<!–[CDATA[When a senior loved one has Alzheimer’s disease or a similar form of dementia, their family caregiver may have difficulty structuring the day with meaningful activity. As physical and cognitive abilities become impaired, it can be more challenging to find activities for adults with dementia to enjoy. But it is important to the senior’s mental well-being to find ways to help them feel productive and empowered.

If you are caring for a senior with Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia, this information will be helpful.

Routine Helps Empower Adults with Dementia

Creating a structured daily routine helps an adult with dementia feel successful. That’s because having scheduled activities makes it less necessary for the adult to remember things. For adults with dementia, short-term memory is often lost early in the disease process.

Routine is also beneficial for reducing the anxiety and agitation that adults with Alzheimer’s often experience. The senior knows what to expect each day and takes comfort in the feeling of independence that this knowledge provides.

Creating a Daily Routine for an Adult with Dementia

Here are a few suggestions Alzheimer’s caregivers can use to create a productive daily routine for a loved one:

• Structure: Try to establish and stick to a daily routine. Have specific times each day for getting up, going to bed, eating meals, taking a walk, and running errands. This structure helps to promote independence and self-esteem for adults who are struggling with memory. That’s vital for a person with dementia who is typically at an increased risk for depression.
• Daily chores: When a person who has dementia has daily chores to complete, they feel more like a productive member of the household. Create a list of chores your loved one can do or assist with such as, folding the laundry, dusting the living room, sweeping the kitchen floor, and setting the table before meals. During warmer weather, they might benefit from the responsibility of watering container gardens on the patio.
• Life enrichment: Alzheimer’s often robs people of their verbal skills in the earliest stages of the disease. This can lead to frustration, loneliness, and even depression. A few suggestions for meaningful activities at home include art and music. Art allows people with Alzheimer’s to express themselves in nonverbal ways. Incorporating music into the daily routine is also beneficial. People with Alzheimer’s often maintain the ability to sing favorite songs long after they have lost their ability to speak. Sing-alongs, painting, knitting, and scrapbooking are just a few ideas to try.
• Physical fitness: Working physical activities into the senior’s daily routine is also beneficial. It promotes better quality of sleep, while also reducing stress and anxiety. Chair exercises can be safe and enjoyable, and help to build strength, balance, and endurance. When the weather is nice, you could take short walks together or even enjoy a nature stroll at a local park. Bird-watching is another idea. It incorporates fitness with stimulating brain activity. Be certain to have a GPS bracelet or pendant for your loved one to wear in case you are separated.

It’s important to remember that the positive feelings generated by productive days linger long after the actual memories of the day are lost. That’s what allows people with dementia to live their best quality of life.

At Five Star, we take a holistic approach to daily life. Through our Lifestyle360 program, we offer activities that target each of the five dimensions of wellness. Contact the community nearest you to learn how we help residents with dementia live their best life each day.
 

<!–[CDATA[If you are an adult child caring for a father who lives with Alzheimer’s or the spouse of an older man who has the disease, a study released in the fall of 2014 may be of interest. Researchers looked at admission trends for older adults who moved to memory care assisted living communities. While women far outnumber men in traditional senior living communities, a greater number of men are being admitted to memory care programs. Men are moving to dementia care communities at a rate that is 14% faster than women.

Memory Care Admission Trends

The study examined new move-ins that occurred from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2014. In looking at the history of what prompted each move to a memory care program, researchers uncovered some interesting information. When men moved to a memory care assisted living program, 8% of the time it was because their caregiver was unable to successfully manage their wandering at home. 30% of the time it was because the family and caregivers were concerned about their aggressive behavior.

What Indiana Caregivers Should Know about Aggression in Men with Alzheimer’s

Pinpointing a cause of aggression for people who have Alzheimer’s isn’t easy. Dementia experts believe there are a few likely culprits:

• Undiagnosed or unmanaged pain
• Overstimulation or a hectic, noisy environment
• Fatigue or lack of sleep
• Unmet needs such as hunger, thirst or the need to use the bathroom

Because exaggerated behavior is quite common among people who live with Alzheimer’s, even a seemingly small problem can lead to an angry outburst. Researchers refer to these behaviors as catastrophic reactions.

Recognizing Potential Triggers for Aggression

A few common situations that may trigger aggression in an Indiana senior living with Alzheimer’s disease include:

• Uncontrolled Pain: If a senior with Alzheimer’s is in pain and suffering, he or she may be unable to communicate that with caregivers. As a result, they may act out.
• Fatigue: Researchers believe Alzheimer’s disrupts the body’s natural Circadian rhythm. It leads to chronic sleep deprivation. Many experts believe sheer exhaustion may be a common reason for aggression.
• Overstimulation: Because of the damage Alzheimer’s does to the brain, people who live with the disease have difficulty processing information. When they are in an environment that is hectic and noisy, such as a loud party or a busy shopping mall, they can easily become agitated and aggressive.
• Difficulty Communicating: Alzheimer’s typically robs people of their verbal skills. The frustration of not being able to communicate with those around them can lead to anger and aggression.
• Medication Side Effects: An adverse reaction or an interaction between medications may be another source of aggression behavior for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Because the body processes medicine differently with age, side effects are more common among older adults.

If you are having difficulty keeping an Indiana senior with Alzheimer’s disease safe at home, a Five Star Senior Living community may be a solution. We invite you to contact the community nearest you to learn more about how we can help.

Is your aging loved one suddenly acting different? Does your normally cool-as-a-cucumber parent now suffer from anxiety? Is he or she more irritable than usual? Does your loved one seem to be depressed?

Anxiety, irritability, and depression can all be early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease. So are mood swings and paranoia.

Other Personality Changes to Look Out For

An older adult in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may become confused easily.  For this reason, they might crave routine or avoid new experiences and surroundings. They might become withdrawn, because they sense something is wrong and they don’t want others to notice.

On the other hand, some seniors in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may become more outgoing and gregarious. They might also begin to lose their sense of judgement or may not be able to determine “appropriate” behaviors in specific circumstances.

Exploring Other Causes for Personality Changes

Before you jump to the conclusion that it is Alzheimer’s disease, recognize that there are a number of other causes for personality changes. To discover if there could be another explanation, talk to your loved one and try to find out what’s bothering them.

Causes of Depression and Irritability

Depression and irritability can be caused by normal aging. Perhaps your loved one recently lost a close friend. Or maybe they are struggling to accept that the physical signs of aging are making it harder to participate in activities they used to love.  These types of events and situations can cause depression in many people.

Personality Changes Caused by Medication or Diet

Review the medications your loved one takes. Are they taking any new over-the-counter or prescription drugs? Are personality changes listed as a possible side effect? Could a drug interaction be causing problems?

Also consider your loved one’s diet. Certain vitamin deficiencies can cause personality changes. For instance, some studies have linked a vitamin D deficiency to depression.

So, Is It Alzheimer’s?

If you’ve explored other possibilities and still can’t pinpoint a cause for your loved one’s behavior and emotions, it could be time to delve deeper to see if they have other possible signs of Alzheimer’s.

Most times, personality changes will not occur in the early stages without other symptoms. Look for other common signs of Alzheimer’s, such as:

• Difficulty following story lines
• Forgetting familiar names, places, or faces
• Forgetting facts and not recalling them later
• Repeating themselves
• Habitually misplacing items

Talk with a Physician or Health Professional about a Memory Screening

If your senior loved one exhibits any of the above symptoms in conjunction with changes in their personality, consider a memory screening. While it can’t provide a definitive diagnose, it is 80 to 90 percent accurate in detecting memory problems.

If it’s Alzheimer’s, Five Star Senior Living Is Here To Help

If your suspicions were correct and your senior loved one’s doctors determine they have Alzheimer’s, Five Star Senior Living can help. Our personalized memory care program is based on a customized plan of action for each resident. Contact us today to learn more.

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When a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s is hospitalized, it can be emotionally jarring. The change in environment, not to mention the lights and sounds of a hospital, can cause agitation and outbursts. It’s easy for family caregivers to worry about the care a loved one is receiving and how to minimize the disruption to their routine.

You’ll likely need to play an active role in their care to ensure your loved one’s hospital stay is as comfortable as it can be considering the circumstances.

Look for the following red flags to determine if they need additional support while they are hospitalized.

Increased Agitation and Alzheimer’s

Seniors with Alzheimer’s will often show increased agitation, and even aggression, in a hospital setting. They are taken off their routine. Strange people come and go at all hours. A hospital can be a noisy and overall confusing place for people with Alzheimer’s.

Speak to hospital staff about minimizing disruptions. Can staff serve meals on your loved one’s usual schedule? Ask that the television remain off unless your loved one requests to watch it. Play soft, soothing music instead. Keep the lights lowered whenever possible.

In extreme situations, you might ask for your loved one to be moved to a room that is in a quieter area of the hospital.

Dehydration

Seniors with Alzheimer’s are at increased risk of dehydration in a hospital setting, because they may forget to drink. Staff members who aren’t familiar with the disease might not know that a person with Alzheimer’s needs frequent reminders.

Reinforce the need for cues to “drink more” with hospital caregivers. You might even consider posting a note on your loved one’s bed side table. This can help them stay hydrated when you aren’t around to monitor their liquid intake.

Signs of Pain

Seniors with Alzheimer’s may suffer from untreated pain in a hospital setting, if they can’t convey their discomfort to medical staff. Use your intuition and knowledge of your loved one to look for signs of pain, and request the appropriate measures be taken to alleviate it.

When a Senior with Alzheimer’s is Hospitalized

A few additional tips that may help include:

• Permission to stay overnight: The best way to calm a loved one with Alzheimer’s is to have a familiar family member by their side. Ask if the hospital can accommodate this request.
• The room décor is busy or frightening: Photos of animals or other busy room décor can be threatening to someone with Alzheimer’s. Ask for a room with minimal decorations, no busy patterns, and lighting that minimizes shadows.

The Bridge to Rediscovery

When your loved one is released from the hospital, the next step may be a move to a dedicated memory care program in an assisted living community. They will receive the support they need to manage their Alzheimer’s and maintain their best quality of life.

Five Star Senior Living communities offer personalized memory care programs to ensure residents stay safely engaged with life despite their disease. Contact us to learn more and to schedule a private tour at your convenience.

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Would you be surprised to discover that Alzheimer’s can only be definitely diagnosed after death when an autopsy reveals certain characteristics in the brain tissue?

When doctors think Alzheimer’s is present in an older adult they must first eliminate other possible illnesses. (Here are 5 medical conditions often mistaken for Alzheimer’s.) They will investigate if vascular dementia or memory loss is caused by alcoholism, depression, prescription drug side effects, an infection or thyroid issues. Each of these problems can usually be treated.

An early diagnosis allows an Alzheimer’s sufferer and their family to begin planning for the future.

Benefits of Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Treatment

Early diagnosis and treatment may help preserve the cognitive functions and quality-of-life of someone with Alzheimer’s. While the disease cannot be stopped or reversed, treatment can sometimes help the person continue with normal day-to-day functions longer.

Preparing for a Doctor’s Visit

An Alzheimer’s diagnosis begins with the doctor confirming memory loss and dementia. To do so, the doctor will conduct memory tests and assess the person’s problem-solving, counting, and language skills, as well as the attention span.

The doctor may also speak to loved ones about the person’s overall health, their ability to carry out activities of daily living (ADL), and changes in behavior and personality. Sometimes a person with Alzheimer’s fails to recognize the changes, even though they are obvious to their loved ones.

To prepare for the doctor’s visit, write down when you first noticed signs of memory loss and other behavioral changes, how often it happens, and the reaction of your loved one when it does. Keep a close watch, sometimes seniors will try and hide memory issues out of fear or embarrassment.

Also, bring your loved one’s complete medical history, along with a list of prescription and non-prescription drugs they take and a list of any vitamins, supplements, or herbal remedies they use.

Diagnostic Tests for Alzheimer’s

The doctor may prescribe a battery of tests to either identify or rule out other causes of dementia or memory loss.  This may include:

• Blood and urine analysis
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Positron emission tomography (PET)

How Accurate Are Diagnostic Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease?

Don’t hesitate to get a second opinion on an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, especially if the doctor who made the diagnosis is not a specialist in memory care and dementia.

Often, the primary care doctor will provide a referral to another professional, such as a neurologist, a neuropsychologist, or a geriatric psychiatrist. But if he doesn’t provide a referral, ask for one. Experts skilled in recognizing the signs of Alzheimer’s are correct in their diagnosis about 90 percent of the time, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Additionally, new research and developments make Alzheimer’s testing even more comprehensive and accurate, which may someday lead to better treatment.

In the future, routine diagnostic tests for older adults may be able to detect Alzheimer’s even before any symptoms appear. For now, it’s important to get help when you first begin noticing any changes in the memory, mood or behavior of your aging loved one.

Caring for Those with Alzheimer’s

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, Five Star Senior Living provides memory care services focus on maintaining quality of life. Find a senior living memory care community nearest you to learn more today!

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If you’re the caregiver of an aging parent with Alzheimer’s, you face communications challenges every day.

And if you’re a member of the sandwich generation, also caring for young children, one of these struggles may be talking to your kids about their grandparent’s Alzheimer’s disease.

Here’s some good news: You don’t have to keep quiet any longer. Honesty is the best policy. Just be sure to share age-appropriate information in bite-sized chunks.

Talking to Toddlers and Pre-schoolers about Alzheimer’s

Toddlers and preschoolers may not notice any difference in a grandparent with Alzheimer’s. If they ask why their grandma or grandpa forgets their name, it may be enough to say, “Grandma is sick and it’s making her forgetful. She won’t get better, but she will always love you.”

Talking to Older Children

School-age children have more capacity to understand that Alzheimer’s is a brain disease, changing the way their grandparent thinks and feels, and making them do unusual things.

Children may be frightened or uncomfortable witnessing their grandparent’s odd behavior. They may feel guilty as a result of these feelings. You can explain that you, too, feel scared, frustrated, and uncomfortable at times. It’s completely normal and nothing to feel guilty about.

Provide specific examples of how Alzheimer’s affects their grandparent, as well as the things they can still do. “Grandma may not remember what grade you’re in, but she still loves baking cookies with you, if you show her which ingredients come first.”

Older children may wonder if they can “catch” the disease. Explain to them that “No, it’s not contagious.”

Talking to Teens and Tweens

Teens and tweens may have many questions about AD or may not want to talk about it at all. If they want more details, you can discuss how the disease may progress and what they can expect.

Teens and tweens may also be concerned about their responsibilities and how their grandparent’s disease is going to affect the family structure.

If a teen wants to help out, let them spend time with their grandparent. But ensure their caregiving doesn’t get in the way of their own development, schoolwork, or duties as a teen.

Watch for Odd Behavior in Your Child

Younger and older children, alike, may experience a variety of feelings:

• Grief over the loss of the grandparent they once knew
• Confusion and fear about a grandparent’s changing behavior
• Resentment if the aging grandparent is taking up a lot of your time

Keep an eye on your child to see how he or she is coping. Their distress could manifest in stomachaches, poor grades, or attention-getting behavior and “acting out” in negative ways.

Have candid conversations with your child and don’t forget to inject humor, where appropriate. Laughing together about old memories can help the whole family feel better in a stressful time.

Use the Resources Available

With 5.4 million Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, it’s no surprise plenty of resources exist to help children cope with the disease in loved ones.

Maria Shriver’s video, Do You Know Who I Am, explores the lives of five children whose grandparents have Alzheimer’s.

The Alzheimer’s Society also offers a number of resources to explain Alzheimer’s to young children, tweens, and teens.

Don’t Hesitate

Even very young children deserve an explanation of their beloved grandparent’s strange behavior. Your children may be relieved to find out that their grandparent isn’t mad at them or ignoring them, and is acting so strangely because of an illness.

Struggling to find the right words?

The memory care experts at Five Star Senior Living may be able to offer advice and guidance. Contact us to learn more or to inquire about our Memory Care program.

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If you are the family caregiver for a senior with Alzheimer’s disease, a phrase you’ve likely heard them say is “I want to go home.” In most cases the older adult is already home, but home is an environment that no longer looks familiar to them. While it might be that memory loss is causing them not to remember their surroundings, the phrase might also mean something else.

Communicating with a Loved One Who Has Dementia

Adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia often lose some or all of their verbal communications skills fairly early in the disease process. This makes it hard for their loved ones to understand what is wrong or what the senior is trying to say.

Sometimes a person with dementia is searching for home because of unmet needs or because they are feeling isolated and alone. Here’s what they might really mean:

• Undiagnosed pain: Is the senior in pain? Sometimes you can tell by the look on their face that something isn’t right. If they aren’t able to tell you what is wrong, try pointing to different parts of the body and asking them to answer yes or no if it hurts.
• Sad or lonely: The very nature of Alzheimer’s disease is isolating. As memory and abilities slowly decline, the older adult’s world becomes smaller. They might remember faces of loved ones but be unable to recall names. Eventually, they live in a world where no one and nothing looks familiar.
• Confusion: As short-term memories fade, an adult with memory loss might be confused about where home really is. They may try to find their way back to a house that was home many years ago.
• Unmet needs: Sometimes the senior wants to “go home” because they are hungry, thirsty, tired, or need to use the bathroom. When the environment they are in doesn’t look familiar, they feel an urgent need to search for home. It can help to offer them something to eat or drink or show them to the bathroom.
• Boredom: Creating meaningful days can be difficult when a loved one you are a caregiver for has memory loss. Their need to find home might be the result of boredom and not enough activity.

Redirecting a Senior with Alzheimer’s Attention

When a senior with Alzheimer’s is frustrated and agitated at not being allowed to search for home, redirecting their attention is often the best solution:

• Ask for their assistance. Bring a basket of towels in to the living room and ask for the senior’s help folding them. Or try offering them a dust cloth and asking the senior to clean the dining room or help make dinner. Giving the senior a job may help redirect their thoughts.
• Turn on favorite music. Research shows that music has the power to change mood. Uplifting songs can boost mood, while the sounds of nature can soothe agitation. Music an older adult associates with the happiest times in their life might also help calm the senior and make them forgot about searching for home.
• Agree to go later: If you aren’t able to redirect your senior loved one’s attention, agree with them that you will go to their house later. Tell them you have to make a cake and clean up the kitchen first. Agreeing with them might help soothe the agitation they feel, while also buying you time. It’s entirely likely a senior with memory loss will forget they were searching for home before long.

Memory Care at Five Star Senior Living

At Five Star Senior Living, our memory care program helps each resident live their most independent life in an environment designed to support success.

The best way to learn more about MBDP and our award-winning memory care is by scheduling a personal visit. Contact the Five Star community nearest you today!

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