Maintaining Independence for Alzheimer’s PatientsPosted on | May 21, 2012  Maintaining independence while also living with Alzheimer’s may seem counterintuitive or even impossible. And yet, those individuals with Alzheimer’s who maintain a level of independence as the disease progresses are often individuals who also stay healthier and more cognitively aware as they age. How can a caregiver help their patient or loved one maintain independence for as long as possible? Here are some ways. Offer your patient or loved one choice in their everyday life. Leading them to their closet and asking them to choose their own outfit from a closet full of options may be too overwhelming and cause anxiety and stress. However, laying out two or three outfits and asking them to choose the one they’d like to wear today accomplishes the independence of choice without causing undue strain. Encourage your patient or loved one to do things for themselves. Fine motor skill decline as a result of Alzheimer’s may leave one unable to put toothpaste on a toothbrush, but your patient may be more than capable of brushing their own teeth. Encourage them to do so while you help them with something else. Encourage them to apply lotion to their arms while you help with their legs, or tie their shoes while they work on buttoning their shirt. Do not tell your loved one or patient what to do, but allow them the time to make their own decisions and complete tasks themselves. This requires patience. Rather than rattling off a command, patiently ask politely and then give them time to complete the task themselves. Remember that with Alzheimer’s and other memory-related impairments, independence takes time. It’s easy to simply do it ourselves, but enabling your loved one or patient to maintain their independence will also improve their quality of life. About the Author: Bridges® by EPOCH is the evolution of EPOCH Senior Living’s renowned memory care program BRIDGES®. Recognizing that a free-standing community devoted entirely to caring for those with memory challenges can provide more focused care, an enhanced lifestyle and a more fulfilling environment, Bridges® by EPOCH is the realization of EPOCH’s commitment to improving the lives of all those touched by Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. EOEA Certification Application Pending. With nearly 20 years of experience in the senior living industry, Alicia Seaver is committed to making a difference in the lives of seniors. Prior to joining the Bridges® by EPOCH team, Alicia held various positions at senior living communities in Florida and Massachusetts, including Executive Director of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care and Memory Care Program Director at Emeritus Senior Living. Through her extensive experience, Alicia gained valuable knowledge and expertise that will allow her to truly make a difference in the lives of residents at Bridges® by EPOCH at Hingham. Additionally, Alicia is certified by the National Institute on Aging as a Memory Impairment Specialist and is certified in both Massachusetts and Florida as a State Certified Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia Trainer. Alicia is excited to be part of an organization that is as dedicated to providing high quality, individualized care to seniors as she is. Alicia currently lives in South Shore with her husband and two daughters. Category: Alzheimer's/Dementia Care, Assisted Living
Tags: Alicia seaver > Bridges by Epoch > dementia care in Massachusetts > maintaining independence with Alzheimer's > memory care patients > senior care Personal Hygiene for Alzheimer’s Patients and Their CaregiversPosted on | May 21, 2012 Making bathing and other personal hygiene tasks comfortable and relaxing for an individual with Alzheimer’s can be a challenge. Needing assistance in this highly personal part of life can make bathing uncomfortable and even stressful, but it doesn’t need to be. Here are some guidelines for making bathing a calm and soothing occurrence for an individual with Alzheimer’s. Setting the stage is key to success. This means setting up a warm, calm room with a soothing atmosphere; think soft lighting, warm air, fluffy towels laid out, soaps at hand, and maybe even some soft music playing. Set everything up in advance so your patient or loved one is able to enter the space without any stress or rushing. Having everything prepared will also make you calmer and more confident, an attitude your loved one or patient will pick up on. Ensure the room’s safety. Consider using a shower chair or bench for an individual who may have difficulty balancing. Grippy rugs and sturdy handlebars can also make a bathroom safer for an aging individual with Alzheimer’s. Consider your charge’s integrity at all points in the process. Being bathed by another individual is a very personal and potentially embarrassing process. Some may prefer to wear a towel or other item in an effort to preserve their dignity. State what you will do before you do it so the individual can feel assured you are confident and know what you are doing, and maintain an attitude of calm, dignified confidence at all times. Bath time may be the only time for a caregiver to assess an Alzheimer’s patient’s physical condition, so use your time wisely, but remember to keep calm and consider your patient’s integrity and dignity every step of the way. About the Author: Bridges® by EPOCH is the evolution of EPOCH Senior Living’s renowned memory care program BRIDGES®. Recognizing that a free-standing community devoted entirely to caring for those with memory challenges can provide more focused care, an enhanced lifestyle and a more fulfilling environment, Bridges® by EPOCH is the realization of EPOCH’s commitment to improving the lives of all those touched by Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. EOEA Certification Application Pending. With nearly 20 years of experience in the senior living industry, Alicia Seaver is committed to making a difference in the lives of seniors. Prior to joining the Bridges® by EPOCH team, Alicia held various positions at senior living communities in Florida and Massachusetts, including Executive Director of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care and Memory Care Program Director at Emeritus Senior Living. Through her extensive experience, Alicia gained valuable knowledge and expertise that will allow her to truly make a difference in the lives of residents at Bridges® by EPOCH at Hingham. Additionally, Alicia is certified by the National Institute on Aging as a Memory Impairment Specialist and is certified in both Massachusetts and Florida as a State Certified Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia Trainer. Alicia is excited to be part of an organization that is as dedicated to providing high quality, individualized care to seniors as she is. Alicia currently lives in South Shore with her husband and two daughters. Category: Alzheimer's/Dementia Care, Home Care
Tags: Alzheimer's Care > Bridges by Epoch > Highham MA dementia care > Memory Care > memory care assisted living Helping Your Aging Parent Restore Their Sense of SelfPosted on | April 24, 2012  When I arrived to pick up my Mom for our Easter weekend, I was a little dismayed by what she was wearing. Mom has always had a sense of style; from timeless tailored suits to fun, Caribbean shirt and short ensembles. Whatever the occasion, she dressed the part admirably. This day, her pants were rolled up way too short, her pink and burgundy striped shirt clashed with the red and navy sweater she wore. But her smile was the warm, radiant smile that lights up a room. The delight at my being there to take her away for the weekend was so encompassing that for a minute, I forgot my preoccupation with her appearance. It’s not like we were going anywhere special that particular night – Easter was on Sunday. Reluctantly, I acknowledged that Mom’s sense of style had faded into the background like many of her memories. Our loved one can benefit from our dedication to helping preserve their sense of self as much as possible. For example, Mom loves wearing L’Air du Temps perfume so; I make a point of opening the bottle & bringing it to her. She gleefully responds “ooohhh.” . Earrings were always a staple of her wardrobe so today, I suggest the pair that most compliments what she is wearing. An important thing loved ones can do to help their parents or grandparents as memory issues become more prevalent is to minimize their choices. I scaled back Mom’s closet leaving fewer clothing options. Trying to decide what to wear – for a person with dementia issues – can be overwhelming. I coordinate whole outfits and group them together to encourage her recognition that pulling one of these “sets” from her closet doesn’t require in-depth decision making. She lives in a retirement community so I am not with her at the start of each day but when she spends the weekend with me I can make sure she looks as good as she used to when her sense of style and sense of self was complete. About the Author: Terry Lynne Hale has over 30 years of sales, marketing, writing, research and training experience in a variety of industries. Terry thrives on sharing information and credits many authors with being instrumental in developing the person she is today. Passions include family, the Internet, pets, the planet, the Internet, writing, the Internet, publishing, the Internet, marketing, and the Internet. Her never-ending quest for learning led her to explore WWW after buying her first computer in 1995. Naturally, she wanted to share her enthusiasm for the internet with others. Her training and writing background fueled the passion that led her to write and publish her first eBook, Ageless Internet -Internet BASICS for Boomers and Seniors. It’s a simplified guide to the World Wide Web and is available for immediate download through Amazon or in all formats on Ageless Internet. Terry’s experience sourcing and locating independent and assisted living for her parents was the beginning of her exploration into care giving and elder care issues. Subsequent assistance finding housing for loved ones of friends and family has cemented her interest in Boomer and Senior care. Terryis committed to getting the word out that it is possible – even preferable, to begin a search for this kind of housing via the Internet, thus her new position as Boomer Care Adviser for SilverCensus. With an invaluable resource like SilverCensus offering Free Placement Assistance for Home Careand Assisted Living, your efforts are streamlined, and you save time and money. SilverCensus is an unbiased senior living and health services resource where consumers are educated on options, facilities & rights. Our services are completely free for seniors and their caregivers as well as Hospital Case Managers & Social Workers who are committed to proper discharge. Category: Caregiving, Home Care
Tags: Caregiving > caring for an aging parent > Healthy Aging > Senior Living Talking to Children about Alzheimer’s diseasePosted on | April 24, 2012 Talking about Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss can be tough for adults. Discussing such subjects with children doesn’t have to be, though. Let’s go over some simple ways we can talk to young children about Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss in someone they know and love. To start, I recommend leaving the word “Alzheimer’s” out of it. It’s a big term that can be scary and unrelatable to children. Memory loss is a better term that children are able to wrap their heads around. So when discussing these matters with a child, stick to “memory loss” and leave the words “Alzheimer’s disease” out of the equation. It’s also a good idea to consider roleplaying in order to introduce a child to memory loss. By roleplaying, you show the child what it may be like to speak with someone with memory loss, and you can offer suggestions and encouragement as they work through the roleplay. One good exercise is to ask a child about a memory they have from long ago, then to ask them about something that happened recently. Explain that their loved one with memory loss can remember things from long ago, but the recent past is hard for them to recall. Encourage the child to focus on older memories and leave aside more recent events. During a visit with someone with Alzheimer’s, encourage the child to talk, laugh, and smile by discussing topics relatable to them. Older individuals, particularly those with memory loss, often love to interact with and observe children. Both parties will be more comfortable if the discussion is kept light, happy and focused on things the older individual can recall with ease. One final tip: pick up a used copy of “I don’t want to visit Grandma anymore” by Norman Geller for a great, easy read on how to help young children become comfortable with and enjoy visits with their elder relatives. About the Author: Bridges® by EPOCH is the evolution of EPOCH Senior Living’s renowned memory care program BRIDGES®. Recognizing that a free-standing community devoted entirely to caring for those with memory challenges can provide more focused care, an enhanced lifestyle and a more fulfilling environment, Bridges® by EPOCH is the realization of EPOCH’s commitment to improving the lives of all those touched by Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. EOEA Certification Application Pending. With nearly 20 years of experience in the senior living industry, Alicia Seaver is committed to making a difference in the lives of seniors. Prior to joining the Bridges® by EPOCH team, Alicia held various positions at senior living communities in Florida and Massachusetts, including Executive Director of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care and Memory Care Program Director at Emeritus Senior Living. Through her extensive experience, Alicia gained valuable knowledge and expertise that will allow her to truly make a difference in the lives of residents at Bridges® by EPOCH at Hingham. Additionally, Alicia is certified by the National Institute on Aging as a Memory Impairment Specialist and is certified in both Massachusetts and Florida as a State Certified Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia Trainer. Alicia is excited to be part of an organization that is as dedicated to providing high quality, individualized care to seniors as she is. Alicia currently lives in South Shore with her husband and two daughters. Category: Alzheimer's/Dementia Care
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