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How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia
Caregiving

How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia

by Silverado
written by Silverado

 
A person with dementia can become agitated for a number of reasons such as pain, fatigue, confusion, or restlessness. Agitation is indicated by feelings of anxiety or becoming upset very quickly. Loved ones and caregivers should be cognizant of how to prevent or respond to these cases by taking a few precautions. How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia

Dr. Elizabeth A. Landsverk, Silverado Belmont Hills Medical Director, suggests three ways to reduce or prevent agitation with dementia patients:

  • Remove medicationsthat cause any agitation or more confusion, such as Xanax or sleeping pills. It’s best to consult your doctor about which medications could be an emotional trigger.
  • Manage pain and discomfort.Address hunger, thirst, constipation, a full bladder, fatigue, infections and skin irritations. She also suggest substituting existing pain medications with Tylenol.
  • Get them engaged in activities they enjoy doing.Since changes in environment are common causes of agitation, and can also be extremely overwhelming for the patient, familiarity in doing something they love can have a very relaxing effect. This also minimizes chances of confusion.

For more videos of dementia specialists answering common questions, click here.

How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia

How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia How to Prevent Agitation in Loved One with Dementia
 

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What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?
Conditions & Treatments

What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

by Silverado
written by Silverado

 

Link to the Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViWdRDs207E
One of the most commonly asked questions in memory care is the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Though they are quite often (and mistakenly) used interchangeably, there are key differences that will help distinguish the two. Since approaches to Alzheimer’s and dementia care can also vary, it’s even more crucial for medical professionals, patients, and families to understand the differences. Dr. Richard London, Medical Director of Silverado Oak Village Community explains how they differ: What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term for the group of symptoms in which the human brain no longer processes information like it used to. Symptoms can include impaired memory, forgetfulness, or difficulty carrying out day-to-day tasks like driving. If a person is diagnosed with dementia, they are not diagnosed with a disease, but a set of symptoms.
Alzheimer’s disease is a very specific kind of dementia, and also the most common. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s include impaired thought, speech, or extreme disorientation. At this time, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, as it is degenerative and incurable.

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His Love was Stronger than Alzheimer's
Aging

His Love was Stronger than Alzheimer's

by Silverado
written by Silverado

Alzheimer’s is a real problem facing real people every day. If you or someone you know has faced it, you understand the emotional toll it takes. When we came across one couple’s journey, it touched us so deeply that we spent two full days capturing their love story to be shared with the world. His Love was Stronger than Alzheimer’s

John and Kerry McNeely learned of Kerry’s Alzheimer’s in 2014, shortly after a trip to Europe. Soon after, John sought help for her at Silverado. At the memory care community, he was able join a family support group to openly discuss his experience. During one of those meetings, he put his thoughts on paper — words he didn’t realize at the time would touch more than 100,000 lives.
 
 

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Conditions & Treatments

How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia?

by Silverado
written by Silverado

A person with dementia can become agitated for a number of reasons such as pain, fatigue, confusion, or restlessness. Agitation is indicated by feelings of anxiety or becoming upset very quickly. Loved ones and caregivers should be cognizant of how to prevent or respond to these cases by taking a few precautions. How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia?

Dr. Elizabeth A. Landsverk, Silverado Belmont Hills Medical Director, suggests three ways to reduce or prevent agitation with dementia patients:

How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia?

Remove medications that cause any agitation or more confusion, such as Xanax or sleeping pills. It’s best to consult your doctor about which medications could be an emotional trigger.

Manage pain and discomfort. Address hunger, thirst, constipation, a full bladder, fatigue, infections and skin irritations. She also suggests substituting existing pain medications with Tylenol.

Get them engaged in activities they enjoy doing. Since changes in environment are common causes of agitation, and can also be extremely overwhelming for the patient, familiarity in doing something they love can have a very relaxing effect. This also minimizes chances of confusion.

For more videos of dementia specialists answering common questions, click here.

How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia?

How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia? How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia? How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia? How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia? How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia?

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How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia?
Conditions & Treatments

How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia?

by Silverado
written by Silverado

The research speaks for itself — learning new skills and keeping the brain active are among the tools with the best chance of slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Ongoing social connectivity and cognitive exercises are some of the pillars of Nexus at Silverado, a specially designed program that uses clinical findings to help slow the progression of dementia. One of the newest and most recent programs to be put into action is the American Sign Language program at the Silverado Aspen Park memory care community. How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia?

The inspiration for the program came from Silverado Administrator John “Alec” Stephenson, who used the skills he learned from raising a son with a hearing impairment. Originally, he was teaching residents to learn important signs to engage during a power outage. This one-off occurrence was so popular that it evolved into a regular part of the community. Now residents meet to learn sign language weekly. How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia?
“Some of the residents are retaining what they’ve learned, but the primary goal is to engage their minds, improve motor skills and enhance the quality of life, which is a core philosophy of Silverado,” said Stephenson. “This is the only sign language program of its kind in a memory care community in not only Utah but most likely the entire country.”

As Stephenson said, retaining and fully reiterating motions isn’t the end goal for these classes. Along with improving motor skills, the act of focusing on communication is key. Whether they fully learn to communicate using ASL or not, caregivers are teaching residents to model behavior (like picking up a spoon or express when they’re hurt). This kinetic and tactile approach may improve communication.
This innovative program even caught the attention of local news media in Salt Lake City, who stopped by to film the class in action and speak to some of the participants!

Sources https://www.silveradocare.com/enriched-living/articles/stories/2016/07/residents-learn-sign-language-for-health-and-happiness/

How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia?

How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia? How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia? How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia? How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia? How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia? How is Sign Language Helping People with Dementia?

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How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia
Caregiving

How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia

by Silverado
written by Silverado

At Silverado, we have nearly 20 years of dedicated experience in caring for individuals with memory impairments, and in that time we’ve developed numerous best practices that have been adopted industry-wide. How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia

This time of year, we like to share tips for making the holidays enjoyable for a loved with dementia. This advice centers on keeping things simple and enjoying individual moments: How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia

  1. Avoid chaos. Rather than walking someone who has dementia into a room with 10 relatives, encourage relatives to engage in one-on-one conversation, or to visit a loved one in smaller groups.
  2. Embrace normalization. The Silverado clinical team has observed time-and-time again the benefits of treating a memory-impaired person as any adult would expect. For example, many of our residents enjoyed cooking throughout their lives, so we get them involved in the kitchen. This is something you can encourage at home too.
  3. Avoid correcting a person with dementia.If a loved one with dementia addresses a family member using a different name — say, the name of a spouse or parent — take it as a compliment, recognizing that you are important to them.
  4. Have conversations based on long-term memory. People with dementia are more likely to retain long-term memories. Talk about the past or share older photos. We do this every day in our memory care communities as each resident has a memory box filled with nostalgic mementos.
  5. Keep plates of food simple. We found at Silverado many years ago that people with dementia had a better dining experience when a plate was simplified.
  6. If traveling, maintain routines. Depending on one’s degree of memory loss, you can travel but try to stay in familiar environments, keep existing sleep routines, and avoid too much anticipatory planning to prevent added confusion.
  8. 6 Tips to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia
    Why do People with Alzheimer’s Remember Old Memories
    How can I prevent agitation in my loved one with dementia?

How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia

How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia How to Make Holidays Special for Someone with Dementia

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Caregiving

10 Dementia Warning Signs to Look for During Holidays

by Silverado
written by Silverado

Spending time with loved ones during the holidays means it’s easier to spot all of the small changes in behavior that could mean the early stages of memory impairment. While this can cause initial feelings of worry and panic, taking the time to understand the situation is the first step in providing your mother, father, grandparent, sibling or other family member the best care possible.

These are the most common signs that dementia-related changes may be taking place in the brain:

  1. Memory lapses that disrupt daily life. Forgetting newly-learned information and important dates or events.
  2. Problem-solving and planning difficulties. Difficulty concentrating and following familiar multi-step processes like recipes or paying bills.
  3. Difficulty carrying out familiar tasks. Getting lost or needing directions driving to a familiar destination. Confusion using appliances (e.g., microwave or TV remote).
  4. Locational/temporal confusion. Frequently losing track of dates and passage of time. Trouble understanding things planned for later. Forgetting where they are or how they got there.
  5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. Vision deteriorating or misidentifying common objects. Difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color/contrast.
  6. New problems with words in speaking or writing. Difficulties during conversations, like losing track and not knowing how to continue. Repeating themselves. Problems finding the right word or referring to things by the wrong name.
  7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps. Placing things in unusual locations. Inability to retrace steps to find lost items. Accusing those around them of stealing.
  8. Decreased or poor judgment. Poor judgment when dealing with money (e.g., giving large amounts to telemarketers). Lapses in grooming and personal cleanliness.
  9. Withdrawal from work or social activities. Pulling away from social activities, interests, large groups, sports and hobbies. Trouble remembering how to participate in favorite pastimes. Seems introverted.
  10. Changes in mood and personality. Becoming confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. Upsets easily in places where they are out of their comfort zone
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Caregiving

10 Signs of Caregiver Stress

by Kathy Macaraeg
written by Kathy Macaraeg

When you’re caring for someone else, and running your own household, your needs tend to fall to the bottom of the list. While this is a perfectly normal response, it isn’t the healthiest response. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so taking care of your needs is not selfish, it is critical. 10 Signs of Caregiver Stress

Easier said than done, I know. I am the worst at following this advice. I have been known to push myself to the point of illness to take care of everyone else’s needs. In fact, I was reviewing resumes for drivers while in the hospital after giving birth so that my clients would still have transportation after an employee quit. This isn’t me bragging about my superwoman abilities, this is me pointing out a major flaw. Because I push myself far past the breaking point, I deal with a lot of stress-related health issues. I am really trying to focus 2016 on making sure I care for myself, while caring for others and I encourage you to do the same.

These are the top 10 signs of caregiver stress and ways to relieve it. Join me in taking better care of yourself this year.

  1. Denial about your parent’s condition and the effect on the person who’s been diagnosed. For example, thinking, “I know mom is going to get better,” rather than addressing the condition. Knowledge is power. Research the condition and speak with your parent’s medical provider on what to expect and how you can manage the condition.
  2. Anger at the caree or others, anger that no cure exists and anger that people don’t understand what’s going on. For example, “I don’t have time to shop for my mom, why can’t she just do it herself?” If you are feeling angry or frustrated with your caree, you may need to take a step back. Enlist help from a sibling, neighbor, friend or community program. If your parent has dementia, consider an adult day care program a few days a week to give yourself some downtime. If your parent needs more help around the house than you are able to provide, consider hiring a caregiver or a college student to do some light housekeeping. It is normal to get frustrated with the situation and you deserve a break. Don’t feel like you can’t step away.
  3. Social withdrawal from friends and activities that once brought pleasure. Have you stopped participating in your book club or meeting your friends for brunch? This could be a sign of depression or a sign that you are overwhelmed. Reach out to your loved ones and let them know that you need support. If it is to the point where you just can’t bear to be around people, you may want to consider speaking with a therapist or clergy member.
  4. Anxiety about facing another day and what the future holds. Are you constantly thinking about what will happen when your parent needs more care than you can provide? Rather than thinking about all the what-ifs, make a list of your concerns and ways to overcome the challenges. Having a plan in place will help make the unknown less scary.
  5. Depression that begins to break your spirit and affects your ability to cope. If you feel like you don’t care anymore, you should consider talking to someone. Speak with a counselor, join a support group or schedule time with a friend to get away from the constant stressors.
  6. Exhaustion that makes it nearly impossible to complete necessary daily tasks. If you are feeling like no matter how much you sleep, you don’t have the energy to get through the day, you need to take time for yourself to recover. Take a morning walk or set aside 10 minutes to meditate. Figure out what works for you to re-energize and work it into your daily routine. It doesn’t have to require a large time commitment.
  7. Sleeplessness caused by a never-ending list of concerns. Do you have a constant to-do list running through your head or are you thinking of the what-ifs regarding your parent’s condition? I struggle with insomnia, so I am definitely not an expert on this one, and even when I wear myself out, I still have difficulty sleeping. Some things that have worked for me include making a to do list, reading a magazine before bed (if I try to read a book, I have a hard time putting it down), take a warm bath and stretch before bed.
  8. Irritability that lends to moodiness and triggers negative responses and reactions. Do you just want to be left alone and does everything everyone around you does annoy you? It probably isn’t them, it’s you. If you can, take some time for yourself to do something you love. Get out in nature, go to the library, go somewhere quiet where you won’t be bothered. If you are caring for someone who can’t be left alone, consider bringing in help for an hour every week or every other week so that you can have time to just think about your needs.
  9. Lack of concentration that makes it difficult to perform familiar tasks. Are you forgetting appointments or did you drive home and miss the off ramp? You may have too much on your plate. Take some time to think of how you can take things off your plate. I have some tips for caregivers in the sandwich generation that work for anyone, as well as caregiver shortcuts that could help.
  10. Health problems that begin to take their toll, both mentally and physically. Sadly, I am an expert at this one. Stress can cause major health issues from headaches to diabetes. Finding ways to reduce your stress is critical to living a long, healthy life. Find things that reduce stress for you – exercise, laugh more, knit, color, spend time with your friends. Whatever it is that helps you reduce your stress levels, make sure that you find ways to squeeze it into your day. Your health depends on it. If you are having a tough time coming up with stress relievers, check out my post on finding joy and 8 things happy people do for some ideas.

Caregiving can sometimes be a thankless job that comes with time constraints that make it difficult to practice self-care. Don’t let yourself fall to the bottom of the to do list. How can you incorporate stress relief into your life?

 

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3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s
Caregiving

3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

When you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s, it can be hard to find activities that bring meaning and joy to their life. Speech plays a crucial role in countless activities. As your loved one loses the ability to process language, these activities become harder and harder for them to enjoy. Because of this, the best activities for those living with Alzheimer’s are often activities that engage the non-verbal centers of the brain. 3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s
Art therapy has recently emerged as an effective therapeutic tool for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Through art therapy, individuals with Alzheimer’s can engage in an activity that is calming, mentally stimulating, and that provides a sense of achievement.

Perhaps most important of all, individuals with Alzheimer’s who take part in art therapy gain a non-verbal avenue to express themselves. This allows them to engage with their environment and communicate their innermost feelings, even as dementia makes verbal communication increasingly difficult.

Art Therapy for Dementia: Examples & Evidence

Evidence of art therapy’s benefits for those with dementia has grown substantially over the past two decades.
Lester Potts may be the most famous successful case of art therapy for dementia. Potts was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 70. As his condition progressed, his family enrolled him in a care center for those with dementia. At the care center, Potts was encouraged to try watercolor painting by an artist who worked at the center.
Potts would paint his first picture at the age of 72, and it soon became apparent that he has a natural talent for watercolors. Over the next four years, he produced over 100 paintings, many of which are now exhibited in books and online. Painting brought calm, joy, and purpose to the final years of Potts’ life, and led his son to launch one of the most successful art therapy programs in America.

Another famous case is Mary Hecht, a Canadian sculptor. Hecht suffered from severe vascular dementia affecting the language and memory centers in her brain. Despite this, she was able to produce perfect sketches of artworks she’d made earlier in life, scenes from her past, and people she had known. Hecht’s case showed researchers that even in cases of advanced dementia, areas of the brain key to producing and engaging with visual art remain active and healthy.

Many studies have also shown that art therapy has numerous benefits for those with dementia. Researchers have found that various art therapy programs can reduce stress, minimize anxiety, and improve mood. They’ve also found that art therapy can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and slow its progress. Art therapy even benefits family caregivers, lowering stress and giving them a non-verbal way to connect with their loved ones.

3 Art Therapy Ideas

Unsure which form of art therapy will work best for your loved one? Here are three art therapy activity suggestions from Visiting Angels CEO and President Larry Meigs.

  1. Nature Painting. “Research shows that interacting with nature — or even just seeing a picture of nature — can help lower stress levels,” Larry says. “Art therapy in your backyard garden can be an especially soothing activity. If you would prefer to stay inside, you can paint a still life of indoor plants, or use a photo of a natural scene as inspiration.”
  2. Reminiscence Painting. “Art therapy can be a great way to bring old memories to life. If your loved one is in the early or mid stages of Alzheimer’s, you can encourage them to paint a scene from their past, like their first home.”
  3. Abstract Art. “Individuals with Alzheimer’s often gravitate toward abstract art. It’s the freest form of visual expression, so it’s the perfect way for those with dementia to communicate their feelings non-verbally.”

In addition to the above suggestions, Larry offered tips for family caregivers who would like to try art therapy with their loved ones.

  • Treat the activity seriously. Don’t approach it like children’s arts-and-crafts time.
  • Make sure you purchase non-toxic materials.
  • Be patient. Give your loved one as much time as they wish to spend on the project.
  • At the start, your loved one may need guidance. You may provide this on your own, or you can reach out to local agencies providing Alzheimer’s care services for help with how to get started.

Finally, Larry suggests thinking outside the canvas and explore other art form. Drawing, sculpting, and scrapbooking are just a few of the other artistic activities your loved one might enjoy.

3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s

3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s 3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s 3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s 3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s 3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s 3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s 3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s 3 Art Therapy Activities for Those with Alzheimer’s

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