June 8, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille
The ability to leave the house and travel through Syracuse or wherever we want whenever we want is a freedom that we often take for granted. For older adults, driving is much more than just a mode of transportation; it symbolizes both competence and independence. And the thought of giving up that independence can be very difficult, particularly for seniors with Alzheimer’s.
The need for sustained concentration and quick reaction time tends to decline as we age, and for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, this process accelerates dramatically, making it hard for family and friends to determine when it’s time for the senior to stop driving and find alternate transportation options. (more…)
May 11, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille
Alzheimer’s disease has become somewhat of an epidemic in recent years, and it’s gotten harder and harder to tell fact from fiction when it comes to symptoms, treatments, and risk factors.
The Alzheimer’s care specialists from At Home Independent Living in Syracuse, NY are here to help. We’ve confronted some of the most common myths and revealed the truths behind them:
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May 5, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille
Imagine waking up in a room you don’t recognize, unable to remember how you got there or even what your name is. Your total confusion swiftly turns into fear and maybe rage, and you find yourself yelling at the stranger at your bedside who is trying to help you calm down. (more…)
September 6, 2016 by Dean Bellefeuille
With Alzheimer’s research dollars now totaling over $900 million, is it possible the race towards finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease could be entering the home stretch? As those with family members affected by the disease watch the trials proceed and anxiously await some positive results, the variety of trials – some more successful than others – seem to be pointing to a similar end result: rather than one solution to cure Alzheimer’s, medications in conjunction with lifestyle changes will likely be needed to defeat the disease. (more…)
May 10, 2016 by Dean Bellefeuille
Our memories link us to our past and unite us with our loved ones. One of the biggest tragedies of Alzheimer’s disease is that it robs a person of his or her precious memories, which creates confusion for the person with the disease and a sense of disconnect and frustration among his or her loved ones. If you’ve spent any length of time with a loved one with Alzheimer’s, you know firsthand how tragic the loss of memory can be. And it’s been widely accepted that once these memories have been wiped away, they’re gone for good. (more…)
March 8, 2016 by Dean Bellefeuille
With rates of Alzheimer’s disease reaching such epic numbers across the country, many of us feel overly concerned when we witness periods of forgetfulness, confusion, or disorientation in a senior loved one. And while a physician should investigate these symptoms, they may not mean what you think they mean. Certain symptoms that we traditionally associate with Alzheimer’s and dementia could be indicative of a variety of other conditions, many of which are easily treated, such as:
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November 16, 2015 by Dean Bellefeuille
One of the hardest parts of Alzheimer’s disease is that, as the disease progresses, communication and connection become more and more difficult. In fact, relating to someone with Alzheimer’s can be daunting, even for medical professionals. As Marcia Childress, University of Virginia School of Medicine’s associate professor of medical education explains, “It’s frightening to take care of someone you don’t understand.” (more…)
September 29, 2015 by Dean Bellefeuille
It’s perfectly normal for those impacted by Alzheimer’s to experience feelings of frustration when formerly simple tasks suddenly seem insurmountable. And it’s also natural for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s to take over these tasks to alleviate that frustration. We at At Home Independent Living, however, believe in fostering as much independence and self-worth as possible in those with Alzheimer’s, and suggest the following tips in the face of frustrations:
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September 23, 2015 by Dean Bellefeuille
If you’ve found yourself stepping into the world of Alzheimer’s with a senior loved one, it’s safe to say that you’ll be discovering some new challenges and changes that may leave you wondering how to best meet your loved one’s needs. Although Alzheimer’s affects each individual uniquely, the disease can be broken down in a general way into the following three stages (and, we’ve provided some care tips for each stage):
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