Dementia Care: Coping Strategies for Care Providers

Providing care for elderly individuals who have dementia, which is also known as dementia care, is a major responsibility for both professionals and family members. If you offer eldercare to your loved one who suffers from dementia then you are certainly well aware of the unique challenges this form of care can present.

Understanding Dementia
In order to cope with the stresses of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia care, the Alzheimer’s care, Chapel Hill, professionals know that it’s important to really understand what your elderly loved one is going through. Dementia changes seniors because it directly impacts the brain, making it difficult for them to remember certain details, perform certain tasks, and even simply orient themselves. This can make them feel vulnerable, uneasy, and frustrated. As such, seniors may experience a change in personality and they may take out some of their frustrations on those around them, even if they don’t mean to.

By understanding why your elderly loved one is acting this way it can be easier to provide the care that they need. Through your efforts, you can help your senior feel more secure in an environment that may seem unfamiliar to them.

Keeping Yourself Healthy
One of the most important things to remember when providing dementia care is that you cannot take care of your senior if you don’t take care of yourself first. This responsibility is demanding, and though it is just as rewarding as it can be stressful it is important to make sure that you see to your physical and mental wellbeing as you take care of your loved one. Below are a few ways for you to do so.

1. Take at least one day off per week. If you need to bring in a respite care professional to do so, make it happen. This day will allow you to recharge and rest so that you can keep from burning out. 
2. Exercise compassion. It is important to not only be patient with your senior but to also try to understand what they are going through in order to best cope with the situation. 
3. Talk about your experiences. Sharing with friends, family members, or even professionals can prove extremely therapeutic. 

With these coping mechanisms in mind you can better care for your loved one.

What's the Latest in Alzheimer's Research?

Eldercare professionals are continually learning more about Alzheimer's disease and how it can impact seniors through the work of medical researchers. Research regarding Alzheimer's disease—encompassing topics pertaining to detection, treatment, prevention, and finding a cure—has been pursued by healthcare professionals for decades. Today, Alzheimer's care providers are more educated than ever before regarding the needs of their elderly patients; however, there is still much to learn about this condition and how it affects seniors. Below are several different developments in Alzheimer's disease research, policy development, and more, as reported by the Alzheimer's Association.

• The National Alzheimer's Plan has been updated to create a timeline for Alzheimer's research efforts, create milestones regarding treatment and prevention, develop educational materials for general practitioners, organize an expert panel to focus on the later phases of the condition, and enhance efforts regarding public awareness and engagement pertaining to disease prevention. 
• The Alzheimer's Association supported the reintroduction of the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act (HOPE standing for Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education). This is a program that is targeted at improving the timeliness and accuracy of diagnoses related to dementia. Additionally, it is focused on assisting elderly individuals and their loved ones in accessing the support and information they need. 
• President Barack Obama has dedicated $100 million of the FY 2014 budget to Alzheimer's disease research and awareness programs. These funds will drive the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease as well as many initiatives that have been established to fight and learn more about this condition. While financial concerns have certainly limited such budgetary allowances on a national scale, this is an investment in future financial security because the cost of Alzheimer's has risen to $203 billion each year. 
• The Obama Administration has supported Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies, or BRAIN. This is an initiative that aims to map the brain in order to better understand its functions—and the diseases, like Alzheimer's, that can interrupt the healthy activity of the human brain. 

Alzheimer's disease is a devastating condition, and healthcare professionals are striving to learn as much as they can about this illness in order to better prevent, diagnose, and treat it.

What Is the Connection Between Berries and Cognitive Decline?

Cognitive decline is an issue that many seniors face, as the ability of the brain to function efficiency wanes as the aging process takes place. This is natural, but it can be slowed with the right approach. A study published in 2012 in the Annals of Neurology shows that the consumption of berries may actually help to reduce the rate of cognitive decline that seniors experience. For dementia care and Alzheimer's care, Chapel Hill, professionals, this is a wonderful breakthrough, as it supplies eldercare providers with information that can help them to assist their seniors in maintaining the highest degree of cognitive function possible.

How Do Berries Slow Cognitive Decline?
Professionals who provide care for the elderly are encouraged to understand just how berries work with the brain to improve function. According to a blog post that recaps the findings of the study, berries are able to achieve this goal because of their high concentration of flavonoids.1 The flavonoids that berries contain are called anthocyanidins, which are unique in that they are able to cross the blood brain barrier. As such, they can directly infiltrate the hippocampus, which is a part of the brain that plays a major role regarding memory and learning. The blog post explains that the ability to cross the blood brain barrier is key, as the inability to do so is what prevents many new drugs from being effective.

In addition to entering the hippocampus directly, these flavonoids are useful because they are antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. When the brain becomes inflamed or undergoes stress, the blog post explains, it shows a decline in function.

Adding Berries to Your Senior's Diet
While eating berries every day cannot completely prevent cognitive decline, research indicates that it can slow the process. As such, it is a good idea to encourage your elderly loved one to eat berries by keeping a fresh supply on hand. Go ahead and wash the berries and store them in containers in your senior's refrigerator so that they can snack on them whenever they would like. Additionally, you might add them to your loved one's breakfast or dessert.

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1 http://blog.alz.org/why-berries-may-delay-memory-decline/

Chapel Hill Elder Care: The Effects of a Stroke on Memory

By: Todd Palmer

Chapel Hill Elder Care: A stroke can have a long list of effects on a senior, one of which is memory loss. John from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has recently assisted his mother with settling back into her home after recovering from a minor stroke. Although she has been able to return to her independent lifestyle thanks to the daily assistance of a home care provider, his mother suffers from a bit of memory loss due to her stroke. John set out to research the ways in which this memory loss developed and how it impacts his mother's cognitive capabilities. Here are some of the important facts that he discovered during the process:[1]

• Because a stroke cuts off blood supply to the brain, the lasting effects that this event has on a senior varies based upon the part of the brain that is affected. Memory loss is more common in individuals who have suffered a stroke that has impacted the right hemisphere of this organ.
• In addition to memory loss, strokes in the right hemisphere can also cause an elderly individual to have difficulty focusing on a task, conversation, or other object.
• Verbal memory, including the names of individuals, information pertaining to language, and stories, is often disrupted by a stroke.
• Visual memory, too, can be impaired by a stroke. This type of memory includes directions, shapes, the faces of friends and family members, and other information that is visually collected.
• Informational memory, or the memory regarding information and skills, is also frequently impacted by a stroke. This type of memory loss can make it difficult for seniors to learn new things.
• Vascular dementia is commonly associated with stroke. This form of memory loss entails a more general decline in cognitive abilities.
• The symptoms of memory loss vary from one senior to the next; however, the most common signs that memory impairment has taken place include loss of short-term memory, confusion, wandering, and trouble following directions.

John knows that helping your senior cope with a stroke and its subsequent effects can be extremely difficult. But by understanding these basic facts about memory loss you can better care for your loved one as they recover from their experience.

Please take advantage of our free e-book that provides information on senior care and an overview of the services we offer.

Please visit our YouTube page, where you'll find short, informative videos on issues surrounding elder care.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care, contact Todd Palmer and the professionals at Always Best Care of Chapel Hill and Durham at (919) 357-1440 visit their website.

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[1] http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=memory

Dementia Care Chapel Hill: Redirecting an Individual with Memory Loss

By Todd Palmer
Dementia Care Chapel Hill - Memory loss is something that naturally occurs as people age. Whether your senior has the mild memory loss that stems from the aging process or is afflicted with dementia, the inability to remember certain events or details can be extremely frustrating. As such, it is important that you, as your senior's caregiver, are able to recognize when your elderly loved one is involved in a confrontation due to their memory loss. The home care professionals of Always Best Care in Durham, North Carolina, have provided the following tips to assist you in reducing the stress of the situation and helping to alleviate the anger involved in this particular circumstance.

1. Make an effort to remove your senior from the situation. If they are engaged in a confrontation with you, concede the argument and walk away; if they are fighting with another person, discretely let the individual know that memory loss is causing the confrontation and encourage them to stand  down. If necessary, you may need to physically remove your senior from the room in order to redirect their attention to another topic.

1. Try not to make it seem as though it is your senior's fault. While they may be causing the confrontation because they do not remember a certain detail, it is important not to place blame on your elderly loved one. Instead, remain as positive as possible when extricating them from the situation.

1. Gently reminding your loved one about the events that have taken place may help in redirecting them, depending on the type of memory loss they are experiencing and the severity of their condition. In some cases, going over certain details or looking at family pictures can help to end confrontation and remind your senior about the information over which they are fighting.

Please take advantage of our free e-book that provides information on senior care and an overview of the services we offer.

Memory loss is, quite honestly, a very scary thing to experience. As such, your senior may feel frustrated, insecure, or uncomfortable when they cannot remember certain details. The key to keeping them from continuing to carry on a confrontation is to stop the argument and either explain the situation to your senior or, if they have severe memory loss, move on to a new topic of conversation.

Please visit our YouTube page, where you'll find short, informative videos on issues surrounding elder care.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care, contact Todd Palmer and the professionals at Always Best Care of Chapel Hill and Durham at (919) 357-1440 visit their website.

Dementia Care Chapel Hill: Recognizing the Signs of Dementia

By Todd Palmer

Dementia Care Chapel Hill - Dementia is a progressive condition that impacts a large number of elderly individuals. While there is no cure for the many forms of dementia that exist, there are ways in which medical professionals can treat and manage its symptoms to assist in slowing the progression of the disease.[1] The key, though, to best caring for a senior who has dementia is to catch it early, as treatment is more effective in situations where the issue is addressed during the earliest stages. At Always Best Care of Chapel Hill we are constantly monitoring patients and alerting families at the first sign of loss.

Chelsea of Durham, North Carolina, provided home care for her mother before it was time to transfer her to a nursing home. Chelsea was able to detect dementia in her mother early, and has since advocated for the improved awareness of the symptoms of this disease. Here, Chelsea shares these symptoms to assist you in catching this condition as early as possible should your elderly loved one experience it. The most common signs of dementia include:

• Memory loss 
• Trouble communicating 
• Difficulty planning 
• Impaired organization 
• Inability to retain new information 
• Changes in personality, behavior, and judgment 
• Motor function and coordination impairment 
• Trouble reasoning 
• Paranoia 
• Hallucinations 
• Agitation

A lot of these symptoms are difficult to pinpoint because, in many cases, they are also the natural signs of aging. As such, it is important to pay close attention to your senior's condition in order to determine whether or not they need medical attention. The best rule of thumb to follow is to schedule an appointment for your elderly loved one with their doctor should any of these issues arise. After an initial investigation of these conditions, make it a point to take your senior into the doctor should they suffer from symptoms that interfere with daily life (i.e. disruptive memory loss).

Chelsea and her family experienced the process of identifying and treating dementia first hand, and as such she can say that it is a difficult process for both seniors and their family members; however, managing this disease is easier if it is caught early, and Chelsea encourages you to understand these warning signs so that, should dementia develop, your family can have as much time with your senior as possible.

Please take advantage of our free e-book that provides information on senior care and an overview of the services we offer.

Please visit our YouTube page, where you'll find short, informative videos on issues surrounding elder care.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care, contact Todd Palmer and the professionals at Always Best Care of Chapel Hill and Durham at (919) 357-1440 visit their website.

[1] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dementia/DS01131/DSECTION=symptoms

Alzheimers Care Chapel Hill: Alzheimer's-Related Diabetes

By Todd Palmer

Alzheimers Care Chapel Hill:  At first, a connection between Alzheimer's disease and diabetes may seem improbable. One of these conditions concerns the brain and the other pertains, most basically, to the hormone insulin—how can they be related? While studies have yet to reveal the entirety of the connection between Alzheimer's disease and diabetes, they have uncovered links between these two illnesses that are important to understand.

The studies that have thus far indicated a connection between these diseases assert that individuals who have diabetes, particularly the type 2 variety, are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease when they get older.[1] As a result, it could prove possible (although research has yet to confirm the theory) to reduce the odds that an individual develops Alzheimer's disease by engaging in preventative and maintenance activities related to diabetes.

The link between these diseases that has been, so far, uncovered lies in the damage that diabetes does to the blood vessels. When blood vessels in the brain are impaired by diabetes, they may lead to vascular dementia. A form of dementia like Alzheimer's, this particular condition leads to a decline in cognitive abilities. Because Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia share many symptoms, it is not yet understood how one can lead to the other; however, it has been asserted by some researchers that these two diseases may interact in a way that worsens them both simultaneously.

But the connection between Alzheimer's disease and diabetes may also be rooted in the fact that diabetes changes the way that the body processes glucose. Type 2 diabetes has the power to alter the body's ability to respond to insulin, as well, and this may cause the brain and other important organs to develop different conditions due to this abnormality.

Finally, the connection may also lie in the fact that diabetes can enhance the odds that an individual will develop mild cognitive impairment. This condition is seen as a bridge between normal aging processes and the damage done by dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

The relationship between Alzheimer's disease and dementia is yet to be clearly defined; however, understanding that this link exists can help individuals in engaging in preventative activities that may decrease their risk of developing dementia as they age.

Please take advantage of our free e-book that provides information on senior care and an overview of the services we offer.

Please visit our YouTube page, where you'll find short, informative videos on issues surrounding elder care.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care in Chapel Hill, contact Todd Palmer and the professionals at Always Best Care of Chapel Hill and Durham at (919) 357-1440 visit their website.

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[1] All information from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-and-alzheimers/AZ00050                                         

Elder Care Chapel Hill - What Can a Concerned Person Do to Stop Elder Abuse?

By:  Todd Palmer

Elder Care Chapel Hill - The senior care professionals of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, are aware that elder abuse is, unfortunately, an issue that many families must address. The proper way to handle this situation depends, though, upon the environment in which the abuse takes place. No matter where the abuse happens, or who commits it, it is crucial that you and your family do everything possible to protect your elderly loved one against such mistreatment.

Abuse Committed by Professionals

Whether it is in an assisted living, nursing home, or home care setting, abuse at the hands of professional elder care providers is something that does take place. If you suspect that your senior is suffering at the hands of a professional caregiver, it is crucial to get them out of the situation as soon as possible. This might entail requesting that a different home care provider is assigned to your loved one, moving them out of a nursing home, or having them transferred to a new assisted living facility.

While it is important to quickly protect your senior, it is equally as important to, after they are removed from danger, ensure that the allegations against professional caregivers are true. The company that employs the accused caregiver should be willing to work with you to find out what, exactly, has taken place.

Abuse Committed by Family Members

Taking care of an elderly family member can be incredibly taxing, particularly if the responsibility falls to one single person. But the immense stress of the situation does not make it acceptable to abuse seniors physically, emotionally, or financially. If you are worried that your elderly loved one is being mistreated by a family member, it is important to speak to both your senior and their caregiver. If necessary, have another trusted individual take over care until the situation is resolved. Should abuse allegations be true, counseling is often recommended—as well as hiring a professional caregiver or having another family member take over the responsibility.

Elder abuse is, unfortunately, something that many families must face. Should your senior fall victim to any form of abuse at the hands of a caregiver, whether they are a professional or a family member, it is incredibly important to step in and address the situation.


Please take advantage of our free e-book that provides information on senior care and an overview of the services we offer.

Memory loss is, quite honestly, a very scary thing to experience. As such, your senior may feel frustrated, insecure, or uncomfortable when they cannot remember certain details. The key to keeping them from continuing to carry on a confrontation is to stop the argument and either explain the situation to your senior or, if they have severe memory loss, move on to a new topic of conversation.

Please visit our YouTube page, where you'll find short, informative videos on issues surrounding elder care.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care, contact Todd Palmer and the professionals at Always Best Care of Chapel Hill and Durham at (919) 357-1440 visit their website.