<!–[CDATA[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. 
 

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, we call our memory care program the Bridge to Rediscovery. We use Montessori-Based Dementia Programming (MBDP) to help 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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<!–[CDATA[As we age, many of us begin to pay more attention to our physical well-being. The good health we took for granted in our younger years, requires more work to maintain in midlife and beyond. Concerns about preventing illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and cancer, become a high priority.

Though experts haven’t been successful in identifying what causes Alzheimer’s disease, they are exploring a variety of contributing factors. One possibility is a link between high cholesterol and Alzheimer’s.

A study published in the academic journal, Neurology, revealed that adults with high cholesterol levels had more brain plaques than people with normal or low cholesterol levels. Brain plaques are caused by an accumulation of the protein, amyloid. They are considered to be a classic sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

There are two different types of cholesterol—high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). While a high number is better for HDL, a low number is best for LDL. Researchers say that high levels of “bad” cholesterol combined with low levels of “good” cholesterol have been found in the brains of people who also have amyloid plaque deposits.

While this is far from conclusive when it comes to understanding what causes Alzheimer’s disease, we do know high cholesterol is linked to a variety of other health problems. Two of the most common ones include strokes and heart disease. For these reasons, taking steps to monitor and manage cholesterol is important.

What Causes High Cholesterol?

According to the American Heart Association, a variety of factors can contribute to high LDL cholesterol:

• Genetics: Family history can play a role in high cholesterol. If a parent or grandparent has high cholesterol, you may be predisposed to it too.
• Age: This is another uncontrollable factor that contributes to high cholesterol. Some age-related changes, such as a decline in the liver’s ability to remove LDL from the body, can cause cholesterol to rise.
• Diet: A high-fat diet may also contribute to unhealthy cholesterol. Animal products, baked goods, and full-fat dairy foods are common offenders. By contrast, a largely plant-based diet rich with vegetables, fruits, and nuts may help lower LDL.
• Lack of exercise: Living a sedentary lifestyle can also lead to high cholesterol. Exercising not only helps to lower LDL, but also to raise HDL.
• Smoking: Smoking causes damage to the walls of arteries. This makes it more likely for fatty deposits to build up. Some researchers believe smoking might also lower your HDL.
• Obesity: How well you do—or don’t—manage your weight also affects cholesterol levels. Research indicates that people with a body mass index of 30 or higher are at greater risk for high cholesterol.

Live Well at Five Star Senior Living

At Five Star Senior Living communities, we focus on helping residents live their best lives. From healthy meals to on-site wellness programs, we invite you to see and experience our amenities firsthand. Call us at (853) 457-8271 to set up a personal tour at a community near you today!

<!–[CDATA[For adult children and spouses trying to care for a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s, wandering can be a frightening and difficult behavior to manage. Because people with the disease can often go for long periods of time without sleeping, weary caregivers struggle to find ways to keep them safe. While scientists haven’t been able to pinpoint an exact cause of wandering, there are some circumstances they believe may be triggers.

Potential Causes of Alzheimer’s Wandering

In general, researchers believe wandering is linked to overstimulation and unmet needs. Because people with Alzheimer’s often lack verbal communications skills, they are unable to express what is wrong. It can lead them to head out to try to find their own solution or to find their way back to a place they consider home.

Here are some common triggers and suggestions for managing them:

• Hunger or Thirst: Because a person with Alzheimer’s disease might not be able to recognize or verbalize these needs, it is important to offer them food and water at regular intervals. 
• Bathroom Reminders: Another trigger for wandering may be the need to use the bathroom. Because they might not recognize their surroundings and be able to find the bathroom, they may wander. Make it part of your routine to show them the bathroom in case they need to use it.
• Agitation: A hectic or noisy environment is difficult for someone with this disease to process. It can cause them to become agitated and try to find an exit. Being over tired can also increase agitation. Having a quiet place for them to retreat to or a pathway they can safely pace indoors may help calm them and prevent them from trying to leave.
• Change in Environment: As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, a person’s environment may look foreign to them. They may try to find their way back to a childhood home or environment thinking it is their real home.  Keeping coats, boots and keys and other leaving cues away from exterior doors could keep them from recognizing they are exits. Installing sliding locks near the top of exterior doors may also help. Placing “STOP” signs on doors you don’t want them to use can also be a deterrent. Most people with Alzheimer’s will be able to recognize this simple command even in the more advanced stages of the disease.

Alzheimer’s Wandering Safety Tips

Researchers estimate that 60% of people with Alzheimer’s will wander at some point. There are proactive measures you can take to help you prepare for the worst.

• Create an Alzheimer’s Wandering Kit. Having one is the best and fastest way to get local first responders the information they need to find your senior loved one.
• Utilize the Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return program or a GPS tracking system. There are a variety of low-tech and high-tech safety programs designed for people with Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia.

We hope these tips give you a better understanding of what causes wandering and helps you find ways to prevent and manage it.

<!–[CDATA[As the number of seniors in this country continues to climb, more people are living with Alzheimer’s disease than ever before. Researchers say 5.8 million older adults currently live with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, that number is expected to soar to almost 14 million. Because no cure exists, clinical trials continue to play an important role in learning more about this disease.

Clinical trials allow researchers to explore potential causes of diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cancer in a controlled environment. By participating in a study, you can feel as if you are contributing to efforts to find a treatment or cure.

Connecting with an Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial

There are Alzheimer’s clinical trials happening across the country. Researchers explore topics ranging from blood sugar and Alzheimer’s to testing for early signs of the disease. Here are three organizations you can contact if you are interested in participating or helping a senior loved one do so:

Alzheimer’s Association’s TrialMatch®

TrialMatch® is a matching service coordinated by the Alzheimer’s Association. They seek people with Alzheimer’s, family caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s, and healthy adults for ongoing trials. Their website is rich with information and resources. Adults interested in participating in a clinical trial will first be asked to complete a questionnaire. TrialMatch® will then notify you when a trial study that matches your criteria is located.

National Institute on Aging 

The National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, also maintains a database of clinical Alzheimer’s trials across the country. Like TrialMatch®, they oversee trial studies covering a wide range of health-related topics in all 50 states.

You can find an Alzheimer’s trial by searching their site using targeted key phrases, your zip code, and how many miles you are willing to drive to reach a study site.

CenterWatch Clinical Trials

Another site you can visit to explore potential Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials is CenterWatch. They have trials in progress on topics ranging from safety to recognizing the disease in older adults who are asymptomatic.

Like the others mentioned above, you can search for a trial based on your location and how far you are able to drive to participate.

Memory Care Experts at Five Star Senior Living

At Five Star Senior Living, we know how difficult the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is for older adults and those who love them. Our memory care program utilizes the latest research to help residents with Alzheimer’s and similar forms of dementia live their best quality of life.

If you are a caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, we encourage you to set up a time to visit a Five Star community. We can help you learn more about short-term respite care and long-term memory care. Call us today at (853) 457-8271!

An estimated 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an older adult is diagnosed with the disease every 67 seconds. While researchers continue to work to discover how to prevent Alzheimer’s, finding better ways to diagnose the disease is also important.

Currently, a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is a process of elimination. Physicians test a senior they suspect might have some form of dementia for other illnesses that can mimic the disease, such as a urinary tract infection, a vitamin B12 deficiency or depression.

One new diagnostic tool currently showing promising results in the early research stages is a saliva test. Researchers think it might be a way physicians can identify the presence of Alzheimer’s disease in an older adult.

The Alzheimer’s Saliva Test Project
Scientists from the University of Alberta, Edmonton shared the results of their project at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Washington, D.C. last July. Here’s how the study worked:

• Researchers compared the saliva of 22 people already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease against salvia from 25 people with mild memory loss and 35 people with what was considered to be normal memory for their age.
• Participants with Alzheimer’s disease showed higher concentrations of certain substances in their saliva than those with healthy brains or mild cognitive impairment.
• Researchers believe these substances are linked to metabolic changes that may take place in the brain during the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Progress on Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s
As many families already know, obtaining a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be a long and stressful process. By the time a senior receives a diagnosis, the damage to the brain has already occurred.
Using saliva is an easy, non-invasive way to test for memory loss. It is also less expensive than other methods currently being used which can range from spinal taps to an MRI.
Early diagnosis holds many benefits for seniors and their families. They include:

• Time to plan for the future and make their wishes known. The senior will have the opportunity to voice their desires in decisions related to senior living options, how they want future care needs handled, and other important legal concerns.
• An early diagnosis also gives an older adult time to consider participating in a clinical trial or to try out medications that have been shown to help alleviate some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Much more research is needed to determine whether or not saliva test can be an effective means of diagnosing Alzheimer’s. We will continue to follow this research and share any updates we find here on the Five Star Senior Living blog.

Finding a Memory Care Program that Meets a Loved One’s Needs

The best memory care program will depend, in part, on your loved one’s unique needs, as well as their personal tastes and interests. If your mother has always loved elegant surroundings, a memory care community that is “cozy” or even clinical, may not match her tastes or make her feel comfortable.

If your dad is an outdoorsy type, he may want a memory care program that offers a secure place for daily walks outside or maybe even birdwatching and nature activities.

While these types of personal preferences are important, you should also evaluate a memory care program based on other important criteria.

Staff-to-Resident Ratio

How many staff members are available during the day to care for residents? What about at night? The fewer residents each staff member is responsible for, the better, although that number may change at night when most residents are sleeping.

Resident Care

Staff-to resident ratio is important, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Spend time within the community and watch how the staff interacts with residents. Do residents appear happy and well cared for? Do caregivers and residents seem to be comfortable with one another? Are staff members calling residents by name? These are all things to watch for when you tour a memory care community.

Life Enrichment Opportunities

A good memory care program will have programs and activities that meet the needs and interests of residents at every stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Weekends and evenings, not just day time hours during the week, should be filled with fun and enrichment.

On-Site Amenities and Convenient Transportation

Senior living communities often offer on-site conveniences such as visiting doctors, physical therapists, hair salons, dry cleaning services, banking and other amenities.

The community should also provide transportation and supervised day trips.

Safety and Security

A memory care program needs to make every possible effort to keep its residents safe. But it should never make residents feel as if they are trapped. Security systems need to be subtle, yet still able to prevent residents from wandering to unsafe locations.

A Welcoming Environment

Change can be jarring for people with Alzheimer’s. Rooms in an ideal memory care community are clean, functional, and comfortable.  Families should be encouraged to personalize their loved one’s living space to allow the senior to feel more at home.

Programs Tailored to Each Resident

Not every person with Alzheimer’s is the same. A successful memory care program understands that and will tailor care and support to each individual. Caregivers should take in to consideration your loved one’s strengths, learning style, abilities, and unique needs.

Learn More about Bridge to Rediscovery

Five Star Senior Living’s award-winning Bridge to Rediscovery memory care program is patterned after the principles of Montessori teaching. It emphasizes an individual’s strengths and guides participants toward success with a personalized program.

Find out how Five Star Senior Living’s Bridge to Rediscovery program can provide your loved one with a better quality-of-life.

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Take heart. Respite care can provide you with some free time. 

You might want to use respite care to:

• Run errands without worrying about your loved one
• Revel in some precious “me time” at the spa, spend a day with friends, or just to go to the gym
• Enjoy an overnight (or longer) trip or vacation
• Spend quality time with your spouse, children, or other loved ones
• Catch up on chores around the house that are difficult to do while keeping an eye on your loved one

Taking Time Away with No Guilt

Considering all the different reasons you might need respite, it’s important to remember: Don’t feel guilty about scheduling respite care. 

Your loved one with Alzheimer’s will be in a safe, enriching place. They can make friends, learn new things, take part in fun activities, and get out of the house for a while. 

Respite care is as much a break for your loved one as it is for you! 

Choosing from Different Types of Respite Care

Respite care, by definition, is any care for your loved one that gives you, the caregiver, a break (that is, respite) from your duties.

A sibling, neighbor, or friend could care for your loved one. Or you might hire an in-home caregiver. While these options provide you with an opportunity to take care of yourself, they may not offer your loved one an enriching experience outside the home. 

Respite care within a senior community allows your loved one to meet new people and engage in exciting activities appropriate for their physical health and ability level. 

At Five Star Senior Living, your loved one can enjoy an adult day program or a longer respite stay in our memory care residences. 

What to Look for in Respite Care

When choosing respite care outside the home, consider the following: 

• hours (if your loved one isn’t staying overnight) 
• activities offered 
• availability of healthy meals
• staff-to-resident ratio
• availability of emergency on-site medical care, if needed
• daily rates and additional fees

Respite Care Tailored to Seniors with Alzheimer’s 

If your loved one has Alzheimer’s, they may have specific needs that may not be met in a regular respite setting. 

You’ll want to ensure the community has trained professionals accustomed to working with seniors with Alzheimer’s. It should also offer activities tailored to the ability levels of an adult with memory loss. 

Helping Your Loved One Adjust to Respite Care

Whether you’re planning a respite stay of a few weeks or just a few days, take your loved one on a tour of the community. You may have to tour several senior living communities before finding one that fits your requirements and meets their liking. 

If you’re planning on scheduling respite care for your loved one while you go on a trip, consider a “trial run” first. Your loved one can stay overnight at a community while you are still in town. Finally, when your loved one is comfortable with the accommodations, you can plan your getaway. 

Once you take that first step, you and your loved one may both begin to look forward to Alzheimer’s respite care. 

Tour a Five Star Senior Living community today to get started!

Your parent may have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, but that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the holidays with their grandchildren.

You can continue many family traditions—even if you have to modify them slightly. Or build new traditions based on your parent’s ability level and interests. Here are a few fun activities kids can do with a grandparent who has Alzheimer’s.

6 Activities for Kids to Enjoy with a Grandparent Who has Alzheimer’s

1. Bake together

With the right supervision, grandparents and grandchildren can still bake cookies, cakes, and pies together. Use ergonomic, brightly colored measuring cups and spoons with the measurements printed in big, bold numbers.

Younger children and their grandparents may need more assistance. You can pre-measure the ingredients and lay them out for your parent and your child to mix and stir together. Older children may be able to help their grandparent with measurements.

Try to use time-tested family recipes that will taste and smell familiar to your loved one.

2. Scrapbook

Have you already collected a lot of holiday photos from the season’s events? Print some of your favorite photos and let young and old alike enjoy a creative scrapbooking session together.

All you need is a blank journal, acid-free scrapbooking paper, scissors, stickers, glue sticks and stamps.

3. Create handmade holiday cards

If the idea of building an entire scrapbook seems like too much for the attention spans of your loved ones, provide supplies so that they can create holiday cards together instead.

Whether they have the energy to create one or 20, they will feel a sense of accomplishment by making art for others to enjoy.

4. Paint

Painting parties are a hot trend this holiday season. Why not host a small painting party of your own, sans the pricey art instructor? Find simple artwork or instructional videos online.

It might be even more fun to provide the canvas, paints, and brushes and then let your loved ones use their imaginations to create their own winter wonderland.

If painting with acrylics is too challenging, consider watercolors or even finger paints—fun for all ages.

5. Sing Christmas carols or Hanukkah songs

Music may alleviate agitation in seniors with Alzheimer’s, calm stress, and even enhance cognitive function. Most older adults with Alzheimer’s will remember the words to songs from their childhood, including well-loved Christmas carols and other seasonal songs.

Sing along to the classics together. If someone can provide musical accompaniment with a piano or guitar, that’s even better.

6. Share stories

Seniors with Alzheimer’s may have difficulty remembering how to complete day-to-day tasks, but their past may be crystal clear.

Help your child come up with a handful of questions about the holidays when their grandparent was growing up. Spend the afternoon sharing stories. If your senior loved one’s verbal skills are limited, you can help them fill in the gaps.

Celebrate the Holidays at Five Star Senior Living

Grandchildren are welcome visitors at Five Star Senior Living any time of year. Your aging loved one could enjoy the holidays in the comfort of one of our memory care communities. Contact us today to learn more about senior living, communities near you, and our available services for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

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