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Caring for Seniors with Parkinson’s

2013-01-08T02:31:40Z

As a neurological disease, Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects movement, balance, and muscle control. Parkinson’s is progressive with symptoms becoming more advanced over time. Parkinson’s is diagnosed more frequent in men than in women and is more typically diagnosed in 55 to 75 year olds. Due to this, Parkinson’s patients need added attention due to high fall risk.

With Parkinson’s patients, falls are a major concern. It is beneficial to install home devices that can prevent falls and help stability. Examples of home improvements include:

Purchase electric bed or mattress. Sliding boards are beneficial for improving the patient’s ability to slide out of bed.
Install rails for added support in hallways, bedroom and bathrooms.
Remove floor mats and floor clutter so the walking path is clear and debris free.
Utilize chairs with arm rests, straight backs, and firm seats.

It is more common that the disease is diagnosed through symptoms, more obviously observed when starting initial movement. Signs of Parkinson’s include slowness of motion, muscle rigidity, tremors in the arms, hands, face, and legs. As PD advances, patients may suffer from depression, memory issues and thought process loss, speech problems, along with difficulty eating, swallowing, and digestive issues.

Since Parkinson disease has no cure, treatment is focused on improving the quality of life, and minimizing symptoms. Exercise is beneficial and can impact rehabilitation positively. Utilizing physical therapy is important and usually involves both passive and active exercise, gait training, and practice to improve daily functioning.

Mental training is also beneficial to improve the quality of life for a PD patient. Encourage the PD patient to learn new hobbies to improve finger and hand mobility. New hobbies can include: playing cards, sewing, fishing, to carpentry. Practice deep breathing and relaxation exercise to help reduce anxiety, improve speech, and control tremors. Both the patient and family should consider therapy and support for loss of motivation and depression. Support programs can be beneficial for the patient and family. Also, speech therapy may be helpful for those who develop a monotone voice or suffer from a loss of volume. Therapy is needed to improve speech and to evaluate and monitor swallowing.

With early and mid-stage Parkinson’s, passive exercise is utilized to prevent muscles from shortening. To help improve mobility, exercise starts out with gentle and slow movement to overtime increase more intensely. Active exercises are used to help range-of-motion, speed, and improve coordination and balance. Patients need continual exercise and should make efforts to practice movement. Helpful exercise includes making circular arm movements, marching in place, and raising the legs up and down while sitting.

Gait Training Practice exercises for turning, walking, and standing to improve balance. Use the following tips:

Use small steps while turning.
When walking, take large steps, raising the toes at the forward step, and hit the ground with your heel.
Use a metronome or devices that keep a rhythmic beat. This may help to take longer steps and walk faster.
Do not wear rubber shoes because they grip the floor and may cause you to trip and fall.
When turning or walking, spread the legs 12 – 15 inches apart to provide a wider base of support.

Muscle Freezing Reduction The patient should daily practice strategies to reduce muscle freezing. Freezing occurs when a patient initiates movement or encounters a road block. The following tips may be useful:

Raise the toes if the legs seem frozen, lifting of the toes may free spasm in some patients.
Rocking back and forth can reduce muscle freezing.
Humming tunes to a march when getting out of bed. In fact, music has shown to help people move.
Being touched by someone else can ease tension and sometimes can release the muscle freeze.
Divide actions into separate movements. This may prevent freezing from trying to coordinate too many movements at once. For example, if the door is an obstacle, divide the action in steps: approach the door, halt at the door, open the door, pause, and then walk through the doorway.

For help with your loved one suffering from Parkinson’s, call us at (972) 658-4001

Approved In Home Care

Dallas, Plano, McKinney, Frisco, Richardson, Highland Park, University Park and 104 cities in North Texas.

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Time For Alzheimer’s Care?

2013-01-07T21:27:52Z

Time For Alzheimer’s Care?

Checklist:

When is it time for

Alzheimer’s Care?

As so many have experienced, Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease. Symptoms vary with some people experiencing signs in their 40’s, however worsen unpredictably and gradually over time. My mother started having signs of Alzheimer’s in her 60’s, and due to the slow progression, she was able to live alone at home until her 80’s. Research has found that people with Alzheimer’s live from three to even 20 years, experiencing a gradual loss in different skills over time.

In early, stages of Alzheimer’s, when symptoms are milder, many people function well enough to live by themselves or with regular visits by family and friends, just as my mother lived. However, eventually, the disease progresses and Alzheimer’s patients will need round-the-clock care in order to maintain their health, cleanliness and safety.

Has the time come for your family member to receive extra care? This checklist can help:

· Can your family member prepare meals, buy groceries, and maintain personal hygiene? (Refusing to bathe?)
· Is the home disorganized and dirty? (Stockpiling newspapers?)
· Does she forget when take medications, eat, or to turn off the stove? (Cooking incidents?)
· What is her doctor’s assessment? (Go with Dr. visit to ask questions…)
· Can he or she still drive safely? (Or, can’t find the car at the mall?)
· Is the person able to evacuate home independently in case of a fire or other emergencies? (Strange sleeping habits?)
· Has your loved one expressed fear or anxiety about continuing to manage on her own or is asking for more help? (Dependent upon neighbors for rescue?)
· Are you and other family members worrying and becoming increasingly stressed about your loved one?

Each case is unique depending on the stage and family dynamic. Several factors to consider when creating a care plan include cost and feasibility for the person to continue living in her current home. Some families are able to move the relative into an extra bedroom to save money. Others have an extensive support group nearby that can offer meals on wheels. However, most families due to busy schedules turn to Approved in Home Care for an experienced caregiver to help relieve the stress and allowed their loved one to stay at home as the symptoms worsen.

Even when family is available, not everyone has the ability to cope emotionally and physically with an Alzheimer’s patient. Many adult children find it challenging to perform daily care like bathing a parent or helping with toileting. Also, many Alzheimer’s clients feel uncomfortable receiving personal care from their family members.

Call Approved In Home Care at (972) 658-4001 for help.

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Holiday Depression in Seniors

2013-01-07T21:26:15Z

Holiday Depression in Seniors

Tips: Holiday Depression in Seniors

Most of us think about pleasant celebrations and gatherings with family members and friends during the holidays, but for many seniors, ’tis the season for sadness, loneliness and even depression.

There are many reasons for these feelings. In some cases, the holidays remind seniors of those no longer living with whom they have shared holidays in the past. Widows and widowers – or seniors without close family connections or a good network of friends – may have a particularly difficult time.

If you are a senior who is having a difficult time this holiday season, or if you know a senior who may be experiencing loneliness or depression, following are some tips that may help lighten the mood.

Celebrate with others. Make an effort to get together with family members or friends. If this is not possible, join a group of seniors or go to a celebration at church or another community organization.
Volunteer your time. Studies have shown that people who donate their time to help others reap valuable rewards. Sign up to help cook or serve meals to the homeless, adopt a family for the holidays or organize or contribute to a toy or food drive.
Don’t hide your feelings. Many seniors try to conceal their sadness during the holiday season because they don’t want to put a damper on other people’s festivities or joy. But it’s important to talk about your feelings. Remember that most people will appreciate the opportunity to listen and help.
Don’t spend too much money. Many people, including seniors, try to make up for feelings of emptiness during the holidays by overspending. This will not work, and it may even backfire when you get the bill at the end of the month. Besides, the best gifts are from the heart, not the pocketbook.
Go for a walk. Exercise is incredibly beneficial to both the body and the mind. It improves balance, gait and flexibility; enlivens the brain; and provides cardiac and pulmonary benefits. It also stimulates the release of endorphins, which positively affect mood and act as an antidepressant. You should maintain the level of exercise intensity recommended for you based on your medical history.
Catch some rays. Light therapy is used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD), sometimes called “winter depression.” Try going outdoors during the daytime when the sun is out or keeping your home environment bright. Talk to your doctor about which SAD lamps are most beneficial.
Try to avoid alcohol. Many seniors rely on alcohol more after retirement or the loss of a loved one, but alcohol is a depressant and may increase feelings of loneliness or sadness.
Eat a balanced diet. In general, malnutrition and dehydration are common in seniors. Especially during the holidays, seniors may feel sad and not want to eat. To feel good, you must eat a diet consisting of lean meats, whole grains and five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. On the flip side, you should also resist the urge to overeat during the holidays. Gaining too much weight may lead to diabetes, heart disease or other serious medical conditions.

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Caregiving From a Distance

2012-11-21T14:09:41Z

Caregiving From a Distance

Far from Mom and Dad?

Many of my friends in the plus 40 crowd tell me about their ongoing challenges in dealing with their aging parents. One friend, Cindy, in particular told me yesterday…

“You are blessed,” she said, “if your parents are still living. If you are truly blessed, your parents live nearby.”

Cindy is blessed, but she misses being truly blessed because her parents live in Dallas. One move after another, Cindy’s parents moved from Anchorage to Dallas, with a daughter in Seattle and son in Quebec. No one was close-by to check in on them and help with daily chores.

Cindy’s parents are in their late 80s. Her parents are typical, and have lost friends to moves into nursing homes, assisted living, and sadly, some have passed away. Her parents still prefer living in their own home (blessed), but without needed care, nearby (not-so-blessed).

The National Institute on Aging has concluded there may be approximately 7 million long-distance caregivers within our borders. Somehow, thru random life events, the children find themselves far away from aging parents or loved ones who could benefit from family assistance.

So the question is what can you do to support parents or elderly friends who are not in close proximity?

How do others solve this problem?

The first step is to lay out a clear direction of what are the top priorities. It is possible, you may be able to bring up this subject directly with your parent or loved one (extremely blessed); however, don’t have that expectation, because most elderly parents are in denial of their current situation.

Cindy’s parents avoided talking with her about their concerns because of the distance. They did not want to worry her, or be a burden. They would minimize their problems and say, “No need to worry about us. We are doing just fine!” Soon a crisis came along, requiring a hospital stay and rehab after a fall. Now, she calls her parents at least a few times a week and she has learned to ask more pressing questions.

Caring for your family is a team concept, so build a quality team. For Cindy, this meant coordinating with her siblings, parent’s neighbors, and church friends, and determine who would call, visit, and who would check in on them. Also, someone was needed to coordinate their legal paperwork.

It is important to match people to their talents, and understand that some will participate more diligently than others. If a sibling lives far away, and is good exploring the internet, that person could conduct internet searches and pinpoint resources in your parent’s area. They may also be able to find information on specific diagnosis from medical web sites.

If someone is talented with finances, they may be able to discuss with your parents about available assets, long term care needs, and assist them with bills. If your parents have used a CPA in the past, some services offer bill paying to keep the payments current and to ensure the proper amount is being paid. Cindy discovered her mother frequently got checks sent back to her for overpayment issues.

If you are the only team member or you are overwhelmed with how to proceed, you may be able to find companies in your parent’s local area that will provide professional in home caregivers to help.

Understand that siblings will need to clarify boundaries with your parents early on. Discuss how much can they afford to do? How committed is each team member? Are you emotionally prepared to place your parents as the priority? Can you travel? How is your professional life going to be affected? How are your spouse and children going to feel?

Plan in advance on what has to be done to make an emergency visit. Discuss this possibility with your boss and investigate travel options. Lay out who and what you will need to have with you. Cindy and her brother work for large corporations and have the benefit of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, you may not have this same benefit working for a small company.

As soon as possible, locate all of your parent’s important legal documents and gather in one place. Make sure someone has permission to get financial and medical power of attorney. Keep financial, medical, insurance, bank and military information at your fingertips. Keep current on all parent medications with an updated list, including dosage, and check with the Doctor if you are concerned of excess medication. Once accomplished, added administrative tasks helping your parents will happen with greater ease.

Take a break

As with Cindy’s parents, one is healthier than the other, and her father has become the primary caregiver. Cindy knows that it is essential for her Dad to get a break. Cindy has hired a professional caregiver to come 4 hours a day to care for her Mom and let her Dad be able to play cards and golf with his friends. Cindy has decided to use Approved In Home Care for caregivers since they are a licensed, insured, and bonded and have an excellent reputation.

As a long-distance caregiver, you can also help pay for respite care to offer relief for household help and then you can enjoy having fun with them when you arrive for a visit.

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6 Red Flags – Things that Cause Seniors to Fall

2013-01-07T21:16:11Z

6 Red Flags – Things that Cause Seniors to Fall

6 Red Flags

Things that Cause Seniors to Fall

Falls are the leading cause of death, injury and hospital admissions among the elderly population. In fact, one out of every three seniors falls every year. Several factors contribute to the fact that seniors fall so much more frequently than younger people:

1. Lack of physical activity. Failure to exercise regularly results in poor muscle tone, decreased bone mass, loss of balance, and reduced flexibility.
2. Impaired vision. This includes age-related vision diseases, as well as not wearing glasses that have been prescribed.
3. Medications. Sedatives, anti-depressants, and anti-psychotic drugs, plus taking multiple medications are all implicated in increasing risk of falling.
4. Diseases. Health conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis cause weakness in the extremities, poor grip strength, balance disorders and cognitive impairment.
5. Surgeries. Hip replacements and other surgeries leave an elderly person weak, in pain and discomfort and less mobile than they were before the surgery.
6. Environmental hazards. One third of all falls in the elderly population involve hazards at home. Factors include: poor lighting, loose carpets and lack of safety equipment.

However, falls are not an inevitable part of growing older. Many falls can be prevented, by making the home safer and using products that help keep seniors more stable and less likely to fall.

Caregivers can do several things to make the home safer for their senior mom or dad.

Install safety bars, grab bars or handrails in the shower or bath.
Put no-stick tape on the floor in the tub.
Use a stool riser seat to make getting on and off the toilet easier.
Install at least one stairway handrail that extends beyond the first and last steps.
Make sure stairs are sturdy with strong hand railings.
Be sure that stairwells are well-lit. Consider making the lighting in your home brighter to aid vision.
Make sure rugs, including those on stairs, are tacked to the floor.
Remove loose throw rugs.
Avoid clutter. Remove any furniture that is not needed. All remaining furniture should be stable and without sharp corners, to minimize the effects of a fall.
Change the location of furniture, so that your elderly parent can hold on to something as they move around the house.
Do not have electrical cords trailing across the floor. Have additional base plugs installed so long cords are not necessary.
Have your parent wear non-slip shoes or slippers, rather than walking around in stocking feet.
Make sure all rooms have adequate lighting. Consider motion-sensitive lights that come on when a person enters a room. Use night lights in every room.
Keep frequently used items in easy-to-reach cabinets.
Use a grasping tool to get at out-of-reach items, rather than a chair or stepladder.
Keep the water heater thermostat set at 120 degrees F, or lower, to avoid scalding and burns.
Wipe up spills and remove broken glass immediately.

The following are some products that caregivers can use to keep their elderly loved ones from falling.

Monitors/sensor pads. Sensors work well for the bed, chair, or toilet. The pads electronically detect the absence of pressure, which in turn sends an electronic signal to the monitor setting off an alarm. Used on a bed, the pressure pads can be under or on top of the mattress. They are very thin, so they do not disturb sleeping and are plugged into the monitor via a telephone type line. Chair and toilet sensors work in the same way.
There are also pad/monitors that detect and sound an alarm if a person steps on the pad (detects pressure). This type of pad can be used beside the bed, in a hallway or in front of a chair while the person is seated.

Fall mats. Fall mats are used in areas where a person could be injured from a fall on a hard floor such as the side of a bed, by a toilet or in front of a chair. They are cushioned floor mats of various sizes 1-inch or 2-inches thick with beveled edges. They cushion the fall and prevent injuries.

Anti-slip mats. Install these on the bath tub or shower floor. The hard rubber material prevents the elderly person from slipping and provides stability.

Grab bars. Install them near the toilet, in the bathtub and shower.
Shower chair or transfer bench. When getting in and out of the tub, transfer benches provide stability and help the caregiver get the elderly in and out of the tub safely, without injuring the elderly person or the caregiver.

Lift slings. Lift slings are used to move an elderly person who is unable to move themselves from bed to a wheelchair or chair. There are 3 common reasons that caregivers may need a lift: if the elderly parent is too heavy to be transferred without assistance; to prevent injury to the caregiver; and to prevent the elderly person from injury or falling.
Canes and walkers. They help seniors feel steady on their feet. Make sure the mobility device you choose is the correct height for your elderly parent, and has rubber tip or other traction on the bottom, for safety.

Socks, shoes and slippers. Wearing properly fitted, low-heeled, non-slip footwear for walking and transferring provides traction and is much safer than going barefoot. Many socks and shoes are available with non-skid treads on the bottom, to keep your elderly parents safe and help reduce slipping accidents. Avoid slippers that can easily slip on and off.

How do I go about finding a caregiver for my loved one who needs assistance?
Approved In Home Care provides care to seniors, please contact us at 972-658-4001.

Approved In Home Care provides care to seniors and the elderly. We work with individuals suffering from senior related conditions and diseases. For help or more information, please contact us at 972-658-4001.

Please share your comments and experiences on this topic.

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Helpful Tips to Control Incontinence

2013-01-07T21:21:25Z

Helpful Tips to Control Incontinence

How to Control Incontinence

With the advice and guidance of your Doctor, it is common that incontinence can be treated and possibly cured. With new advances, there are more treatment options today for urinary incontinence than in the past.

Treatment choice depends on the type of bladder control problem, the seriousness, and the best fit to incorporate into one’s daily routine. Common sense suggests trying the simplest and safest treatments first.

Training your bladder – Your doctor may suggest, initially, to start to train your bladder to get back bladder control. By implementing daily bladder training, one can change how the bladder empties and stores urine. The following is an overview of some suggestions for improvement:

Start Kegels and daily pelvic muscle exercise – The pelvic muscles are the ones used to stop urine flow or keep from passing gas. Your Doctor may discuss starting pelvic muscle exercise to strengthen the muscles that you use to stop urinating. Improving the strength of these muscles, helps avoid accidents by holding urine in the bladder for longer periods of time. The exercises your Doctor may suggest are easy to start immediately. Pelvic muscle exercises can lessen or improve stress and urge incontinence.

Typically Doctors suggest that you hold the pelvic muscles for a specific count, and then relax them. Then repeat holding the muscle a number of times. For best results, doing this exercise several times throughout a day improves bladder control. Your doctor will advise you on the best exercise for your concerns.

Diet Plays a Factor – Certain foods and drinks may worsen incontinence such as alcoholic beverages, acidic foods such as citrus juices and fruits, caffeinated drinks and foods, spicy dishes, and carbonated beverages. Chart when urinary incontinence worsens, and what foods or drinks taken, and consider eliminating that food or beverage, or at least cut back on these items.

Track Fluids Taken – Consider keeping daily water intake to a quart. This is a simple suggestion. But, you need to talk to your doctor before making any changes to your fluid intake.

Lifestyle Changes - You can make some changes to diet, or eliminate triggers that can improve bladder control.

Drink Additional Cranberry Juice – Cranberry juice has been known to improve bladder function due to the acidic nature.

Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine – Drinking alcohol and caffeine drinks can lead to incontinence issues. Also, you may be drinking too many fluids a day, instead of water. Consider cutting back on fluid intake if you are drinking too much daily.

Biofeedback – Biofeedback helps one become more aware of body signals. Biofeedback may help one regain control over the bladder and urethra muscles.

Chart Leaking to Determine Pattern – By charting leaking and urination, you may determine a pattern. Once a pattern is identified, go to the bathroom prior to those times to empty the bladder before a leak occurs. When combined with pelvic muscle exercises and biofeedback, these suggestions may improve ability to control urges.

Prescriptions – There are prescriptions a doctor can prescribe for improved bladder control. These varieties of drugs can prevent bladder contractions, and some medications relax muscles so the bladder empties completely during urination. Other prescriptions help to tighten muscles in the bladder and urethra to avoid leakage. However, sometimes, these prescriptions can cause side effects including urine buildup, eye problems, or dry mouth.

Medical Procedures – Try starting diet changes and pelvic exercises. However, if you see no improvement, go to your doctor for advice.

Urethra Implant – To help reduce stress incontinence, your doctor can inject an implant to add bulk into the area around the urethra. Keep in mind, injections may have to be repeated because they are slowly eliminated from the body.

Pessary – Some doctors may advise women to use a tampon-like urethral plug; a throwaway patch; or a vaginal insert to improve stress incontinence.

Surgery – If incontinence is caused by bladder position or blockage due to an enlarged prostate, surgery is sometimes an option. Typical surgery for incontinence pulls the bladder up and secures it. When stress incontinence is serious, the surgeon may use a wide sling, to narrow the urethra and hold up the bladder to prevent leakage.

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Caring for Elderly Parents Checklist

2012-08-21T13:33:24Z

Caring for Elderly Parents Checklist

Checklist – Caring for Elderly Parents

This guide and checklist will help families caring for elderly loved ones. We have included important to-do items that will help in dealing with the issues seniors and their families face. This article covers: Determining needs, Receive Permission, Handy information to access, Knowledge of senior concerns, and Taking a break and Caring for yourself.

Determining Senior’s Needs – Caring for Elderly

• Is your parent in need of assistance with shopping, cleaning, laundry, making beds, or yard work?

• Is your parent in need of assistance with bathing, dressing or grooming?

• Is she in need of assistance with grocery shopping, or meal preparation?

• Is your parent experiencing difficulty with memory, hearing, vision, or movement?

• Is it safe for your parent to drive or use public transportation alone?

• Does your parent have difficulty residing at home? Would modifications help improve safety?

• Is your parent in need of assistance with paying bills or managing finances?

• Does your parent need help with making legal and other important decisions?

Receive Permission

• Appoint a trusted family member for financial power of attorney to handle paying bills and financial decisions

• Identify a close relative to handle health care decisions with a medical power of attorney

• Discuss and execute a living will to define future life-support preferences

• Identify legal documents, policies, and accounts and have safety deposit box access

• Document your senior’s wishes: funeral preferences, songs, cremation, finances, medical preferences

• To make legal decisions, utilize a durable power of attorney

• Consider who to add to mortgages and deeds

Handy information to access when Caring for Elderly

• Copies of identification records: including, driver’s license, social security, and military ID numbers

• Copies of Insurance documents: including medicare, or medicaid info, supplements, long-term care policy

• Document medical history: include known allergies, medications, past surgerys and procedures

• Geriatric doctors: contact information including names, address, phone numbers

• Locate vital records including: birth certificate, marriage license, spouse death certificate, divorce decree

• Identify trusted providers, including: financial advisor, lawyer, accountant, clergy

• Update address list of family, friends, neighbors, and religious members

• Document financial records, including: checkbook, account numbers, tax records, investments

• Contact insurance agent for review on medical, life, homeowner’s, long-term care, auto

• Review and update legal documents inlcuding: powers of attorney, will, health care directive

• Locate deeds on properties including home, vehicles, or boat title

• Identify household records, including: mortgage, tax records on property, apartment lease

• Discuss final wishes including: burial, funeral pre-planning, organ donation, estate distribution

Senior Concerns

• Your parent wants to continue to make as many decisions possible

• Your parent wants you to respect her independence

• Your parent wants to talk to you about their desires, concerns, and frustrations

• Your parent wants you to have reasonable expectations of what can be done independently

• Your parent wants you to be patient, loving, and show compassion while you are being responsible

• Your parent wants you to make good decisions that are in the best interest of your parent’s needs

Take a break…and care for yourself

• Take a break and do something you find enjoyable for yourself

• Recognize when you are getting tired and you need to take a break

• Don’t feel guilty when you take a much needed break

• Utilize other family members, support groups, and experienced caregivers

For a detailed assesment about caring for elderly, take our senior-elderly needs assessment.

For a information about a personal emrgency button for seniors visit MyBuddyButton.com

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5 Early Signs of Dementia

2013-01-07T21:24:33Z

5 Early Signs of Dementia

According to memory experts, even doctors miss early dementia signs because they’re focused on memory loss to the exclusion of other symptoms. In fact, in 2011 Spanish researchers found that more than a third of adults who go on to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s (the kind that appears before age 65) have the following symptoms early in the disease, even before memory loss is apparent. These symptoms can also be the first to appear among adults who develop Alzheimer’s after age 65. Of course, if you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to have them checked out by a doctor, psychologist, or other expert in cognition and the brain.

Early sign of dementia #1: Personality change

A warm, friendly loved one may seem to morph into a bit of a grouch – at first occasionally, and then increasingly. A gregarious person still jokes and talks a lot but begins to say inappropriate things or make odd accusations. A mild-mannered loved one begins cursing. All of these are examples of the kinds of personality changes that can preceed memory loss in someone with dementia. Often, it’s only later that friends and family look back and realize that behaviors they found off-putting or upsetting weren’t intentional but related to the Alzheimer’s.

Early sign of dementia #2: Problems with executive functioning

Trouble carrying out basic, familiar tasks can creep up slowly but surely. The person may, for example, have difficulty doing something that involves multiple steps, like following written directions or instructions. A longtime cook may avoid complicated recipes. A hobbyist may simplify the form of his or her craft. Other hallmark trouble areas: making plans and not following through, whether for a vacation or an activity. Not tracking bills. Not being able to solve simple problems, such as mending a broken piece of machinery he or she could once fix easily.

Early sign of dementia #3: Vision problems

Problems with depth perception or visual-spatial coordination can precede memory problems. The person may have trouble driving or even walking well without tripping on stairs. It can be hard to judge distances or see contrasts between like colors, which can lead to accidents. In a more severe example of a perception problem, the person may not recognize himself or herself in a mirror or when passing his or her reflection in a building or window on the street.

Early sign of dementia #4: Language problems

Word retrieval and getting out the right words can become apparent before friends and family notice the more common communication problem of repeating stories or questions. For example the person having trouble may stop in the middle of a sentence, unable to think of the next word. (This can happen to anyone, but when it’s a sign of dementia, it happens with alarming frequency, and sometimes the person isn’t even aware of doing it.) Or the wrong word may come out – “mouth cleaner” for “toothbrush” or “picture stick” for “TV remote control.”

Early sign of dementia #5: Social withdrawal

Early in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, the person is often well aware that something is amiss, even if he or she isn’t exactly sure of the source of the problem. It can be frightening to feel that you’re not quite in control of your faculties all of the time. This can cause the person to use more and more energy to stay in self-command. That leaves less energy to interact with others. Sometimes the person isn’t even aware that he or she seems to be losing interest in friends and family, because he or she is concentrating so hard on just getting through the day.

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Caregiving, Seniors with Cancer

2012-08-20T21:07:53Z

Caregiving, Seniors with Cancer

The incidence rate of cancer rises so dramatically with age, the World Health Organization lists ageing as a fundamental factor in the development of cancer as over 75% of all cancer diagnoses in the US come from people aged 55 and older. So how can you prepare for caring for seniors with cancer diagnosis at an advanced age?

Caregiving – Seniors with Cancer

The National Institute on Aging recommends scheduling regular screening tests for several cancers including breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, throat cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer. Screening exams including pap tests, mammograms, colonoscopies, and prostate specific antigen tests certainly ought to be included in every senior’s medical routine as when cancer is detected early treatment is likely to be far more effective.

It is also important to be aware of rare cancers that seniors are at an extremely high risk for. Pleural mesothelioma, for example, only affects about 3,000 people a year in the United States but because it has a latency period of 20-50 years before it begins to enter metastasis, it affects seniors almost exclusively. Even worse, because it’s symptoms- which include difficulty breathing and a fluid build-up in the lungs- are so commonly associated with other diseases seniors commonly face it often is not diagnosed until the cancer has spread through-out the body, making early detection even more invaluable.

Preventative care measures are extremely important, as many seniors are no longer engaged in an active lifestyle. Regular exercise and a healthy eating plan can not only prolong your life, but, along with abstaining from heavy amounts of alcohol and smoking, are among the best ways to work to prevent cancer from occurring.

A serious concern of taking care of senior diagnosed with cancer is that because seniors have fewer and less effective nerve cells they are far more susceptible to chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and nerve damage than younger people are. This nerve damage is most common in the extremities such as the arms and legs and can cause a tingling, pain, numbness, or less sensitivity to touch.

Fortunately several simple tasks such as walking can help to circulate the blood can reduce this neuropathy. Regardless it’s important to keep sharp objects such as razors, knives, and scissors out of the hands of seniors with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy may not feel a cut until it becomes serious, and avoid extreme temperatures as these may further damage nerve cells and cause pain and agitation.

In the end, thousands of seniors are diagnosed with cancer each day marking the beginning of a devastating and life-threatening journey for both them and their caregivers, but the best chances for a healthy recovery is to be aware of the dangers and continue to receive regular scheduled screenings so that a tumor, if found, is found early. To contact us “Click Here”. Caregiving, Senior with Cancer.

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What is Normal Aging vs. Dementia?

2012-03-09T15:38:47Z

What is Normal Aging vs. Dementia?

We all forget things, especially if we are low on sleep or high on stress, but we start to worry when aging loved ones exhibit forgetfulness when life is good. Is it Alzheimer’s, we ask ourselves, or dementia? By becoming familiar with the varying forms and symptoms of dementia, we can understand the differences between normal and abnormal brain function in aging friends and loved ones. What is Normal Aging vs Dementia?

Normal Aging vs Dementia

What is Dementia?

A long time ago “senility” was a word used to describe the loss of mental capacity in the aged. Today, dementia is the term used to describe a host of symptoms that include the diminishing ability to remember, solve problems, or perform other cognitive tasks.

The following is a list of symptoms we may observe in the early stages of dementia:

• A change in mood or levels of anger

• Difficulty finding the right word

• Trouble completing everyday tasks like housework or balancing the checkbook

• Losing a sense of place

• Inability to make sound decisions

• Becoming suspicious or frightened without cause

If these early symptoms continue and are accompanied by worsening symptoms, it is important to make an appointment for a physical evaluation. These worsening symptoms might include:

• Inability to carry out basic daily hygiene

• Poor, disrupted, or flipped sleep cycles

• Aggression or lewd behavior

• Hallucinations

There are many possible causes for dementia. Strokes, thyroid conditions, and deposits of plaque or the presence of Lewy bodies can all cause the symptoms of dementia. Quick attention to symptoms can often lead to a rapid diagnosis and treatment, greatly reducing the severity of the impairment.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease makes up over 50% of all dementia cases. It is a progressive disease that slowly incapacitates the cognitive functioning of sufferers. It is a disease related to age and usually strikes after the age of 65. It is currently an incurable disease—most patients survive for about 10 years after they are diagnosed.

Like many progressive diseases, Alzheimer’s has many stages. Physicians will help friends and loved ones understand how to support the sufferer through each stage. Many outstanding support groups exist to aid families and friends and as well as the Alzheimer patient.

It is not uncommon for someone of advanced years to mislay keys or forget the right word. By becoming familiar with the signs and symptoms of age-related brain diseases such as dementia we can recognize the difference between the normal effects of aging and brain disease. This knowledge will enable us to give the best of care to our loved ones. Normal Aging vs Dementia.

Normal Aging vs Dementia.

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