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Caring For The Alzheimer’s Patient
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s is
stressful, frustrating and exhausting. By knowing and following some basic
guidelines, the task can be made easier.
Number 1: Realize the person suffering from Alzheimer’s recognizes
what’s happening to them – at least in the initial stages. They are not
objects, but human beings with the same emotions, feelings and fears as you
and me. Talk to them, and not at them. Far too many caregivers seem to think
that a person suffering from Alzheimer’s isn’t aware when being referred to in
the 3rd person – even when they are sitting in the same room with others
present!
Number 2: Never argue with an Alzheimer’s patient. It’s not only
pointless, but self-defeating. Whatever was said by the patient one minute may
be totally forgotten by them the next. This is because while their short term
memory is compromised, long term memory is quite acute.
Number 3: Avoid pointing out lapses in memory. Yes, Mom may be asking
why Dad isn’t joining everyone for dinner – even though Dad passed on years
ago. By reminding her Dad has died, you merely put her through the torment of
loss all over again – and within hours she’ll have forgotten, and start asking for
her husband again. Just say Dad is a bit busy in the next room and will join the
family later.
Number 4: You have to enter their reality. Alzheimer’s patients may see
people who aren’t there, hear voices no one else hears, and take illusion for fact.
For instance, it was found that having black and white checkerboard floor tiles
was quite detrimental to Alzheimer sufferers. The reason? The black tiles were
perceived as bottomless holes – and patients did all they could to avoid stepping
into those “voids.” Plus, as the division between this life and the next grows thinner, who is to say
that the patient isn’t truly experiencing things beyond our understanding?
Number 5: Patience! Your loved one doesn’t like the situation any more than
you do. But taking out your frustrations on them won’t make you feel any better,
but it will make everyone involved feel worse.
Number 6: Know your limits! You may have the best intentions in the world,
but ruining your health and sanity isn’t a legitimate trade off to providing care.
Number 7: The most dedicated caregiver in the world still needs time
for his or her self. Additionally, there may very well be other family members
who need you as well. Pushing yourself to total exhaustion is never an
acceptable option.
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Alzheimer’s Initial Stages
It’s usually passed off as “just normal” signs of aging. Forgetting where one placed a
wallet or handbag, or where the car is parked. Familiar names seem to vanish when
trying to recall them, being just on the tip of the tongue but never making it all the way
to full consciousness.
While these episodes do pass, they keep cropping up with increased frequency.
Many times the person experiencing these symptoms will effectively hide them from
friends and family. It’s understandable, because no one likes to admit they’re not as
sharp as they once were, or may be starting down the path to clinical dementia.
Even if they do see a doctor, all too often the somewhat elderly are just sent away with
a pat on the back and a prescription to calm them down
What To Watch Out For:
It will be a series of small incidents at first:
You’ll notice the person is continually “misplacing” their personal belongings.
Events that happened just a short while ago (weeks, days or even hours) seem
to be forgotten far more frequently than usual.
They may appear suddenly startled or frightened in what should be familiar
places and surroundings – questioning where they are and where you are
taking them.
Confusion over common place happenings starts becoming noticeable.
You’ll notice unusual mood swings. Though their basic emotions and personality
remains more or less intact, they may become increasingly belligerent or
argumentative. (This is often a defense mechanism for hiding the severity of
the symptoms.)
As Alzheimer’s Progresses
The incidents mentioned above aren’t getting any better – rather they’re becoming more
and more obvious. Unable to hide their frustrations, the person in question will start
withdrawing from previously anticipated activities.
What To Watch Out For:
They may reduce or stop seeing friends and acquaintances.
Daily walks or regular outings are no longer taken, many times because the
person fears forgetting where they are or how to find their way home.
If they are still driving, they’ll sometimes take off without noticing the
passenger who was with them beforehand is no longer in the car.
They become pronouncedly more withdrawn, confused, and are markedly
reticent in speaking about what they feel is happening. The beginnings of
paranoia are not uncommon.
It’s at this point medical advice should definitely be sought, as the person
affected can soon become a danger to themselves and others. Not through acts of
aggression, but through being unaware of their actions or surroundings.
Progressing Disabilities
As damage to the brain cells spreads, inappropriate behavior becomes more marked.
The wall between reality and mind induced fantasy begins to break down.
Alzheimer patients may see or hear individuals that are not present, or take
images (like in wall murals) for actual physical things.
Their memory lapses may also become increasingly dangerous – such as leaving
the oven burners on, forgetting to turn off water – or leaving the premises and
wandering about in a blank daze.
Patients in these advanced stages will often need help in dressing, bathing and
eating.
Paradoxically, people in this stage may start talking far more than before, reliving
older memories and experiences.
Final Stages
In the final stages of Alzheimer’s, patients may lose their ability to communicate, except
through maybe grunts or half articulated syllables. They no longer recognize loved
ones or friends. Motor skills are minimal, at best. Being bed-bound, they rely upon on
constant around the clock care.
The end result is finally death, usually through pneumonia, nutritional deficiencies or
chronic dehydration.
To preserve the independence,
dignity and quality of life for aging loved ones struggling with Alzheimer's
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Alzheimer’s & Related Dementia
Symptoms, Considerations and Care
Alzheimer patients can live a good many years after the disease begins. While starting
off with seemingly mild symptoms, such as forgetfulness or memory lapses, in the end
stages of Alzheimer’s, the sufferer is often in a limbo of fear and shadows.
Not even recognizing their loved ones or current surroundings, it’s a heartbreaking
situation for all involved. A once strong, vigorous parent or spouse is left a frail husk of
their former selves.
Caring for an Alzheimer’s patient is both physically demanding and spiritually draining.
All too often the caregiver is overwhelmed, and they themselves are in danger of
succumbing to the daily, constant stress of seeing to the patient’s needs.
But with Alzheimer’s, there are ways in helping you cope with the situation as best as
possible. You must recognize both the symptoms and the reality of Alzheimer’s.
Knowing what to expect at each stage of the disease will go a long way in helping you
as a caretaker handle each day as it comes along.
What Exactly is Alzheimer’s?
The typical Alzheimer’s brain is partly atrophied; with the brain cells clumped together in
what are called “neurofibrillary tangles” or “plaques.”
The average human brain contains approximately 100 billion nerve cells, connecting at
over 100 trillion points (synapses). With Alzheimer’s, these neurons begin to die off and
the brain’s ability to transfer information dwindles.
In advanced stages, the brain actually shows dramatic shrinkage in size.
Since the brain is no longer effectively processing information - memory, personality and
motor functions suffer as a result.
However, one should keep in mind that having these tangles and plaques does not
necessarily mean Alzheimer’s is a given. In one United States study (called the “Nun
Study”) nuns who spent there entire life in a cloister were examined after death.
Even though some of these nuns did exhibit the classical tangles and plaques consistent
with Alzheimer’s, they never had any of the symptoms, living a healthy, well structured
life up until the very end.
How Widespread Is Alzheimer’s?
These are the figures from the latest Alzheimer’s Association study – the 2009
Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures:
5.3 million people are afflicted with Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the USA
Every 70 seconds, a new case of Alzheimer’s is diagnosed
A Message for Patients and Their Families
It’s estimated that in less than 10 years, 1 in 4 Americans will be diagnosed with
this disease.
Who’s At Risk?
The risk of Alzheimer’s increases with age, and symptoms usually start to appear at age
65 or older. However, early onset dementia is not rare – with some cases starting at age
30.
The genetically related risk factor is the presence of the Apo lipoprotein E epsilon4
(APOE e4) allele. Groups having this genetic trait in greater numbers are Africans, Inuits,
Native American Indians, and Northern Europeans.
Environmental Factors
There are several toxins linked to both the severity and onset of Alzheimer’s, the most
common being:
Aluminum (processed foods, medications and personal hygiene products)
Mercury (amalgam tooth fillings, industrial run off & ocean pollution)
Fluoride (municipal water “treatments”)
Copper (from copper lined cookware and environmental factors)
Some researchers also find relationships between electromagnetic fields such as
cell phone radiation and Alzheimer’s. This does have a ring of truth, as cell phones
emit high frequency radiation beamed directly into the user’s brain. Given the almost
addictive use of cell phones in the younger generation, this can well be a catastrophe in
the making.
Doctors also indicate insulin resistance as yet another cause of Alzheimer’s. With the
incidents of diabetes exploding across the nation, this is a trend to carefully monitor.
(The aforementioned Nun Study did have some interesting observations. Nuns were
asked to submit writing samples over the course of 20 years (1986 – 2008). Researchers
found those nuns who had the greatest deterioration in writing skills also had the
greatest tendency towards Alzheimer’s.)
For more information about home care services for your loved one struggling with Alzheimer's
Call Us Toll Free!
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Non-Alzheimer’s Dementia
There are other diseases and conditions other than Alzheimer’s that can and do cause
dementia.
Environmental factors (like long term exposure to mercury)
Strokes
Vascular dementia from strokes accounts for over 17% of dementia cases. Strokes occur
when blood flow to the brain is slowed or blocked. Unlike Alzheimer’s, dementia from
strokes usually happen in a very short period of time. However, a series of small strokes
can happen over time without a person noticing – until the big one comes along and
causes its neural destruction.
Lewy Body Disease
Sometimes listed as an Alzheimer’s sub-condition, Lewy body disease happens when
protein deposits in the brain (called Lewy bodies after its discoverer) hamper normal
neural functions.
Hallucinations are more common in Lewy disease, and dementia symptoms tend to
appear more rapidly than with Alzheimer’s. Sufferers also exhibit more motor function
problems, similar to those of Parkinson’s Disease.
Lewy body disease can account for almost 20% of dementia cases.
Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease occurs from damage to the nerve cells controling muscle movement.
Patients exhibit periods where they find it difficult to walk or even move.
About 1 in 5 people with Parkinson's disease eventually develop dementia – mainly
because of the aforementioned Lewy bodies in their brain and brain stem.
Frontotemporal dementia
Frontotemporal dementia is caused by disorders affecting the brain’s frontal or front
temporal lobes. This damage affects personality, memory, and behavior – much like in
Alzheimer’s.
Unlike Alzheimer’s however, personality changes tend to occur earlier on, with
disorientation happening later. Plus, time-related memory in this type of dementia is less
than that of Alzheimer’s – but frontotemporal dementia patients do have greater
problems with forming words and sentences.
Severe behavioral changes are also common with frontotemporal dementia – with
patients often exhibiting anti-social and at times almost sociopathic tendencies.
Huntington's Disease
Huntington's Disease is a fatal condition shared by 30,000 Americans. Caused by a
genetic abnormality destroying targeted nerve cells in the brain, it lowers
neurotransmitter levels - causing mental, emotional, and behavioral changes.
Eventually sufferers lose the ability to walk, talk, or even swallow.
This disease is genetic, but symptoms don’t usually appear until middle age.
Pathological Dementia
Viral or bacterial infections can cause dementia. One example is the HIV virus.
Another is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease – better known as Mad Cow Disease. Exceedingly
rare, there is only 1 case per million in any given year. This disease is transmitted by
what’s called a prion - an infectious protein destroying a brain's nerve cells.
Prions are almost indestructible, surviving conditions that would long since have killed
their host. Symptoms from Creutzfeldt-Jakob appear quickly, and the disease is almost
always fatal.
Other causes of dementia are:
Brain tumors
Head injuries
Hydrocephalus - an accumulation of cranial cerebrospinal fluid usually affecting
those 65 years of age or older.
Alcoholism and drugs
Thyroid disease or other endocrine disorders
Mercury poisoning. This is where the term “Mad as a hatter” originated.
Craftsmen used mercuric salts as part of the hat making process, and after long
term exposure, the mercury eventually destroyed their brain cells.
Mercury was also the factor in many a gold prospector’s demise, as mercury
was used to coax out tiny gold flakes from the panning process, then heated to
release the precious metal. However, this heating produced mercury vapor as
well, which was inhaled by the clueless fortune seeker.
For more information about home care services for your loved one struggling with Alzheimer's or Dementia,
Call Us to schedule a FREE In-Home consultation!
1-888-227-3205
Looking for
Better Quality
in Home Care
for Your Loved One
Struggling with Alzheimer’s, Dementia?
Call Us: 1-888-227-3205
When You Need Help, We’re Here for You
You want to do what’s right for your loved one - making sure their life is as happy,
comfortable and independent as possible.
But the demands of the real world often turn our best intentions inside out.
How do you care for your loved one struggling with alzheimer's and still
have time for yourself as well?
Early Detection Matters
Concerned Care Brought Directly Into Your Home
At Affinity Home Care, concerned care is what we’re all about, providing in-home care
giving services every bit as nurturing and compassionate as you yourself would give.
We make the quality of life commitments to those with Alzheimer’s dementia so much
easier for all involved. Allowing you or your loved one the independence wanted
combined with the nursing help and moral support needed.
An Urgent Epidemic
What Makes Us Stand Out
Every one of our clients enjoys the services of these home-care professionals:
Staff Supervisor, responsible for scheduling staff and coordinating services to
best fill the needs of both yourself and the Alzheimer’s patient,
Nursing Supervisor, who will make the initial home visit to accurately assess,
plan, and supervise the clinical care necessary. That will be followed-up with monthly visits to supervise care and provide support and education for family members at no additional cost.
Compassionate Caregiver – the individual who’ll be delivering your actual,
personalized, experienced care.
Our office has experienced On-Call Supervisors ready to respond to calls anytime day
or night, 24 Hours, 365 days a year.
Professional, Dedicated Help For Your Personal Needs and
Circumstances…
At Affinity Home Care, we take personal pride in offering expert and empathetic care
for our patients and clients going through the hardships and disabilities associated with
Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s dementia.
Our experienced caregivers are compassionate, thoroughly trained professionals. Each
goes through an extensive background check, assuring only the best of the best
make it through our meticulous hiring process.
You can rest assured of receiving the finest, most professional care possible.
Call Us Today For A Free, Friendly, No Obligation Consultation
1-888-227-3205
Every member of the Affinity Home Care team is dedicated to helping our clients making
it through even the most difficult of times and situations.
By giving us a call, you’ll be taking that first, all important step in creating a better
life for yourself and your loved one.
Yes, Alzheimer’s is a serious disease. But Affinity Home Care wants you to know you’re
not alone. Even if you’re only seeking information about local health care
agencies or services, or need help in understanding Alzheimer’s and dementia –
please don’t hesitate in giving us a call.
We’re here to help.
The Genetics of Alzheimer's
To preserve the independence, dignity and quality of life for aging loved ones, we offer each of our clients:
Compassionate Caregiver - who delivers personalized, experienced home care;
Staff Supervisor - who schedules staff and coordinates services;
Nursing Supervisor - who makes the initial home visit to assess, plan, and supervise care and also conducts monthly visits free of charge to supervise care and provide ongoing support and education for family members at home;
Elder Care Advocate - who will attend to all your needs, and provide liaison to community resources;
We participate in many types of insurance coverage including:
In addition to what we provide, we offer you the following links to other organizations that offer education and services that may assist you to care for your loved ones struggling with Alzheimer's and Dementia:
It’s usually passed off as “just normal” signs of aging. Forgetting where one placed a
wallet or handbag, or where the car is parked. Familiar names seem to vanish when
trying to recall them, being just on the tip of the tongue but never making it all the way
to full consciousness.
Alzheimer patients can live a good many years after the disease begins. While starting
off with seemingly mild symptoms, such as forgetfulness or memory lapses, in the end
stages of Alzheimer’s, the sufferer is often in a limbo of fear and shadows.
