The Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Continuum of Caring
If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you may have started looking into specialized care options, whether it’s in-home care or an Alzheimer’s-focused health care facility. As the disease continues to progress, the level of care should evolve to ensure that the person’s needs are being met and that […]
Person-Centeredness: What Is It?
We hear much these days about the concept of Person-Centeredness, Resident-Oriented Care, or Person-Centered Care. There seems to be some confusion regarding this meaning, but if we distill it down to its most basic definition, it can be summed up as: knowing the person from a holistic perspective and providing them with a life that […]
Hearing Loss and Dementia
A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that there is a link between older adults who suffer hearing loss and those who suffer from dementia. Researchers concluded while the brain does tend to shrink as we age, shrinkage can occur faster when hearing loss is also a factor. People who suffer from […]
Holiday Memory Care Activities for Seniors
If you have a family member with dementia or Alzheimer’s, the holidays can be a bittersweet yet often stressful time of year. You want to keep things as “normal” as possible, but you also realize you need to adjust your activities to meet the needs of your loved one. There are a number of activities […]
Caring for Someone with Dementia
Building Meaningful Relationships with Loved Ones with Dementia According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, almost 16 million Americans provide unpaid care to a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia. Many of these family caregivers are part of what is known as the “sandwich generation,” as they provide care to an aging […]
Understanding the Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease: Trouble with Vision and Misplacing Objects
In Part One, Part Two and Part Three of our series on understanding the common signs of Alzheimer’s disease, we discussed disruptive memory loss, changes in personality or mood, difficulty solving problems and completing tasks, confusion with time and place and exhibiting poor judgment. The Alzheimer’s Association designated 10 signs in total to help you […]
The Role Hospice Plays in Alzheimer’s Care
Hospice services offer a compassionate approach to end-of-life care, allowing individuals to live as comfortably as possible throughout their final days. When a cure is not possible, instead of providing a treatment plan, hospice helps manage pain and other symptoms during the last stages of life. For those in the end stages of dementia or […]
Pet Therapy and Dementia
Over the years, many studies have shown the numerous ways pets improve quality of life for people, including seniors. Animals have a way of lowering our stress levels, with just 15 minutes of bonding time causing hormonal changes in the brain by producing more of the “feel-good” hormones like serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin. Pets can […]
The Link Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Poor Sleep
Throughout our lives, it’s common for our sleeping habits to change. When we were babies, we slept as much as 18 hours every day. As we entered our teenage years, we needed about eight to ten hours of nightly sleep. However, adults leading active, busy lifestyles often find it difficult to get the recommended seven […]
Understanding the Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease: Confusion with Time & Place and Displaying Poor Judgment
In Part One and Part Two of our series on understanding the common signs of Alzheimer’s disease, we discussed disruptive memory loss and changes in personality or mood, as well as difficulty solving problems and completing tasks. The Alzheimer’s Association designated 10 signs in total to help you recognize if your loved one is displaying […]