My sister reached out to me yesterday about diet and dementia. She found a recent story circulating on FB about how family members “cured” an 82-year-old woman’s dementia. “I want to hear what Rita has to say.” Thank you, Margo! This blog is dedicated to my sister, my Aunt Peg […]
Family caregivers benefit from a coordinated team approach and from clinicians who are accessible.
Care partners for persons living with dementia need a back-up plan. There needs to be someone who can temporarily or permanently care for the person living with dementia. Best to plan for the situation now, rather than scramble under difficult situations. Medical Emergencies Care partners are familiar with medical emergencies […]
This blog highlights some of the initial and critical components of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s Disease or another dementia. Read on for more information.
Sundowning refers to behaviors seen in persons with dementia that usually occur at the end of the day. Many clinicians and caregivers/care partners seem resigned that this will simply happen and that there is nothing that can be done to prevent or manage it. Which is why I hate the […]
People with dementia are at great risk for delirium, which is a sudden uptick in confusion and other behaviors.
Best ways to get a person with Alzheimer’s dementia to accept care is to enter their reality.
The asking of the questions is a process; we are providing an opportunity to really find out what the other person is thinking. On one hand, we want to protect our loved ones from financial abuse or unsafe conditions. On the other hand, we want to respect their autonomy….their ability to make their own decisions.
When Mrs. Q’s opinions differed from that of her granddaughter, the granddaughter quickly used the dementia diagnosis to ignore Mrs. Q’s choices. When Mrs. Q’s choices and opinions mirrored those of the granddaughter, the granddaughter believed that Mrs. Q had the capacity to make a decision. This isn’t how decisional capacity works.
People with dementia say “NO” to nearly every question or request. This is an incredible challenge for caregivers. In this blog, I explain one reason for the non-stop no’s…and offer strategies for preventing and managing the negativity. Patterns of Memory Loss and Retrieval Problems All dementias share this same common […]