Men seem to have a more difficult time with the role of care partner. There are published studies that examine the differences between men and women who are care partners. Often, the gender differences are often affected by the relationship between the care partner and the care recipient. For the […]
Dementia-Centric Communication Dementia-centric communication is the ability to interact with people who have dementia in a respectful and meaningful way. I hear, over and over again, “I don’t know what to say to a person with dementia.” “What if I do something wrong?” Fear not, I am here to help […]
Caregivers or care partners are often surprised when their loved one with dementia suddenly becomes irritable, nasty, even physically violent. A bladder infection, also known as a urinary tract infection, may be the culprit.
People with dementia wander for a variety of reasons. Many times, the wandering behavior is a reaction to an unrelated event–that is, people with dementia do not simply decide to go on a journey. Some people are at higher risk for wandering than others. Read on for the reasons behind […]
Frontotemporal Dementia & The Jerk Factor When I say “dementia,” most people think “Alzheimer’s Disease.” The truth is that in people under 65, the more common dementia is “frontotemporal dementia” for FTD. FTD refers to a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases that include behavioral, motor, and/or speech symptoms. The one I am talking […]
Think of “Entering Their Reality” as a gentle and kind approach to delivering truth with dignity
There is a very good reason why people with dementia may seem more irritable or cranky: “laid off” workers!
“My wife is in stage 4 Alzheimer’s. She is in denial about her Alzheimer’s. Should I remind her that she has Alzheimer’s and educate her about the disease?”
The National Institutes of Health just released a paper on the needs of the caregiver “workforce.” Here are some highlights from the report: Today family caregivers provide 80% of the care for persons with dementia. 16 million informal caregivers provide approximately 18 billion hours of unpaid care to persons with […]
How is a nursing home different from an assisted living? What in the world is “Memory Care Facility”? How can I figure out which is best for my loved one? How are they different?