Here are useful tips for family caregivers on Alzheimer’s Care.

Alzheimer’s Care is a tough and confusing disease for both the caregiver and the person living with Alzheimer’s. When faced with Alzheimer’s disease, know that the early months or years, individuals with dementia are aware of their mental impairment. Most usually respond to their memory problems in a way that is typical of their personality. Some are passive and resigned to their fate; some are angry and abrasive; but almost all are depressed with low self-esteem. And I seen some people deny it and hide it from the family.

As the disease progresses, individuals with Alzheimer’s become more clinging and dependent and lose the ability to do the things they once enjoyed. As a family caregiver, your loved one’s behavior may shock or bewilder you. You may be anxious and searching for ways to cope. Let me suggest a few tips that are helpful to use with your loved one when daily tasks that were once automatic become difficult and result in frustration, fear, agitation and even aggression.

1. Limit choices – Having fewer options makes deciding easier.

2. Involve your loved one as much as possible . Set up successful accomplishments each day that allow your loved one to do tasks he or she is still able to do.

3. Allow more time. Keep in mind that everything takes more time when your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease.

4. Plan your loved one’s schedule wisely.  Determine what time of the day your loved one functions the best and is the most agreeable.

5. Establish a routine. Routines make the day less confusing for a person with Alzheimer’s disease.

6. Maintain flexibility.  A person’s ability to function and his or her level of independence steadily declines as the disease progresses.

7. Relax your standards.  As a family caregiver, you shouldn’t worry about the way things should be done.

8. Maintain a safe environment.  Alzheimer’s disease impairs good judgment and increases the risk of falls or injury.

Source: Home Instead Senior Care

Image Source: Home Instead Senior Care

Nursing Home Care Greater Phoenix & Nursing Home Care Central Phoenix gives Phoenix elders and seniors quality care at home. Call today 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

The relationships between Alzheimer’s disease patients and caregivers have long been interesting to researchers, with most of their studies focusing on the well-being of caregivers. But very little was known about the converse relationship-how caregivers affect the well-being of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Until now.

A recent study led by the Johns Hopkins and Utah State University researchers suggests that a particularly close relationship with caregivers may give people with Alzheimer’s disease a marked edge over those without one in retaining mind and brain function over time. The beneficial effect of emotional intimacy that the researchers saw among participants was on par with some drugs used to treat the disease.

A report on the study, believed to be the first to show that the patient-caregiver relationship may directly influence progression of Alzheimer’s disease, is to be published in the September 2009 The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences.

Nursing Home Care Greater Phoenix & Nursing Home Care Central Phoenix gives Phoenix elders and seniors quality care at home. Call today 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

Source: ThirdAge

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Q.    With Alzheimer’s a real threat for someone like me who is past 80, are there early warning signs and anything that can be done to help people avoid the ramifications of this awful disease?  So far I am in great health physically and mentally.

As a matter of fact, new research has shed light on what could be the earliest warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, which may open the door to helping people fight back against the disease.

Even very early in Alzheimer’s disease, people become less efficient at separating important from less important information, according to the study, published in the May issue of Neuropsychology.

Remembering what’s most important is central to daily life. For example, if you went to the grocery store but left your shopping list at home, you’d at least want to remember the milk and bread, if not the jam.

The researchers asked participants, who were recruited from the Washington University in St. Louis Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, to study and learn neutral words that were randomly assigned different point values. When asked to recall the items, participants were asked to maximize the total value.

All participants, even those with Alzheimer’s disease, recalled more high-value than low-value items. However, the Alzheimer’s groups were significantly less efficient than their healthy age peers at remembering items according to their value.

The authors speculated that Alzheimer’s disease makes it harder for people to encode what they learn in a strategic way.  Because encoding is the first step in long-term memory, this affects their ability to remember things according to their value.

This research, the authors say, suggests the potential for improved memory training. People with early-stage Alzheimer’s might remember important information better by learning to be more strategic and selective when encoding high-value information, even though it comes at the expense of neglecting less-important information, the authors said.

Another great way to stay healthy is to remain active.  Volunteer if you can and even consider a part-time job like that of a caregiver.  Home Instead Senior Care regularly hires other seniors to serve as companions to older adults, assisting them with household tasks or just serving as a friend.

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Nursing Home Care Greater Phoenix & Nursing Home Care Central Phoenix gives Phoenix elders and seniors quality care at home. Call today 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

It may be selfish, but there are times that I can honestly say I’ve had enough. I care for my elderly grandmother who is in the later stages of Alzheimer’s, and I try to be everything for her; but I just can’t do it all. Say what you will, maybe I’m selfish to say it’s too much for me, but I’ve learned that it’s okay to focus on me now and again. After years of providing for my own family, balancing a career, and acting as the primary caregiver for my elderly grandmother, I’m burning out. Maybe taking a step back is selfish, but I also feel like it will be doing her a favor, because I’ll be better equipped to care for her.

From now on, when I feel stressed, I’m going to do something for me. If that means hiring a home caregiver who specializes in Alzheimer’s to take over for a week, while I hit the spa; I’m going to do it. Sometimes caring for someone you love who has Alzheimer’s is hard; my grandmother doesn’t necessarily realize how much she’s changing, but it can be hard not to take it personally when she doesn’t recognize me or attacks me emotionally because she’s in one of her moods that come with the disease. So that’s it, sometimes it’s got to be about me too; as much as I love my grandmother, I think it’s best for both of us. If selfish is the label that applies to me, then bring it on.

Sources:

1. Health and Age

2.  CSA.com

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Nursing Home Care Greater Phoenix & Nursing Home Care Central Phoenix gives Phoenix elders and seniors quality care at home. Call today 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

According to a study published in the Journal of Neurology, a direct correlation exists between physical fitness and the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease; a cognitive condition which affects a large portion of the senior population. According to the study which looked at 121 seniors over the age of 60, many of whom were in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, those who were routinely physically active had four times less brain shrinkage than those who lead more sedentary lifestyles. Based on previous evidence, decreasing brain volume is linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia, so a regular fitness routine can actually help prevent future cognitive problems as well.

Throughout the aging process, it’s important to remain active, even if it means just getting out to take a walk, going for a swim, or completing a series of stretches at home. Phoenix, AZ. seniors will not only improve their overall health through routine exercise, they will also increase the blood flow from the heart to the brain, which improves brain functioning and prevents the onset of other diseases which can aggravate mental conditions like Alzheimer’s.

Seniors in Phoenix shouldn’t feel that it’s too late to begin an exercise program at anytime in their lives; they can start small and slowly build up their endurance to greater activities for the optimal benefits to the body and the mind.

Sources:

1. About.com Alzheimer’s

2. BBC News

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As a nursing home caregiver to an elderly woman in Phoenix I tend to plan our daily activities around the season. As the warm weather is encouraging seniors to venture outside to take advantage of the summer sun. Being able to get us outside opens up a whole new variety of activities that we can do together, and I see my care recipient’s disposition changing when she has a chance to get out of the nursing home for a change. Although her limited mobility does admittedly make outside activities more challenging, the benefits are well-worth the added effort. During the day, we like to take a stroll through the local park, sit out in the backyard, or do some basic work in the garden. When my client’s grandchildren come over she also loves to get outside with them so she can interact and converse while they play.

I’ve always known that fresh air and sunshine can be beneficial to a senior’s health, but until recently, I didn’t know that it can also have a positive impact on their bone health as well. My client suffers from osteoporosis, and with her limited mobility, myself and her family worry that if she were to fall, the result could be a number of terrible and crippling bone fractures. However, with some exposure to vitamin D as offered by natural sunlight, I’ve learned that we could be reducing her risk of bone fractures by as much as 20%; so it’s even more reason to get outside and enjoy the summer sun!

Sources:

1. Health and Age

2. CBC

3. CBC

Image Source: www.healthscape.co.uk

Nursing Home Care Greater Phoenix & Nursing Home Care Central Phoenix gives Phoenix elders and seniors quality care at home. Call today 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

When it comes time to make decisions regarding senior care services for your aging parent living in a nursing home, one of the major factors to consider is affordability. Believe it or not, caregiver services are one of the most affordable options for seniors who need more help than the nursing home staff can give. Hiring a caregiver to help out in your elderly loved one in a nursing home facility can range anywhere from $12 to $25 an hour, depending upon the services provided by the agency and the state that you live in.

With companion care services, families can decide the amount of care required by your elderly loved one. Caregiver companions can start a few hours a week, 8-hour days, or 24 hour live in care. This can be determined both on care requirements of the senior, and the finances they have available for companion care.

In order to determine if senior services are affordable for the senior in your family, take a close look at both their income and expenses; ensuring that their budget allows them to continue to put away 10% to fund future medical and housing needs. Medicare and Medicaid do not typically cover in-home care services, but many private insurance policies do; so ensure you determine which home care costs would have to be paid out of pocket and make sure that all the numbers add up to figure out if home care is an affordable option.

Sources:

1. Business Week, Beth Piskora

2. The Federal LTC Insurance Program

3. Senior Living Today

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Nursing Home Care Greater Phoenix & Nursing Home Care Central Phoenix gives Phoenix elders and seniors an alternative to a nursing home. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480-991-3959.

Research in Portugal targeting arthritis sufferers found that moderate aerobic and strengthening exercises, conducted for 50-60 minutes three times per week, proved to be safe and beneficial both physically and in terms of quality of life for patients.

During the three months of the Portuguese study, researchers observed the following:

•     A 33 percent improvement in the HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire) disability index measurement of physical functioning (assessing ability to undertake everyday activities such as dressing, eating and walking, and whether assistance from another person or disability aids is required.)
•    An improvement in physical function such as sitting and standing, gripping and walking.
•    A reduced need for daily corticosteroid intake by 62 percent of patients.
•    The elimination of NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) treatment altogether by 32 percent of patients.
•    An improvement in the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), a self-reported assessment of negative emotional states, by 40 percent of patients.

The exercise program also was associated with a stabilizing effect in disease activity measured by DAS28 (Disease Activity Score).  DAS28 is an index used by physicians to measure how active is an individual’s rheumatoid arthritis.  Among other things, it assesses number of tender and swollen joints.

As you can see, exercise has produced impressive results for the body and the mind.  But your doctor will know for sure whether an exercise program is something that would be safe and beneficial for you.
Your doctor should be contacted to provide the best source of advice for you and your situation.

In the meantime, why not consider a little extra help?  Home Instead Senior Care hires CAREGivers, who are screened, trained, bonded and insured, to serve as companions to seniors in their homes to assist with such tasks as meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and shopping.  What’s more, the service is flexible.  You need only sign up for a few hours a week or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Source: Home Instead Senior Care

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Nursing Home Care Greater Phoenix & Nursing Home Care Central Phoenix gives Phoenix elders and seniors quality care at home. Call today 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

Assisted Living Facilities Strong in Recession, but Home Still Popular

Q.    My 82-year-old mother is trying to decide between staying at home and going to an Assisted Living Facility.  Do you know how ALFs are doing in this economy and who goes there?

According to a recent industry report, Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) are holding their own.

The 2009 Overview of Assisted Living, a comprehensive measure of the state of the industry conducted by the leading senior living associations, shows occupancy rates in 2009 are nearly 95 percent, only a slight decrease from the 2006 survey when the economy was stronger. Communities which provide specialized care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia report even higher occupancy rates.

The 2009 Overview shows that nearly all assisted living communities provide a wide array of services and safety measures which include wellness, social and recreational activities.  But most also adhere to high standards and practices and conduct formal assessments of each resident prior to move in, draft written care plans for each resident, install smoke detectors and sprinklers in residents’ rooms and common areas, and conduct criminal background checks on every employee before hiring.

The survey also showed that the average age of residents continues to rise.  Female residents outnumber male by a three-to-one margin.  The median age is now 86.9 years and median income is $18,972, a slight increase from the 2006 survey.  More than one third of all assisted living residents suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia.

Seniors have much to consider when deciding whether to leave home.  Quite frankly, industry surveys indicate that home is still where the majority of seniors want to be.  Your loved one also could consider a little extra help to enable her to remain at home when weighing her options for senior care.

CAREGivers from Home Instead Senior Care can assist your senior with a variety of tasks such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping.  CAREGivers also are available to help in care communities such as ALFs and are hired regularly by seniors or their family members in these communities throughout the country.

Source: Home Instead Senior Care

Nursing Home Care Greater Phoenix & Nursing Home Care Central Phoenix gives Phoenix elders and seniors quality care at home. Call today 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

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