by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jun 20, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
Summertime is vacation time in Michigan. If you are caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s, however, you may think a trip that includes your loved one is impossible. While Alzheimer’s patients often become agitated by changes in their daily routine, many can successfully travel if their caregivers plan ahead and take precautions.
The Alzheimer’s Association recommends that you evaluate your loved one’s ability to travel based on their needs and the progression of the disease. People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s will be less likely to become distressed than those in the later stages of the disease.
Tips for Traveling with a Senior Who Has Alzheimer’s Disease
If you decide that your senior can safely accompany you on a trip, these tips can help make the excursion enjoyable for all:
Put Your Loved One First: Choose the method of transportation, route and accommodations that will cause your loved one the least amount of stress and anxiety, even if it means more inconvenience and cost to you. Avoid peak travel times and holidays. When flying, choose a direct flight whenever possible. When you must change planes, try to purchase tickets with at least an hour between flights. This will prevent a frenzied rush to board the next plane.
Be Prepared: Medications, snacks and drinks, and a change of clothing should be accessible at all times. A list of prescription information, doctor phone numbers and emergency contacts should be handy, as well. Carry your senior loved one’s insurance card, identification and copies of legal documents. A recent photo can help locate them if they should wander off. There are several cell phone apps that make this easier including CareZone and Unfrazzle.
Plan a Reasonable Itinerary: You might be able to hop from museum to museum or spend the day at an amusement park, but people with dementia can be easily overwhelmed and distressed by days packed with fast-paced activities. Limit the number of activities you do each day. Slowing down and relaxing more can be good for everyone!
Use the Buddy System: Always keep your loved one under direct supervision. Unfamiliar environments increase the likelihood that someone with dementia will wander. If you stay in a hotel, use all the interior door locks to make it more difficult for your loved one to open the door when you are sleeping or showering. You may want to invest in a door alarm or a Medic-Alert necklace or bracelet that would help reunite you in the event they slip out of your sight.
Do Your Research: Before you leave, locate the hospital and urgent care centers nearest your destination. Investigate road construction and detours that might cause stressful delays. You might also contact the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to identify any resources you might need to utilize when you arrive.
Have a Plan B: Have an alternative plan or two in place, just in case your loved one doesn’t respond well to being away from home. This might mean making more frequent rest-stops or checking into a hotel sooner.
Consider Respite Care Services
If your senior with Alzheimer’s cannot travel along with you, consider respite care . Call the Heritage Senior Community nearest you to learn more about a short term stay at one of our Michigan communities. While there really is no vacation from caregiving, thoughtful planning can make a summer trip pleasant for all.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | May 20, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, legal issues are probably the last thing on anyone’s mind. But because dementia will eventually render them unable to make financial and medical decisions, the Alzheimer’s Association urges families to begin legal planning right away.
Here are the key terms you will encounter as you prepare for the future:
Dementia patients should appoint a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA), a responsible person to act as their Agent in financial and legal matters. This legal document gives the agent the immediate authority to manage banking and investments, sell property, and more.
Advance Directives allow the Alzheimer’s patient to take an active role in their end-of-life planning. These are written documents that express their wishes related to their health care.
An important advance directive is the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOA-HC), which names the person chosen to make decisions for your loved one when they no longer can. In Michigan, this person is known as the Patient Advocate. Michigan law also allows patient advocates to make decisions about mental health care and to donate organs upon death.
Another advance directive is a Living Will, a document that communicates a patient’s intentions about whether they should be kept on life-support. This also grants the patient advocate authority to make this decision. Michigan is one of three states that do not consider a living will legally binding, but can be useful to the patient advocate when making end-of-life decisions.
A DNR, short for “do not resuscitate,” is a medical form informing medical personnel not to perform CPR if the patient’s heart stops. A copy should be given to physicians and caregivers. Michigan law states that DNR orders are only valid when the patient is at home or in an assisted-living facility. Hospitals and nursing homes may or may not honor the document, depending on their policies.
Sometimes these directives are not enough to ensure the Alzheimer’s patient is healthy and safe, and the caregiver must seek Guardianship from a judge. This requires filing a petition in probate court to take power over a patient’s financial, medical and other life decisions as guardian or Conservator.
For more information about planning ahead, visit the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Apr 2, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
60 million Americans suffer from insomnia, the nightly struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep. Research has already shown insomnia can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s. What scientists at several universities are exploring is whether chronic insomnia may actually be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease or if it is only the result of it.
Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Insomnia
There are a variety of research projects that have explored the possible link between sleep problems and Alzheimer’s. Several are especially interesting.
- Johns Hopkins Sleep and Alzheimer’s Research
Researchers from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at The Johns Hopkins University examined the sleep patterns of adults aged 70 and older. They found that older adults who slept fewer hours and had a poor quality of sleep also had higher levels of the brain plaque, Beta amyloid. This plaque has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
The team at Johns Hopkins is continuing to research whether or not treating older adult’s sleep problems might help to prevent Alzheimer’s.
- Washington University Sleep Loss and Alzheimer’s Findings
Another study conducted at the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Washington University also delved in to this issue. In their trial, 145 volunteers who were all considered to have normal cognitive function and were between the ages of 45 and 75 were recruited. 32 of the volunteers showed signs of preclinical Alzheimer’s but did not yet have any cognitive impairment.
Participants in the two-week long trial documented their sleep habits including naps. Each volunteer wore a sensor that allowed scientists to track their movement and probable quality of sleep. What they found was participants who were the worst sleepers were five times more likely to have preclinical Alzheimer’s disease than good sleepers.
Tips for Getting a Better Night’s Rest
If you are a Michigan senior or the caregiver of one and you know you fall in to the poor sleeper category, there are a few steps you can take that may help.
- Get 30 minutes of exercise during the day. Try to work out early in the day. Exercising too close to bedtime can actually make your insomnia worse.
- Have a consistent wake up and bed time each day, including weekends.
- If you don’t already know how, learn to practice meditation, Pilates or some form of yoga. Each of these help you develop better breathing techniques which can help lower stress and improve sleep quality.
- Make your bedroom a haven for rest and relaxation. That means keeping mobile devices stored in another room. Also keep the temperature cool. Experts typically recommend setting the thermostat to between 60 and 70 degrees.
- Try to avoid eating or drinking anything with caffeine in it past noon. Caffeine can disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle.
Our final recommendation is to talk with your primary care physician if nothing helps you get a good night’s sleep. You may have a health condition like sleep apnea that may require professional intervention and treatment.
Photo Courtesy http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/man-sleeping-in-bed-and-holding-a-tablet-computer-photo-p308659
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Mar 18, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
My father’s Alzheimer’s disease has progressed to the point where our family cannot keep him safe at home any longer. My mother, brother and I are just beginning to research dementia care programs available at the assisted living communities near his home in southeast Michigan. I am trying to develop a list of questions to ask when we call and visit each of these communities. Do you have any suggestions on what we should ask? We want to make sure we make the best decision possible for my Dad’s senior care.
Diane
Dear Diane:
It sounds like you are already on the right track by developing a list of questions that will help you get to know each memory care assisted living community a little better. Because Alzheimer’s disease presents unique challenges for caregivers, there are a few questions you definitely need to ask. Here are a few we recommend:
- What kind of training does the staff who works with Alzheimer’s residents receive?
- How often do they attend additional trainings to keep their skills updated?
- Is there a dedicated memory care section of the building? Is it secure?
- How does the community support each person’s physical limitations while still preserving their remaining abilities?
- Is the physical environment of the memory care program designed to support success for people with dementia? Is it clutter-free and calm? Are visual cues in place?
- Are meals adapted to meet the physical changes that are common with more advanced Alzheimer’s disease? (i.e. offering finger foods that don’t require the use of kitchen utensils.)
- Is a care plan developed for each resident? How often is it updated?
- Does the community offer physical activities that people with dementia care participate in?
- Does the Life Enrichment Director plan programs just for residents who have memory loss?
- Is there an emergency plan in place just in case a person with Alzheimer’s wanders away?
- How does the community safely manage medications?
I hope this list is helpful, Diane! If you would like to learn more about specialty dementia care and the features and benefits we offer at Heritage Senior Communities across Michigan, we invite you to call the community closest to your father to arrange a tour.
Donna
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Mar 10, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
While the number of women living with Alzheimer’s disease continues to outnumber men, more men are moving to dementia care assisted living communities and at a faster rate. A study released in late 2014 examined the issues behind these statistics.
Agitation, Wandering and Aggression in Men with Alzheimer’s Disease
The research conducted by a national senior care placement company looked at memory care admissions from July of 2011 through June of 2014. It found that men are 27% more likely to require a dedicated dementia care program than their female counterparts. Men also moved to these communities at a 14% faster rate than women.
Two primary reasons seemed to lead families to search for a memory care program. Wandering and aggression were both behaviors adult children and caregiving spouses found too difficult to safely manage in their homes. The study reinforced what many Alzheimer’s experts already knew. Men have higher rates of both these challenging behaviors. They are 8% more likely to wander and 30% more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors than women with Alzheimer’s disease.
Potential Causes Wandering and Aggression in People with Alzheimer’s
While the cause of wandering and aggression still isn’t completely understood, experts believe there are some factors that may contribute to both:
- Too Much Stimulation: A noisy, overly busy environment can negatively impact someone with Alzheimer’s. Because the disease causes damage to the brain, people with Alzheimer’s have difficulty processing too much information at one time. The frustration it causes can trigger angry, aggressive outbursts.
- Exhaustion and Chronic Fatigue: Alzheimer’s disrupts a person’s sleep-wake cycle. It isn’t uncommon for someone living with the disease to have problems sleeping and to go several days without sleep. Even though they are physically exhausted, they are unable to sleep. It can result in stress, anxiety and aggression.
- Unmet Needs: The loss of verbal communication skills makes it difficult to know what a senior loved one living with Alzheimer’s needs. They may be hungry, thirsty or have to use the bathroom and be unable to communicate it. These unmet needs can produce episodes of wandering and aggressive behavior with their caregiver. Undiagnosed pain can also cause a similar reaction.
- Communication Problems: Having problems following a caregiver’s directions can increase anxiety and agitation. Because a person with Alzheimer’s disease likely has an impaired abstract thought process, they may not be able to perform tasks that require the use of some types of memory. Trying to do so can result in anger and frustration.
- Medication Side Effects: Older adults process medicine differently than younger people. They sometimes require smaller dosages or a different medication entirely. The same is true for a person with Alzheimer’s disease. Difficult behaviors may be the result of being overmedicated or an interaction between their medications.
To learn more about Aggression and Anger visit the Alzheimer’s Association resource center online. They share information and suggestions to help families manage challenges ranging from how to get someone with Alzheimer’s to eat to how to use visual cues to communicate.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Feb 1, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
If you are a Michigan caregiver for a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, you might be struggling with a case of cabin fever or the winter blues. It is fairly common this time of year. Many caregivers hesitate to venture out because they fear taking their aging family member out in winter weather may cause them to experience a fall or catch the flu. It can make for long days and weeks.
Beating the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Blues This Winter
We’ve pulled together a few ideas that might help you shake off the winter blues:
- Seasonal Affective Disorder: You first want to make sure your case of the blues isn’t something more serious like Seasonal Affective Disorder. Reading more about the symptoms of SAD may help you decide. If they sound a little too familiar, talk with your primary care physician. He or she will recommend the best approach for getting back on track.
- Exercise: The endorphins released in your body when you exercise are great for lifting spirits and elevating mood. If winter has you trapped indoors and unable to enjoy a walk outside, consider investing in a treadmill or an exercise bike. Health professionals recommend a combined total 30 minutes of daily exercise to help keep you mentally and physically fit.
- Practice Good Nutrition: When your eating habits are unhealthy, energy level can go up and down like a rollercoaster throughout the day. To help stabilize your blood sugars and your mood, stick to a diet rich in complex carbohydrates.
- Check Your Vitamin D: In climates winters are cold like those we have in Michigan, rates of vitamin D deficiency are higher. Because most of us don’t spend much time outdoors soaking up sunlight when it is cold, our bodies don’t produce much of this essential vitamin. A vitamin D deficiency can contribute to feelings of sadness and depression. Talk with your primary care physician about having yours checked and to get their advice on taking a supplement during the winter.
- Sleep: Don’t overlook the restorative benefits of sleep when your mood is low. You don’t want to hibernate and sleep too much, but you want to try to get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.
- Limit Alcohol: Limit your alcohol intake. Studies show alcohol only makes blue moods worse. Sticking with one or two glasses of alcohol each week might help you kick the blues this winter.
- Respite Care: Take advantage of respite services offered at local adult day centers and senior living communities. Use the time your senior loved is there to give yourself some “me” time. Schedule a pampering pedicure or a lunch date with friends.
We hope these tips help you overcome the caregiver blues this winter!
Heritage Senior Communities is pleased to announce that our newest community is open in Holland, Michigan. The Village at Appledorn West offers adults over the age of 55 one- and two-bedroom independent living apartments. The campus will also be home to an assisted living community that is projected to open in the spring of 2015.
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