniors with early Alzheimer’s disease can enjoy celebrations, but will likely need help with tasks like carving a pumpkin, making popcorn balls and packing treat bags.
- Never leave a senior with Alzheimer’s alone during trick-or-treating hours. This may mean you or another loved one keeps them company or hands out candy with them at their door.
- Limit the number of decorations. A house full of fake cobwebs and skulls may put you and your children in the holiday mood, but these types of décor can cause agitation and confusion for your senior with Alzheimer’s. If you do decide to decorate, avoid the fear factor. Items that move, talk or scream can frighten and cause a senior to wander.
- Protect your senior loved one in public. While shopping and attending community events, avoid animated decorations, especially ones that jump, scream and scare unsuspecting people. Also steer away from costumed characters and people in masks.
- Keep rooms well-lit during trick-or-treating hours. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, low light and shadows can trigger “sundowning” behaviors. Keep in mind that flashlights, flashing lights and flickering candlelight can also cause anxiety in seniors with dementia.
Tips for Soothing Alzheimer’s Agitation
If Halloween does agitate your loved one, use these strategies from the National Institute on Aging to calm them:
- Change the environment. Guide your senior away from whatever environment is making them upset.
- Comfort and reassure. Sit with your Alzheimer’s loved one. Talk softly and calmly and assure them that they are safe with you.
- Create positive distractions. Play soothing music, read out loud or offer a snack.
To read more about celebrating holidays with your Alzheimer’s loved one in Michigan, visit the Alzheimer’s Association Holidays and Alzheimer’s Families webpage.
For more information about specialized dementia care, contact one of the Heritage Senior Communities near you.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Sep 2, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Uncategorized
Alzheimer’s caregivers know how financially crippling this disease can be for families. What they may not realize, however, is the heavy financial burden it is creating for the nation.
Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in America, surpassing cancer and heart disease in Medicare and Medicaid spending. Caregiving resources, education and support also require funding. And as more baby boomers reach their 60s, expenses are expected to increase.
The Alzheimer’s Association is dedicated to raising awareness and lobbying Congress for federal dollars to expand programming and research. They are asking for help to raise awareness on Alzheimer’s Action Day, September 21.
What you need to know:
- More than 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s today. The Alzheimer’s Association projects that another 28 million baby boomers will be diagnosed with the disease by 2050.
- An estimated 180,000 people in the Great Lakes State live with Alzheimer’s By 2050, experts believe that number will climb to 190,000.
- About 450,000 seniors will die from the disease this year. That is one in three adults over the age of 65.
- In 2015, the United States will spend $226 billion on Alzheimer’s and dementia care. That number will skyrocket to $1.2 trillion in the next 35 years.
- Alzheimer’s is currently incurable and there is no treatment that prevents the horrific effects of the disease.
- The National Institutes of Health was granted $586 million for Alzheimer’s research in 2015. An additional $52 million is proposed for the for fiscal year 2016 The Alzheimer’s Association says that research is still too low when compared to funding for other disease research.
How you can help on Alzheimer’s Action Day:
- Wear purple all day. This is the official color representing Alzheimer’s awareness.
- Encourage others to wear purple. Organize a “purple day” in your workplace or your child’s school.
- Spread the word in social media. Educate others by posting facts about Alzheimer’s throughout the day on Facebook and Twitter. Add a purple filter to photos you post on Instagram.
- Raise money and awareness. Sell purple carnations or forget-me-nots and donate the money to the Michigan Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association or to a dementia care facility.
- Contact elected officials. Congress has added $147 million to Alzheimer’s research budgets since 2013, but the Alzheimer’s Association says much more is necessary to prevent and cure this devastating illness. Email Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and ask them to increase funding for Alzheimer’s treatment and research. Contact your Congressional district representative and do the same. Remind them that 170,000 Michigan residents over 65 have Alzheimer’s. By the year 2050, the number is expected to climb to 220,000.
How you can help every day
- Participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. These fundraising walks are scheduled in Chelsea, Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon, Saginaw and Traverse City in September and October.
- Volunteer as a Public Policy Advocate or Ambassador with The Michigan Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Volunteers are needed to send regular emails and letters or make phone calls to elected officials. They also might share family stories with members of Congress.
Alzheimer’s caregivers often feel powerless against this cruel disease. Raising awareness and funds to eliminate the illness is one way you can fight back and feel empowered.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Aug 6, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Uncategorized
When a senior loved one in Michigan forgets a name, has trouble managing their finances or repeats themselves in a conversation, you might immediately worry that they have Alzheimer’s Disease. You might also dismiss these as a normal part of the aging process.
While these issues may seem minor, the Alzheimer’s Association recommends that older adults with noticeable decline in memory and reasoning see a doctor for a complete evaluation.
Though Alzheimer’s is incurable, early diagnosis can make a difference. Prompt detection means that your aging parent can start treatments that alleviate the worst symptoms of the disease. Knowing your loved one has Alzheimer’s also allows you both to plan ahead and make important decisions about future care.
If you suspect Alzheimer’s, keep track of your loved one’s behavior by monitoring these symptoms:
1) Significant memory loss: Of course, some forgetfulness is common in older adults. But when memory loss affects daily life, Alzheimer’s may be the cause. Are there times when your aging parent cannot provide the date or identify the season? Make note of instances when your senior loved one forgot an important event, has consistent difficulty recalling names and finishing sentences, or repeatedly asks the same questions.
2) Declining ability to think and reason: You may notice that your aging parent is not able to balance a checkbook, read assembly instructions or do puzzles that they once enjoyed. A senior loved one with Alzheimer’s might also be overly generous with charitable donations or make exorbitant purchases.
3) Increased difficulty with routine tasks: Look for instances when your loved one forgets how to start the coffee maker, plug in a lamp or dial the telephone. Be aware that they may attempt to hide these situations to avoid embarrassment.
4) Misplaced belongings: We all lose our car keys or have trouble locating our cell phone from time to time. But an older adult with Alzheimer’s might do this more frequently, and even place items in unusual places. They might place a remote control in the freezer or putting the car keys in a bathroom cabinet.
5) Poor hygiene: Do you notice that your loved one isn’t bathing regularly, stops brushing their teeth and shaving? Does he skip meals, but eat heartily when food is put in front of him? Forgetting these routine tasks is a common sign of Alzheimer’s and related forms of dementia.
6) Withdrawal from social activities and conversations: If your aging parent declines party invitations or wants to go home shortly after their arrival, they may have Alzheimer’s. Social situations may make them uncomfortable because they experience difficulty engaging in conversations.
7) Increased isolation: People with Alzheimer’s often retreat from family gatherings because of over stimulation. You may also notice that your senior loved one is no longer interested in television programs or movies and seems more comfortable sitting alone in a quiet room.
8) Personality changes: Alzheimer’s disease can cause significant mood swings and shifts in personalities. Be sure to tell the doctor if your aging parent is more angry, upset or fearful than usual.
For more information about early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease, visit the Greater Michigan Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Photo Courtesy
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jul 10, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
Sharing memories with the younger generation is an important part of creating a lasting legacy. Listening to these life experiences helps caregivers bond with older adults. If your aging parent in Michigan has dementia, it can help you capture cherished memories before they slip away.
The StoryCorps Memory Loss Initiative (MLI) can help.
This non-profit organization records the stories of people from all walks of life for future generations. In 2006, StoryCorps began the MLI to preserve the stories of people with memory loss.
Until recently, all MLI interviews were conducted in a mobile studio or in StoryCorps booths located in major US cities. Some of the 2,000+ recordings are available at the StoryCorps Memory Loss Initiative website. All of the interviews are archived in the Library of Congress and are now part of the nation’s oral history.
The StoryCorps App
Thanks to technology, Alzheimer’s caregivers in Michigan can preserve their senior loved one’s stories and contribute them to the Library of Congress archive.
In March, StoryCorps introduced a mobile phone app that makes it possible for anyone with a smartphone to record an oral history interview and contribute to the project.
The software includes a tutorial that helps users to set up the interview space, to ask good questions and to edit the interview. The app features a sharing button that instantly uploads the interview to StoryCorps and the Library of Congress collection.
Do-It-Yourself Recording
You don’t need a smartphone to preserve precious memories. Caregivers can use the Commemorate: Memory Loss Initiative Toolkit to record an Alzheimer’s loved one’s important life stories. This guide was created for dementia care centers, but family members will find it useful, too.
Reminiscing with a senior loved one has many benefits, including
- Making them feel important and valued. Interviews place an older adult at the center of attention. Research has shown that sharing life’s memories with an audience can boost self-esteem and optimism.
- Strengthening relationships between caregivers and older adults. Conversation and interaction help people connect and understand one another.
- Exercising the mind. Reminiscing can serve as a stimulating mental exercise for an Alzheimer’s loved one.
We hope this helps you start recording the memories with your Alzheimer’s loved one for generations to come. If you have questions about specialized dementia care, contact one of the Heritage Senior Communities near you.
