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…)


 March 23, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille

As Jane Austen once said, “There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” And for those with a chronic illness, like multiple sclerosis (MS), comfort is essential, as is remaining safe. If a loved one has been diagnosed, the initial step in providing MS home care should be to make the appropriate modifications to the home so that it is a safe, comfortable sanctuary, and not a hazardous place.

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 March 9, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille

Although there is no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), hundreds of thousands of people in the United States are living with it – around 400,000 people to be exact, and of that, 86 percent of multiple sclerosis patients list fatigue as the number one symptom of the disease. The cause of MS is not known; it is not contagious or known to be directly inherited, but factors that may come into play include the following: (more…)


 February 15, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille

Engaging in a routine exercise regimen is daunting at any age. Working out is tiring. We don’t want to invest the time. We’re feeling sore from yesterday’s workout. We have all made excuses like these for not working out; but frailty and advanced age make it even harder to stick to an exercise program or any type of physical activities for seniors. (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…)


 July 22, 2016 by Dean Bellefeuille

Imagine this happening: your frail, senior mother, who lives alone, fell last weekend, broke her thigh bone and forearm, and is currently being released from the hospital. Leafing through her discharge papers reveals the need for medications, physical therapy, medical follow-up in several weeks, and a number of symptoms to watch for that could mean a return trip to the E/R. (more…)


 July 1, 2016 by Dean Bellefeuille

At Home Independent Living, a Syracuse home care agency, believes there’s never been a more intriguing time in the world of Alzheimer’s research than the present, and new developments seem to be occurring every time we turn around. The most recent discoveries are expected to be of major importance in the search for treatments and possibly even a cure: the interrelationship of Alzheimer’s and the body’s immune response to infections. (more…)


 May 12, 2016 by Dean Bellefeuille

Family. We love them, but we don’t always get along with them. Our relationships with our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and grandparents shape who we are as people. While some of us in Camillus, NY live in harmony with our families, others avoid family gatherings as much as possible. When an older loved one is in need of care, however, family members often find themselves forced to work together to come up with care solutions. When a hurtful family history collides with a present family caregiving need, is it possible to work together for a positive outcome?

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 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…)