What is Dementia?

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Dementia is a mental state characterized by a loss of intellectual ability that is long-lasting and consists of a significant decline in memory and other intellectual functions that are needed to carry out every-day activities. While there are many different types of dementia with many different causes, all of the types share a common set of symptoms.

If you think that a friend or relative is becoming confused and isn’t quite their usual self, it may help to look at this list of common symptoms of the early stages of dementia.

Types of Dementia

Some types of dementia are irreversible and progressive. This means they are not curable and get worse over time. This is not true for all types of dementia, especially if detected early.

Types of dementia include:

• Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type
  • Approximately 50 percent of all cases of dementia are caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
• Vascular Dementia
  • Vascular dementia is cause by small strokes that stop blood flow to parts of the brain.
• Dementia Due to Other General Medical Conditions
  • Medical conditions that can cause dementia include HIV, head trauma, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Pick’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, metabolic disorders, and hypoglycemia.
• Substance-Induced Persisting Dementia
  • The use of a substance such as alcohol or the sudden withdrawal from a substance can cause dementia. This is diagnosed only if the symptoms last beyond normal withdrawal time for the substance.
• Dementia Not Otherwise Specified
  • This is the category for dementia that doesn’t fit in an above category.

Dementia differs from delirium, which is characterized by a state of sudden confusion. Dementia is not part of the normal aging process nor is it mental retardation or psychosis. There are medications and therapies that can help manage the symptoms of the disease, making life easier for the patient and his/her family.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

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Alzheimer’s and the brain Plaques and tangles Early stage and younger onset About Dr. Alzheimer Introduction Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder named for German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. Scientists have learned a great deal about Alzheimer’s disease in the century since Dr. Alzheimer first drew attention to it. Today we know that Alzheimer’s: Is a progressive and fatal brain disease. As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. For more information, see Warning Signs and Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. Is the most common form of dementia, a general term for the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 50 to 70 percent of dementia cases. Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, mixed dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. For more information about other causes of dementia, please see Related Dementias. Has no current cure. But treatments for symptoms, combined with the right services and support, can make life better for the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s. There is an accelerating worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, or prevent it from developing. Learn more about recent progress in Alzheimer research funded by the Alzheimer’s Association in the Research section. Just like the rest of our bodies, our brains change as we age. Most of us notice some slowed thinking and occasional problems remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion and other major changes in the way our minds work are not a normal part of aging. They may be a sign that brain cells are failing. The brain has 100 billion nerve cells (neurons). Each nerve cell communicates with many others to form networks. Nerve cell networks have special jobs. Some are involved in thinking, learning and remembering. Others help us see, hear and smell. Still others tell our muscles when to move. In Alzheimer’s disease, as in other types of dementia, increasing numbers of brain cells deteriorate and die.

Why Stretching is Great For Older Adults

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Regular stretching reduces pain, improves flexibility and quality of life

Maybe, just maybe, if we stretched more, we would be less uptight, and peace would reign throughout the land.

That may be wishful thinking, but at the very least we would be able to tie our sneakers when we’re ninety! Flexibility, or the lack thereof, is probably the single most important factor affecting our quality of life as we age.

The pain and stiffness of aging begin as temporary tensions that become learned habits. But don’t assume that with aging you will automatically lose your flexibility. You can counterbalance the effects of aging so that your physiology is quite a bit younger than your chronology. When you stay flexible, you’ll be able to live with vibrancy, energy, and independence.

The Benefits of Stretching for Older Adults
Over the years, we develop habitual ways of using our muscles to move and position ourselves. Poor posture and a lack of flexibility may be the result of a legitimate medical problem or may be the result of limited stretching and improper body alignment. When muscles get tight and stay tight, they cease to be elastic and they restrict movement. That sense of restriction, or stiffness, often leads to disuse. Disuse causes weakness and tightness, which in turn causes a vicious cycle of more disuse, weakness, and tightness.

You have to “lube your chassis” to ensure a smooth ride. Regular stretching activates fluids in your joints, thereby reducing the wear-and-tear caused by friction. Increased water intake is also believed to contribute to increased mobility for tissues and joints that have become less supple.

Your muscles may also become tight and short due to overuse (resulting in injuries such as tennis elbow or tendonitis) or underuse. If nothing is done to lengthen stiff and short muscles, they continue to tighten, restricting circulation and impeding the removal of toxins. And a short and tight muscle is more prone to injury. Ouch!

It is easy to take your physical capabilities for granted, until there is a problem. Your long-term goal should be to maintain your range of motion so that you can continue to accomplish everyday tasks, pain-free. This goal is totally realistic if you are willing to commit to a regular schedule of careful stretching. The benefits of a stretching program will be readily apparent, and you will experience increased comfort as your body moves with fluidity and balance.

Stretching: The Best Way to Maintain Flexibility
Stretching is the best way to maintain muscle and joint flexibility. When you stretch regularly, you will also reduce general muscle tension. A prime benefit of stretching is that it increases the distance your limbs can travel before injury occurs to the muscles and tendons.

Runners, in particular, suffer from painful hamstring injuries. These sprains and strains — even tears — of the muscle fibers are most likely the result of tight, inflexible hamstring muscles creating an imbalance with the opposing quadriceps. Every muscle in your body has an opposing muscle. It stands to reason that your muscles will experience less fatigue when a contracting muscle does not have to exert as much force against a flexible opposing muscle.

Tips for Stretching Efficiently

• The best time to stretch is following your workout, when your muscles are warm. Stretching, as part of an effective cooldown, helps to alleviate the soreness of post-workout muscles caused by microscopic muscle tears and accumulated waste products (lactic acid). Stretching lengthens the individual muscle fibers, thereby increasing blood circulation, which helps to remove the waste products, and reducing muscle soreness. A warm bath or shower will also suffice to warm you up, if you prefer.
• Stretch your muscles back to their resting length after each exercise. Exercising your muscles with resistance results in stronger — and temporarily shorter — muscles. Shortened muscle fibers are more easily injured, so remember to stretch properly after each exercise.
• Stretch every third day for five to ten minutes to keep your muscles supple. If your muscles are particularly tight, you may want to perform gentle stretching more often.
• Static stretching gradually lengthens a resting muscle. As the word static implies, there is no bouncing or reaching once you have stretched your muscle to an elongated position. Hold the stretch for fifteen to thirty seconds. Once a muscle has reached its absolute maximum length, attempting to stretch it further may cause undue stress to your ligaments and tendons. As always, focus on correct body alignment.

Stretching: A Reward for Your Body
Like aerobic endurance and muscle strength, flexibility provides anti-aging benefits that may keep the ‘ol chassis running like new. Look forward to the cool down as a reward for a job well done. Stretching should be peaceful, both physically and mentally. Quiet your mind, breathe deeply, and r-e-l-a-x.

Alzheimer’s care: Practical tips

 

 

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 Alzheimer’s care is a tough job. These practical tips can make it easier.In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, your loved one may still be able to perform the daily tasks that allow a person to live and function independently. These abilities dwindle as the disease progresses.

Reduce frustrations

A person with Alzheimer’s may react with frustration, agitation and even aggression when once-automatic tasks become difficult or impossible. Try these suggestions to limit the challenges and ease the frustration.

• Schedule wisely. Determine the time of day when your loved one is most calm and agreeable. Schedule the most difficult tasks, such as bathing or medical appointments, for that time period. Established routines help make the day more predictable and less confusing.
• Let him or her help. Involve your loved one in tasks as much as possible. Perhaps your husband can shave himself if you turn on the electric razor and put it in his hand. Maybe your wife can dress herself if you lay out the clothes in the order they go on.
• Limit choices. Having fewer options makes deciding easier. For example, provide two outfits to choose between — not a closet full of clothes. Reduce distractions at mealtimes or during conversations so that your loved one can better focus on one thing at a time.
• Take more time. Expect things to take longer than they used to. Schedule more time to complete even simple tasks so that you don’t need to hurry your loved one. Provide instructions one step at a time.

Try to be flexible

With Alzheimer’s, your loved one’s ability to function and cope will steadily decline. It may even vary from day to day. Try to stay flexible and adapt your routine as needed.

A favorite food may suddenly become unappealing. Or your loved one may insist on wearing the same outfit every day. If that happens, consider buying a few identical outfits. When your loved one is bathing, simply switch the worn outfit for a clean one.

Allow your loved one to do as much as possible with the least amount of assistance. Relax your standards — don’t always strive for the way things should be done. Bathing, for example, may not be necessary every day, especially if it’s upsetting for your loved one. Try switching to sponge baths between showers or tub baths.

 

7 Tips to Minimize Confusion, Keep Loved Ones Safe at Home

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These are easy no- or low-cost fixes you can do to keep your loved one actively involved in their daily life and safe at home. Print out the checklist, and be sure get help from others if you need it.

  Keep an emergency contact list. The list should have all the numbers you use every day, from pharmacy to family members to emergency numbers. Everyone in the family should get a copy of the contact list and keep it in a place that’s easily accessible.

  Try using a picture phone. A picture phone prompts one touch dialing with an image of the person or place.

  Organize and label everything. Be sure to note where to find everything from milk to socks. Also label equipment or furniture regularly used: light switches, cabinet for glasses, refrigerator, etc.

  De-clutter and simplify. Get rid of unnecessary items. Pair the amount of clothing in drawers down to what is regularly worn. In the kitchen get rid of items that aren’t regularly used.

  Set regular routines. Standing appointments should be made for the same time on the same day. Make a fixed schedule for errands such as grocery shopping or the gym.

  Keep digital-audio calendar. You can make notes on the recorder and use it to refresh your memory about tasks that need to be done.

  Use visual cues and photographs to trigger their memory. Put a photograph of the room or the contents of an appliance, like a refrigerator, on the door.

Tips to Help You Care for Aging Parents

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As the number of older adults in the United States grows, so does the number of adult children caring for aging parents. More than 6 million seniors require help with such basic activities as getting out of bed, dressing, cleaning, cooking and handling finances. An estimated 5 million Americans spend some time caring for an aging parent, a figure that is projected to double within the next 20 years.

Here are some tips to ease the complicated process of caring for aging parents or other relatives.

Pay Attention

How can you tell when your parents are no longer able to live on their own? Their ability to perform basic activities of daily living is a key indicator. If they’re having trouble with personal hygiene, dressing, preparing meals, shopping – those kinds of things can be telltale signs that maybe you need to think about some type of assistance. That doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t continue to live on their own; it means they need some kind of help.

Plan Ahead

Avoid waiting until your parents’ health has deteriorated to consider the available options. Long-term planning needs to happen long before you need to place someone in a nursing home. Adult children or their parents have to start a conversation with each other about preferences and their financial situation.

Hold a Family Conference

Before making any care decision, include as many members of the immediate family as possible, including the person involved, whether they’re going to be an active participant in this move or not. Sometimes, decisions have to be made that are not what the person wants. People generally don’t want to leave their homes.

In making decisions, you want all the family members to be on board as much as possible – because you’re going to need support and help, especially in regard to guilt issues. Everyone who places an aging relative in a facility has some level of guilt.

Respect Your Parents’ Wishes

Throughout this process, it’s important to respect your parents’ wishes and their desire to live independently as long as possible. Whenever your relatives are cognitively ‘with it,’ they should be brought into any decision-making process. They should be able to express where they want to go.

Talk About Finances

Talk with parents about finances. Find out if they have savings accounts, medical insurance, or supplemental insurance that covers expenses not provided for under Medicare. Ask your parents about an updated will to avoid estate problems after their death.

Ask an attorney to draw up a durable power of attorney for finances, which allows a designated person to make legally binding decisions should parents become incapacitated. Also talk to your attorney about an advanced directive, sometimes called a living will. The document defines your parents’ wishes regarding medical care and names someone to make care decisions should they become unable to do so.

Conduct a Home Safety Evaluation

If you’re caring for aging parents at home, Schempp recommends having either a physical therapist or occupational therapist come to the home and evaluate it. Simple but effective measures include installing bathroom grab bars, putting higher-watt light bulbs in light fixtures to brighten rooms, and using double-sided tape to anchor area rugs.

You can also replace doorknobs with levers that are easier to open. And you may need to add railings and a ramp at the front entrance and widen doors so a wheelchair or walker can pass through. In the bathroom and kitchen, install faucets with levers so there’s no knob to twist. You can also convert a room on the first floor into a bedroom.

Ask Questions

Before deciding whether to place an aging relative in a nursing home or other facility, ask a lot of questions. A useful source of information on nursing facilities is the state-by-state quality assessment survey of nursing homes published by the federal Health Care Finance Administration. Every certified nursing facility is required to post its survey results. Look for it, read it, and ask questions; it can tell you a lot about a facility.

Consider Nonprofessional Help

Volunteers can meet many of the needs of elderly people. They can visit, prepare meals, clean, do yard work, or five rides to medical appointments or to the local supermarket. Church groups or other community service organizations, such as Meals on Wheels, are often a good source of volunteer assistance.

Take Care of Yourself

Caring for aging parents can be both a difficult challenge and a rewarding experience, strengthening family bonds. But it’s stressful. Emotions such as anger, guilt, grief and anxiety are normal. Don’t forget to also take care of yourself. Caregivers often let their own health deteriorate or their stress level becomes high. When it’s appropriate, ask for help or accept help when it’s offered by friends or people in the church or community. Or hire help like a private duty homecare agency such as 5 Star Home Care.

Avoid Aging Parent Traps

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As adult children we often see ourselves as “problem-solvers” —especially with our aging parents. Often, our impulse is to rush in and protect—when our “parent radar” focuses on their weaknesses. Psychologists tell us that too much loving protection by adult children can be a threat to parents’ self-esteem. For parents struggling to maintain their independence, over-protection is usually the last thing they want or need. Often, our anxiety to help our parents comes from our own conflicts from within the family dynamics: parents are strong figures whom we remember well from our childhood; so guiding them is sometimes hard for us to do, and even harder for them to accept. Also, we sometimes lack the time and the attention to consider their problems from their perspective and unconsciously impose our frame of reference on them. They often pick up on this (after all, they’ve had plenty of experience at nuance) and it can cause resentment even though your intentions were pure. Since either being submissive or being assertive can backfire and cause hurt feelings on both sides of the issue, a good rule of thumb is, as long as your parents are of sound mind, let them make their own choices. Let them develop their own ideas and solutions to their problems. They’ve had plenty of experience at it. Let them continue to use their skills. Most people resent forced dependency. Your good intentions could end up as destructive for you and for them.