You’ve heard of the three R’s of education: reading, writing and ‘rithmetic. You probably know about the three R’s of recycling: reduce, reuse and recycle. Having a list of three R’s can help us recall and prioritize what is most important.
Scam Phone Calls Continue; IRS Identifies Five Easy Ways to Spot Suspicious Calls
The Internal Revenue Service issued a consumer alert today providing taxpayers with additional tips to protect themselves from telephone scam artists calling and pretending to be with the IRS.
These callers may demand money or may say you have a refund due and try to trick you into sharing private information. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They may know a lot about you, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. If you don’t answer, they often leave an “urgent” callback request.
The blessing inside my sister’s Alzheimer’s disease
Last month my sister passed away from early-onset Alzheimer’s. She was 58 and probably had the disease for well over a decade.
Awful. Anyone I share this news with has a visible physical reaction to it. They shudder. Take a deep breath. It’s the disease everyone fears. Alzheimer’s doesn’t just kill you, they are thinking, it robs you of the person you are long before it has the mercy to kill you.
How You Can Protect Your Parent From Delirium
Paula Duncan looks for delirium, a serious problem that often goes undetected in older hospital patients. So Duncan, a registered nurse at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minn., has learned to look beneath the surface, including in patients’ dreams.
People who’ve experienced delirium often have horrific and haunting dreams, she says. It’s not always something they’ll readily talk about. She asks them how they’re sleeping and if they’re dreaming, and watches their faces for clues. “Sometimes you can see by the look on their face that they’re having this experience, but they don’t want to tell you because it’s so awful,” Duncan said.
The proof enduring love DOES exist
Photograph of 96-year-old man feeding his Alzheimer's stricken wife on a date night after 75 years of marriage goes viral
They say true love never dies and this heartwarming photo is certainly proof of that.
The snap, which is sweeping the internet, shows a 96-year-old man from the US tenderly feeding his wife during their date night.
9 Simple Tips for Coping with Caregiver Anxiety
Everybody experiences a little anxiety from time to time. But caregiving can create a whole lot of anxiety.
Anxiety affects people in different ways. Some people have trouble breathing. For others, their heart races and their muscles tense.
Prolonged Sleep May Be Early Warning Sign of Dementia
Older adults who started sleeping more than nine hours a night — but had not previously slept so much — were at more than double the risk of developing dementia a decade later than those who slept nine hours or less, researchers report.
The increased risk was not seen in people who had always slept more than nine hours.
“We’re not suggesting you go wake up Grandpa. We think this might be a marker for the risk of dementia, not a cause” of the illness, said Dr. Sudha Seshadri, a professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and the senior author of the study, in Neurology.
Caring for caregivers all year
Those caring for loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease can attest that the disease costs caregivers more than just their time. Caregiving can be stressful, and this stress can have a negative effect on a caregiver's health, as well as their personal relationships, work and other family members. In 2015, more than 15 million caregivers provided an estimated 18.1 billion hours of unpaid care for someone with Alzheimer's.
This incredibly tough work should not go unnoticed. November has been designated National Family Caregivers Month by the Caregiver Action Network, and it offers a special opportunity to recognize the contributions of those who provide care for their loved ones. Our appreciation, however, doesn't need to be limited to one month of the year.
Love and Dementia: How to Support a Couple Coping with Memory Loss
A dementia diagnosis affects everyone; from the individual diagnosed, to their family and friends. But, it can particularly take a toll on a spouse, making it difficult to strengthen a relationship already going through so much change.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to support a couple with memory loss. Learn more about love and dementia.
20 Things to Remember If You Love Someone with Dementia
Taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s disease is a difficult job, one that can cause caregivers a great amount of stress. However, if you love someone with dementia, you know that the position can also bring joy into your life and be extremely rewarding if you remember a few simple things.
Safety First When Dealing With Dementia at Home
Caring for loved ones who have dementia at home comes with safety concerns. In addition to other health challenges, they may have visual-perceptual and physical coordination problems, as well as difficulty understanding instructions and accurately interpreting the world around them or making reasonable decisions. That means they need help to make their daily life safe.
Successful aging: When to put the brakes on drivers affected by dementia
Q The spouses of two of my friends have Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, they continue to drive despite dents in their cars and periodically getting lost. My friends are doing nothing and are waiting for their doctors to take on the problem. None have done so. To me, it is a moral responsibility to keep our loved ones safe, out of accidents and situations that can cause harm to others. Is this something I can talk with my friends about or do I need to keep biting my tongue?