A reader dealing with the strains of a family member suffering from Alzheimer’s raised this interesting question: “Our father always stressed how important it was to tell the truth. Now he has dementia, and my brother says he’s been told it’s okay to tell white lies so as not to further agitate our father. This makes me really uncomfortable. How can we resolve this?”
Improving Sleep in Dementia
For many people living with dementia, a good night’s sleep is difficult to achieve. There are many reasons why poor sleep and dementia go hand-in-hand, such as brain changes due to dementia, disordered breathing and environmental factors.
One common factor that disturbs sleep is the need to use the toilet during the night and being unable to get back to dreamland. This can result in far too little sleep night after night. It often affects the sleep of family members who live with the person with dementia as well.
Museums Fight the Isolation and Pain of Dementia
An assisted-living facility in Liverpool, England, was confronted with an unusual dilemma in 2013: An elderly resident with severe dementia suddenly became terrified of water and showering — and categorically refused to bathe.
“His demeanor and his well-being started disintegrating. It became socially unacceptable,” recalled Carol Rogers, executive director for education and visitors at National Museums Liverpool, a complex of eight cultural venues that developed and now operates a dementia program. “The other older people didn’t want him in the day room. It wasn’t pleasant for them, and there was a loss of dignity for him.”
More than crunches: 7 tips to keep your brain as sharp as your body
When it comes to our hearts, even the non-medical types among us pretty much know what we need to be doing. In a nutshell: exercising and eating right.
But when it comes to our brains, guidelines tend to be foggier. Besides, we figure, since we're probably as smart as we'll ever be, what can we possibly do?
Teenager's brain research could one day help Alzheimer's patients
When Indrani Das needed motivation, she left the lab. The 2017 winner of the Regeneron Science Talent Search -- one of the United States' most prestigious science and math competitions -- enrolled in her local ambulance corps as an emergency medical technician. She needed to be close to people: the kind of lives she one day hopes to improve.
"It was this thought that there could be a person at the end of this experiment ... that drove me to continue," she said. Answering 911 calls helped with that.
NCBAC Announces New Edition of Alzheimer Caregiver Course Available March 2
For over a decade NCBAC has offered a Certified Alzheimer Caregiver Certification as a credential showing that the caregiver has completed a level of basic competence. This newly updated training is excellent preparation for the Caregiver Certification (CAC™)exam. Caregivers may prepare for the certification exam by taking the CAC™ training course. The online course consists of nine (9) modules and has just been updated to reflect new information in a number of areas. Voice narration has also been added.
Updates in the training course include: medications, roles and responsibilities of the caregiver, legal and ethical issues and additional case examples. Questions are included at the end of each module to test learning. These questions are written in the NCLEX style of writing items. A Glossary of Terms and Reference Guide are also included for students.
Reader Asks If Nursing Home Costs Are Covered Under Hospice Care Insurance
Dear Carol: My dad's been in a nursing home for several years and is ready for hospice care. I read your column about hospice care being covered by most insurances, but I'm wondering what happens in a nursing home. Does insurance start to cover nursing home costs, then, too? Would it be better to move Dad home for this time period? It's hard to make these decisions at such a stressful time. — RE
Cost, Uncertainty and Stress Plague Long-Distance Caregivers
$8,728 a year. No vacations. No retirement savings. 23 hours a week and up.This is the not-so-secret code of the long-distance caregiver.
4 Tips for Successful Medication Management as a Family Caregiver
A few years ago, my father-in-law experienced a major medical crisis and as a result he was hospitalized. He was in intensive care for a time but eventually gained enough strength so that he was able to return home.
I remember being called over to his home after he was discharged from the hospital so that I could help him settle in and organize his medications for his full-time caregiver.
You still need to visit those who no longer recognize you
Dear Carol: My dad has late stage Alzheimer's and is in a nursing home in our community where he seems to be receiving good care. Mom is with him every day. He no longer recognizes either of us, but Mom says that he is her husband and she will be there with him. I respect and understand that.
I'm married and have a full-time job and three children who are in many activities so it's not easy for me to take the time to visit my dad. He doesn't recognize me so I don't know how important my visits are anyway, but Mom thinks that it matters to Dad. I do want to see him, even though it's painful, so I feel guilty if I don't go at least once a week, but I balance the normal chaos of working and raising children along with making it a point to see Dad. Should I still visit even though he won't remember? — GT
6 Things to Say to Someone With Alzheimer’s (And 3 Things to Never Say)
Seeing someone you care about experience Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia is painstakingly difficult. Knowing what to say to someone who’s lost his or her memory can also be hard. However, how you approach conversations can have a significant impact on your loved one.
Caring for the caregiver in the emergency department
Mrs. G has been in the emergency department for hours. An exhaustive workup didn’t find any serious cause for her weakness, the reason her daughter Rosa (not her real name) brought her in. I tell them that Mrs. G seems to be a bit dehydrated and, after we give her some intravenous fluids, she can go home. Mrs. G’s eyes light up. Her daughter’s go blank. Rosa dabs at a tear rolling down her cheek. I sense that she expected, maybe even hoped, that her mother would need to stay in the hospital, even just for the night.