Backyards can be a relaxing place to stroll or enjoy the sunlight for some Alzheimer’s disease patients; however, you should ensure the area keeps to Alzheimer’s safety guidelines. Individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease may still be able to enjoy gardening with some supervision. Alzheimer’s patients who are prone to wandering will require greater safety precautions in order to ensure they do not leave the area.

Some tips to make sure your backyard is safe for seniors.

Secure the area: Make sure the yard cannot be accessed by others and that your loved one cannot leave the area on his or her own.

Watch out for water hazards: If there is a swimming pool, build a fence that’s appropriate. Keep the gates closed at all times. Fountains and fish ponds that are being used should also be fenced up properly to prevent seniors from accidentally falling into them.

Store Garden Tools and Chemical Safely: Store garden tools and chemicals such as pesticides, paint and other poisons out of reach. If there is a garden shed, store in the shed and keep it locked at all times.

Check the plants: Remove plants that have spiky ends, thorns or are poisonous if ingested.

Watch out for uneven sidewalks: When walking make sure the sidewalks or brick path is even, any unevenness can cause accidents.

Have a covered porch or shaded area: Exposure to constant sunlight may not be good for seniors. Make sure there is an area where they can sit comfortably that is cool or in a shaded area.

Keep water or beverage nearby: Dehydration in seniors is very common, make sure there is water nearby so that seniors can be hydrated. Drink first thing in the morning and 2 hours after meals.

Remember that making your home Alzheimer’s disease friendly will require a bit of ingenuity to work for every individual.

Some information provided by Gilbert Guide.

Everyone, especially individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, should plan for the future.  Legal planning should begin soon after a diagnosis is made and includes putting in place documents that:

• authorize another person to make healthcare and financial decisions
• include financial plans for long term-care coverage

If the person with Alzheimer’s has legal capacity the level of mental functioning necessary to sign official documents,  should actively participate in the legal planning process.  It is important to determine whether or not the person with Alzheimer’s is able to understand explanations of legal documents and the implications of signing them.

Talk with the person:  Find out if the person with Alzheimer’s understands what is being explained and asked of him.

Ask for medical advice if needed:  Consult a medical professional if there is a question as to whether or not the person with Alzheimer’s has legal capacity.

Take inventory of existing legal documents:  Check to see if living wills, trusts and powers of attorney were executed prior to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Commonly used documents in legal planning for individuals with Alzheimer’s include:

• Power of Attorney
• Power of Attorney for Health Care
• Living Will
• Living Trusts
• Will
• Guardianship/Conservatorship

Tips for legal planning

• Always name a successor or “back up” agent in the event that the primary agent becomes unable or unwilling to act.
• Consider a neutral thrid person as an agent under the power of attorney if immediate family members don’t get along.
• If there is no family member availble who has the time or expertise to manage the estate of the person with Alzheimer’s disease, consider having a bank manage the estate.
• Be sure that all designated individuals have a copy of the power of attorney and have access to the original document.
• Be sure physicians and other health care providers have a copy of the power of attorney for health care and a signed living will on file.
• Inquire whether or not the health care agent has authority to consent to brain autopsy.

Information provided by alzchi.org

I don’t know anyone that has Alzheimer’s but to see someone who is suffering from this disease is heartwrenching. It was an eye opener to watch Cynthia Mcfadden go through the 12 minute exercise. My heart goes out to the Seniors and to their family who are coping with this disease.  

Experiencing Dementia Firsthand

P.K. Beville, a geriatric psychologist and founder of the nonprofit senior citizen advocacy group Second Wind Dreams, is trying to remedy this problem. She created the Virtual Dementia Tour, an experiential kit used to simulate the symptoms of age-related Alzheimer’s and dementia and to help caregivers better identify and cope with their patients’ behaviors and needs. “Once you go through the exercise you find that most of the behavior patterns are actually coping strategies,” Beville said.

Cynthia McFadden of “Primetime” agreed to try out the Virtual Dementia Tour

Here’s how it works:

First the subject is fitted with gear that simulates the physical symptoms of age.

A pair of yellow-tinted goggles mimics the effects of eye diseases, like macular degeneration and glaucoma. The subject then places dried corn kernels in their shoes and gloves, creating painful sensations like those caused by peripheral nerve damage.

Finally, the subject’s fingers are taped together, making it difficult to grasp objects and utilize their hands, as though the subject is suffering from arthritis. Once the physical symptoms are manifested, the subject is ready to experience the cognitive effects of dementia, which can include memory loss, confusion, inability to concentrate, agitation and the inability to carry out simple tasks. To create this mental disorder, the subject listens to something called a “confusion tape” through headphones — a constant loop combining environmental noises, static fuzz, sporadic loud sirens and beeps. This cacophony helps induce a chaotic mental state, similar to what many dementia patients experience. Once the participants are all geared up, the experiment begins. Test administrators read a set of instructions to the participants, giving them five simple tasks to complete — set a table for four, brush your teeth, fold some laundry, etc. Even this is not as straightforward as it sounds: Test administrators intentionally read the instructions at the same volume as the “confusion tape,” so that it’s hard for subjects to even decipher what they are supposed to be doing.

McFadden was given a seemingly simple task — find a white sweater — but she said she couldn’t help being distracted by the incessant noises coming from her headphones. In order to stay focused, McFadden said, she had to start talking to herself. “Honestly, the thing that shocked me the most is that I couldn’t remember five simple instructions,” she said afterwards. “It changed my understanding of what people with dementia face every day. “I mean, I’m the queen of multi-tasking. I can do anything, I can do 20 things at once, I’m a mom, I’m a, it’s very humbling,” she said.

Impeded by limited motor skills, blurred vision, and the incessant buzz of distracting noises, participants, like McFadden, often exhibit behaviors that mirror those of Alzheimer’s patients, Beville said. They become frustrated with their inability to perform what they know are simple tasks, and unless they get help or guidance, they often resign in anger and defeat. The experiment has helped caregivers better understand the plight of their loved ones, a crucial weapon in the fight against Alzheimer’s. Beville said she has administered the Virtual Dementia Tour to more than 10,000 professional caregivers, and has identified specific ways of improving care for a person with Alzheimer’s. She said that offering positive reinforcement and encouragement is essential for any caregiver.

In several of her experiments Beville provided guidance by offering a pat on the back and saying, “You’re doing great.” By repeating this every four minutes, she found that the person remained calmer and was able to accomplish all of the tasks that were assigned.

By learning how to better cope with the effects of Alzheimer’s, caregivers and family members might feel more equipped to manage and treat a loved one who is diagnosed with the disease,” Beville said. “It is a way of giving people hope,” she said. And in the battle against Alzheimer’s, a little bit of hope can go a long way.

For more on this article go to www.abcnews.com

How MedicAlert & Safe Return Works

When a person with Dementia wanders or becomes lost, one call immediately activates a community support network to help reunite the lost person with his or her caregiver. When a person is found, a citizen or law official calls the toll free 24-hour emergency response number on the identification product and the individual’s family or caregivers are contacted.  The nearest Alzheimer’s Association office provides support during search and rescue efforts. In addition, should medical attention be required, access to a personal health record (PHR) is immediately available.

Benefits of MedicAlert + Safe Return Membership

• Provides you peace of mind
• Provides vital medical information to emergency responders
• Live 24-hour emergency response service for wandering and medical emergencies
• 24-hour family notification service
• 24-hour care consultation services provided by master’s level counselors   

 To enroll for this program or for more information on this article go to www.medicalert.org

Caring for an individual with Alzheimer’s at home can be extremely difficult, especially if the patient is a wanderer. The tactics outlined below will help you curb dangerous wandering behaviors and prepare you in the event that your loved one wanders off and becomes lost.

• Make your home Alzheimer’s friendly so your loved one can wander safely indoors.
• Encourage safe wandering. Accompany your loved one on walks around the neighborhood. Fenced yards allow for safe walking as well.
• Camouflage exit doors by painting them the same color as the walls, including doorknobs. Create a further deterrent by using black electrical tape to depict a grid.
• Label internal doors with large-print signs or pictures that denote the room’s purpose. For example, put a picture of a toilet outside the bathroom door and a picture of a bed outside the bedroom door.
• Buy a bedside commode if nighttime wandering is triggered by the need to use the bathroom.
• Install an alarm system that is activated by the opening of external doors.

If your loved one becomes lost:

• Search and re-search your home (including closets and cupboards) and immediate neighborhood. Ask friends and neighbors to help.
• Have several recent photos of your loved one on hand to distribute to all parties assisting in your search.
• Have bedclothes or clothing ready to assist police in their search if they become involved.

Despite the many precautions taken by caregivers and families, people with Alzheimer’s are still at risk when they wander. The Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return Program is a government-funded program that works with local law enforcement and emergency response agencies to help mitigate the risks when an individual wanders and becomes lost. The program’s national database includes photos and information on each registered individual. In the event that the person is lost, Safe Return faxes that person’s photo to local law enforcement to help in the search and rescue effort. If medical attention is required, Safe Return will supply immediate access to the patient’s medical records, also stored in their database.

Article provided by www.gilbertguide.com

In order to avoid Metabolic Syndrome and help prevent diabetes, heart disease and dementia a person needs to re-structure four major components of how they live their lives, including how they eat, exercise, sleep and go about their daily lives.

Step 1: Change Your Eating Habits

• Get into a Routine. Eat a healthy diet by avoiding saturated fats, simple sugar foods, fried and fast foods. Concentrate on eating veggies and whole fruits and avoid continuous snacking.
• Stop Drinking Soda. Avoid sweetened, fizzy or carbonated beverages as much as possible.
• Pick up a yogurt. Eat low-fat yogurt three times a week.
• Take your vitamins. Take the proper supplements, such as a complete age-related multivitamin plus Vitamin D3, Calcium, Omega-3, Magnesium and Co Q-10.   

Step 2: Exercise Your Body & Mind

• Get Moving. Participate in aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a few times a week.
• Keep your brain working, perform mental exercises such as crossword or language puzzles.

Step 3: Get a Proper Amount of Sleep

• Keep Track of Your Sleep. Make sure your sleep patterns are healthy. Many people suffer unnecessarily from sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea which is treatable. Individuals with sleep apnea often feel tired during waking hours and have trouble concentrating.
• Many alternative remedies can help with sleep, such as melatonin, kava and valerian root.
• Everything is related. Be aware that losing weight, especially as a result of a healthy diet and exercise, can have profoundly positive effects on sleep patterns.

Step 4: Stop & Think

• Wear your helmet & seatbelt. Protect your brain while bike riding, skiing or participating in any activity where your head potentially could suffer any damage.
• Treat Pain Effectively. Simple medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs are effective. Acupuncture, massage and music therapy is a good substitute. Always seek medical help for pain that is not explained.
• Protect your brain from toxins. Smoking, drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, are just a few to avoid you should also watch the amount of preservatives in foods and the toxins found in the environment.
• Get Out & About. Make sure you socialize and experience healthy emotions.
• Focus on the positive. Emphasizing the positive, rather than the negative, can help with an overall sense of well-being.
• Understand your place in the world. Take responsibility for your own world and life, to the degree possible, while also accepting your limitations on what you cannot change.

For more on this article go to www.gilbertguide.com

Keep in touch

Maintain contact with family members. A card, a call or visit all mean a great deal.  Family members, including the person with Alzheimer’s, will benefit from your visits or calls. Continue to send cards, even if you don’t get a response. It’s a simple, yet important way to show you care.

Do little things- they mean a lot

When cooking, make extra portions and drop off a meal (in a freezable and disposable container). If you’re on your way out to do an errand, check with a family member to see if there’s anything they need. Surprise the caregiver with a special treat, such as a rented movie, an audiotape of last week’s church service or a gift certificate for a massage or dinner out.

Give them a break

Everyone needs a little time for themselves. Offer to stay with the Alzheimer person so family members can run errands, attend a support group meeting or take a short trip. Even if the caregiver does not leave the house, this will provide some personal time. Chances are the person with Alzheimer’s will also enjoy a break.

Be specific when offering assistance

Most friends are good about saying they’re available to ”do anything” but many caregivers find it hard to ask for something specific. Have the family prepare a “to do” list of hard-to-get-to projects (e.g. laundry, dusting, yard work and medical bills). Figure out what you can do, then dedicate some time on a weekly or monthly basis to helping the family tackle some of these tasks.

Be alert

Learn about Alzheimer’s and how it impacts the family. Most people with Alzheimer’s ”wander” at some point and could become lost in their own neighborhoods. Know how to recognize a problem and respond. Take time to learn about other common behaviors and helpful care techniques.

Provide a change of scenery

Plan an activity that gets the whole family out of the house. Make a reservation at a restaurant and ask for a table with some privacy. Be sure to include the person with Alzheimer’s if the caregiver feels it’s appropriate. If not, make arrangements for someone to stay at home while you’re out. Or invite the family to your house or to a nearby park for a picnic.

Learn to listen

Sometimes, those affected by Alzheimer’s just need to talk with someone. Ask family members how they’re doing and encourage them to share. Be available when the caregiver is free to talk without interruptions. You don’t need to provide all the answers just be a compassionate listener. Try not to question or judge, but rather, support and accept.

Care for the caregiver

Encourage the caregivers to take care of themselves. Pass along useful information and offer to attend a support group meeting with them. Local chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association have information available and sponsor telephone “Helplines” and support groups in your area.

Remember all family members

The person with Alzheimer’s will appreciate your visits even if unable to show it. Talk with the person the way you’d want to be talked to. Spouses, adult children and even young grandchildren are all affected in different ways by a relative’s Alzheimer’s disease. Be attentive to their needs too.

Get involved

Unless a prevention is found, 14 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s disease by 2050. There are many things you can do to help families today and prevent further devastation tomorrow. Make a contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association or volunteer at your local chapter. Join in the Association’s annual Memory Walk to raise awareness and funds for chapter programs and services.  Ask your legislator to support funding of research and programs to help Alzheimer families.  You can make a difference!  

 Article provided by Alzheimer’s Association

1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life.
2. Challenges  in planning or solving problems.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.
4. Confusion with time or place.
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing.
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
8. Decreased or poor judgement.
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.
10. Changes in mood and personality.

For more on this article go to  www.alz.org

People with Alzheimer’s or dementia can still lead meaningful, enjoyable lives.

Understandably, caregivers get overwhelmed from time to time with the amount of work they have to do; however, integrating a new activity or two every day is not only beneficial for the person with dementia, but can also prove relaxing for the caregiver.

Things to do:

Activities

Activities needn’t be structured. Whether you’re caring for your loved one at home or visiting at a facility, activities can be as simple as playing cards or a board game. Try bringing along a blank photo album with pictures that you can put inside together. The key is to find activities that are stimulating but not overwhelming. Make a list of your loved one’s hobbies and interests to help you brainstorm activities that can be adapted to fit his or her current level of dementia.

Animals

If your loved one likes animals, consider animal therapy. Visits from calm animals are a great way to introduce something new and interesting to his or her environment, and research has shown that the interaction between humans and animals have therapeutic healing qualities. Make sure the animal you bring is not aggressive or excitable, and stay close during initial visits.

Exercise

Speak to your loved one’s physician so you know what kinds of exercise are physically possible. Daily walks are beneficial for both of you, but if that’s not appropriate, you may want to consider chair exercises such as the Sit and Be Fit routines shown on public television. Remember, as with any exercise routine, a little is better than nothing at all.

Music

When a person has lost the ability to communicate, music can sometimes act as a new form of communication. Many of us have a powerful emotional response to music, and dementia patients are no different. Experiment by playing music you think your loved one would enjoy. Big band, classical, New Age mixed with nature sounds or religious music are all good starting points. You’ll know you’ve “struck a chord” if you catch your loved one humming along, mouthing the words or simply showing a better appetite when the music plays.

Reminiscence

You may already be incorporating “reminiscence” activities without even knowing it. Does your loved one tell you stories from the past when a memory springs to mind? This is often times the basis for reminiscing. It can occur organically when you look at photographs or conversation prompts a memory. As a caregiver, you can promote reminiscing by helping with associations that come up in conversation. Many people with dementia are comforted by returning to distant memories, since the past feels far more familiar. Objects from childhood, such as dolls or other toys, can help jog memories from earlier in life.

Socializing

Every person has different social needs. Some people prefer to be left alone for long periods of time, while others enjoy companionship. Assess your loved one’s social needs and try to find ways to meet them. Often volunteers can be integrated into a schedule so as to provide companionship and allow you a chance for your own personal time. Adult day care and adult day health care programs give older adults the opportunity to socialize with a group of peers; before making an appointment, make sure the program accepts participants with dementia. Some programs specialize in this type of care and incorporate activities tailored to the needs and interests of people with dementia.

Touching

For many older adults, the only type of human touch they experience is clinical, such as during doctor’s appointments. But most humans have a need for physical contact. Small gestures that include touching can provide a sense of well-being and assuage feelings of loneliness. When approaching your loved one, make careful movements that won’t cause alarm. Some noninvasive ways of touching include massaging cream into feet or hands and brushing your loved one’s hair.

For more information on this article click on www.gilbertguide.com

TUESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) — Losing weight rapidly late in life seems to signal a greater risk of experiencing some form of dementia, new research suggests.

For older adults, “basically, we saw that if you are thinner or are losing weight at a faster rate, then you are at a higher risk of developing dementia,” said study author Tiffany F. Hughes, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

“This is in contrast to other studies that have shown higher BMI in middle age to increase risk of dementia,” she acknowledged. “What is likely going on is that higher BMI in middle age is a true risk factor for dementia, while being thinner or losing weight more quickly in old age is a result of dementia that has not been detected yet.”

At the launch of the study in 1992, the participants were about 72 years old, on average, at which point all were free of dementia.

Over a period of eight years, Hughes and her colleagues tracked changes in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio among the members of the study group, and then lined up those statistics against diagnoses of various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

The team found that regardless of smoking history, exercise habits and gender, having a higher BMI late in life actually appeared to be associated with having a lower risk for developing Alzheimer’s.

Looked at in reverse, the study authors observed that those participants who had a lower BMI at the study’s launch actually faced a 79 percent greater risk for developing dementia.

In addition, participants of any weight who went on to lose pounds during the study period at a relatively fast rate had a three times higher risk for developing dementia than those who lost weight more slowly.

In fact, participants of any weight who went on to shed some pounds at a relatively slow pace over the course of the study period actually experienced a drop in their risk for developing either dementia or Alzheimer’s.

However, the apparent connection between a drop in dementia risk and slow weight loss was especially pronounced among men and women who were either overweight or obese to begin with — generally more so than among either normal or underweight participants who similarly lost weight. Specifically, the team observed that slow-paced weight loss among those with a BMI of 23 or above translated into an 82 percent drop in the risk for dementia.

The authors cautioned, however, that the findings could be skewed by the fact that seniors who began the study at a normal body weight naturally have fewer pounds to lose, and this could affect the pace at which any weight loss might have unfolded.

In addition, they noted that the study focused solely on Americans of Japanese ancestry, making it somewhat difficult to generalize the findings to other racial and ethnic groups. And they described the amount of time they spent tracking weight fluctuations as “relatively short,” leaving open the possibility that different patterns of risk could be found if the same group were to be followed for a longer period.

Yet despite these caveats, Hughes and her colleagues concluded that having a relatively low BMI in late life appears to be a sign of underlying dementia-related disease — particularly if a senior had been overweight or obese earlier in life.

“Being thin or rapid weight loss alone will not likely tell us who is going to get dementia,” Hughes noted. “But along with other tests it may help doctors identify those who will, so treatment therapies can be started earlier.”

For his part, Dr. Lon S. Schneider, a professor of psychiatry, neurology and gerontology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, said that when assessing the implications of this particular study “the devil is in the details.”

“That said, it does seem that weight loss is a warning sign of something bad to happen,” he noted. “Weight loss occurring over the age of 75 or 78 is a problem that predicts bad things in general. It’s a major problem in the management of elderly people with illness. And almost always the explanation for unexplained weight loss at this age is a few years down the road. So yes, certainly it is the case that this is a development that could predict future cognitive impairment.”

 Information provided by www.keepingyouwell.com