January 9, 2024 by
The kitchen is a special place in the home. It’s where kids first go when they get home from school, looking for a snack and the chance to share about their day. It’s the place family members gather to prepare holiday meals together. It’s also a place to warm up a cup of milk and find some quiet, reflective solace when sleep is elusive. (more…)
December 6, 2023 by
Did you ever wake up in the middle of a dream and wonder, for just a moment, if what you were dreaming about was real? It can feel so disorienting until you open your eyes and take in your familiar surroundings. Such an experience can give you just a brief glimpse into the ongoing disorientation for someone with dementia. When confusion about time, place, and even identity settle in for someone you love, you have two choices in determining which dementia care approach is best: either stepping into their reality with them, or orienting them to yours. (more…)
November 8, 2023 by
Fries and ketchup. Ham and cheese. Salt and pepper. Some things are just designed to go together. One combination you want to avoid, however, is boredom and dementia. Studies have revealed that boredom in dementia results in an increase in: (more…)
October 8, 2023 by
Anyone who’s listened to music on a record player knows that the needle doesn’t always track smoothly. Sometimes a tiny piece of dust or debris causes it to skip or get stuck, leaving you hearing only a few words of the song over and over again until you address the problem. (more…)
September 21, 2023 by
One of the first symptoms of dementia people usually think of is a loss of memory. While memory loss is the primary impact of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, there are many other parts of life impacted as well. In fact, each of the five senses can be altered in a variety of ways that are important to understand. (more…)
August 11, 2023 by
It’s hard to predict how someone with dementia will behave from moment to moment. The disease can transform a person’s mood, personality, and behaviors in the blink of an eye. When you’re at home providing care for a person with dementia, these changes can be hard enough to manage. But what happens when you’re at a restaurant, grocery store, or hair salon? (more…)
July 12, 2023 by
It would be great if Alzheimer’s care came with a manual – a step-by-step guide on what to expect at each stage of the disease. While there are some general commonalities in the progression of dementia, each person’s experience is unique. So, it’s difficult to know what to prepare for on any given day. (more…)
June 5, 2023 by
When providing help for seniors with dementia, it is important to keep in mind that you ARE capable, you ARE making a positive impact, and you ARE doing an excellent job! And while you are self-affirming, there are several additional “Rs” that can help both you and the person in your care; six of them, to be exact.
May 15, 2023 by
You’ve been helping Mom since she was diagnosed with dementia. You have been working through a number of the challenging symptoms. Yet one day, she looks at you and calls you by a different name – that of her friend or cousin or younger brother. Do you correct her, reminding her that you are her son? Should you let it slide, pretending you didn’t notice the mistake? Or, should you just roll with it, accepting the new identity she has given you?
March 14, 2023 by
What exactly is it that gets you up out of bed each and every morning? If you are a member of the sandwich generation, caring for both older and younger loved ones, your list is likely quite extensive! As the nest empties, however, it becomes important to redefine our identity and discover new ways to bring meaning to each and every day. In fact, the benefits of purpose for seniors are even more far-reaching than we once believed. (more…)