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Archive for Alzheimer’s signs

Tips for Alzheimer’s Care

Alzheimer’s care takes plenty of patience and flexibility. Sometimes it can be difficult and frustrating when we don’t completely understand how to offer our care towards those with this condition. If you are caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease, then you must be aware of the progression of this disease and how to help them along the way.

The two most important components in caring for your loved ones with Alzheimer’s is helping reduce their frustrations and fostering a safe home environment for them at all times. Prepare yourself by understanding what Alzheimer’s disease is and how to care for your loved ones experiencing it.

Reduce Frustrations

People with Alzheimer’s disease typically become more aggressive and agitated when it comes to simple tasks. This is because simple tasks become more challenging to them which allows them to feel frustrated in doing them.

    To avoid your loved one from feeling feelings of frustration, you may help them by:

  • Scheduling wisely and establishing a routine such as bathing, eating and sleeping times.
  • Stay patient with your loved ones. Your loved ones will take a much longer time than they used to do things, be patient with them and allow them to take their time.
  • Ask questions to get their brain thinking. Sometimes, it is helpful to allow your loved ones to think a little on their own by letting them decide what kind of food they’d want to eat, what color to wear for the day.
  • Be clear, straight and to the point with what to do. Your loved ones will not be able to understand complex things, it’s best to keep their daily tasks as simple as possible to avoid any frustrations.

Foster a Safe Environment

Taking on the care of your loved ones means making sure your home is a safe place for them at all times. People with Alzheimer’s disease are prone to injuries. Prevent potential injuries from occurring by:

  • Make sure they do not have access to a flight of stairs. It is a safer option to have your loved ones stay on one level of the home at all times, or having supervision when walking up and down the stairs.
  • Make sure anything that can be potentially harmful such as utensils, medicine, other toxic substances are stored in a place that cannot be reached.
  • Don’t leave your loved ones without supervision near kitchen areas in case of fires.
  • Challenges of Caring For Someone with Alzheimer’s

    There are many challenges that come with caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease over time. You will notice plenty of changes in their cognitive, physical and functional abilities. These changes can cause them to behave in frustrating and upsetting ways. As you experience these changes in their behavior, keep in mind the importance of your emotional health as it can be a lot to handle especially as the responsibilities increase and become more challenging.

    You may experience:

    • Overwhelming emotions of stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation
    • Financial and work complications
    • Body exhaustion and fatigue
    • Mental and physical health issues

    Remember to care for yourself

    As you care for your loved ones, don’t forget to care for yourself. Caring for our loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease can often cause overwhelming emotions, exhaustion, and other complications. When the disease progresses over time, it can demand more of your time. The more you learn how it will progress over the years, the better you will understand and prepare for those challenges.

    Taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s is difficult but manageable. Know the tips to care for them and yourself, and you’ll be an incredible caretaker and loved one. And don’t forget, Silver State Neurology can help.

    How to Care For Someone with Alzheimer’s

    When someone starts to develop Alzheimer’s, it can cause strain on their loved ones. Sometimes it becomes difficult because we often don’t know what to do when their behavior changes. It’s important to keep in mind: their actions often cannot be controlled. Still, how can we care for someone afflicted by Alzheimer’s?

    Short and simple

    Those with Alzheimer’s will often forget that they’ve just asked a question multiple times. You will probably be tempted to give them an answer you would give someone else. But this might involve a lengthier and more complicated response. If you keep your response short and concise, you won’t be as frustrated when you have to repeat it as many times as they ask. It will also be easier for them to understand what you are saying.

    If you find yourself having to repeat yourself often, keep these tips in mind:

    •Consider (why they are asking); think about how they feel and give a response that can resolve frustrating emotions.
    •Distract; the best way to get their mind somewhere else is to ask for help. Ask them to perform a simple task to occupy their mind for a few minutes. This can be as simple as setting the table or folding the laundry.
    •Break; don’t be afraid to take a second for yourself if you are becoming angry. Losing your temper on someone with Alzheimer’s will just be frustrating for everybody. Take a moment to gather yourself to keep your cool.

    Keep it consistent

    As someone with Alzheimer’s declines the memory more, it can be difficult to keep new things organized. New experiences are jarring and can be frustrating without having patience. When a family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, consider making a weekly schedule. Include things like laundry, grocery shopping, meals, and anything else you can keep consistent.

    Give them independence

    Early on, those with Alzheimer’s simply need a small reminder to accomplish their daily tasks. Guide them softly at first, letting them keep their control. The longer they stay active and aware, the longer their memory will stay in better shape.

    For more complex tasks, like managing money or keeping track of medications, make sure they don’t make mistakes. If they do, gently correct it for them and assure them you are there to help.

    Take care of yourself

    Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone with Alzheimer’s is to take care of yourself. Seeing a loved one’s memory decline is can be frustrating. Consider a few of these tips to keep yourself ready for whatever comes your way:
    •Keep yourself connected; having people around you as you care for someone with Alzheimer’s will make it easier to decompress. Try to find others that are going through the same thing for encouragement and comfort.
    •Ask for help; know that the people around you want to help. We never want to take a break from helping our loved ones with Alzheimer’s, but sometimes we need a moment to recollect. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to step in for an afternoon, so you can get the time you need to recharge.
    •Don’t take it personally; Alzheimer’s is a disease that someone can’t control in their head. Sometimes they forget important things, and you must be forgiving. They don’t mean to hurt you, so care for them even when it’s difficult.
    •Laugh and be happy; your loved ones with Alzheimer’s are still your loved ones. Laugh with them and let yourself fall into the moments that make you happy. It’ll remind you of why they mean so much to you.

    Taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s is difficult but manageable. Know the tips to care for them and yourself, and you’ll be an incredible caretaker and loved one. And don’t forget, Silver State Neurology can help.

    Alzheimer’s Disease

    Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. Unfortunately, too many people are unaware of the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease. This can lead to a delay in treatment. If Alzheimer’s disease is treated earlier, a neurologist can help the affected have a better quality of life. At Silver State Neurology, we are a Las Vegas neurology clinic devoted to helping our patients achieve a better quality of life. We provide Alzheimer’s disease treatment in Las Vegas for our senior patients. It is among our top 5 diagnoses at Silver State Neurology.

    Every person may experience one or more of these signs in a different degree. One symptom alone does not necessarily indicate that a person has Alzheimer’s disease. However, if you start noticing more than one symptom of Alzheimer’s disease from the list below, don’t ignore them. Please see a doctor. Contact us to make an appointment at Silver State Neurology. Our Las Vegas neurologist, Dr. Christopher Milford, is well-equipped to help you manage your Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. Please see the list of insurances we accept and learn what to expect when seeing a neurologist. Visit our Facebook page to learn more about the conditions that we treat. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America unites more than 2,600 member organizations nationwide in the goal of providing optimal care and services to individuals living with dementia and to their families and caregivers.

    Disruptive Memory Loss & Alzheimer’s disease

    One of the most common early signs of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss. Mild forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. Having trouble remembering something then remembering it later is not a serious memory problem. People with Alzheimer’s disease, however, often forget information that they recently learned. They may forget things one day and remember it the next. It is typically inconsistent. This memory loss can become disruptive to daily life. They may lose track of important names, dates, or events. Sometimes they forget where they are or how they got there. They often ask for the same information over and over. At some point, this Alzheimer’s disease symptom will force a person to rely heavily on memory aids such as multiple notes or electronic reminders. Even doing things that were once familiar can become difficult. An ordinary task at work can become impossible.

    Poor Judgment

    Making an occasional bad decision is a mark of being human. It is not a sign of Alzheimer’s disease. A person with Alzheimer’s disease may show signs of changes in judgment that lead to consistently bad decision-making. The earliest changes in judgment usually involve money. People who were normally very cautious with their finances start spending money in unusual ways. This is why older people are often targets of phone scams. They may use poor judgment that ends with them sending large amounts of money to a scammer. A lack of proper judgment may also cause a person to neglect grooming or cleanliness. A person with Alzheimer’s disease might shower less often or dress inappropriately for the weather. They may even wear the same clothes for several days in a row. It is important for family members to take notice of these kinds of behavior. They may help a person get treated for Alzheimer’s disease earlier.

    Mood and Personality Changes

    Being irritable about a disruption in routine or habit is a normal reaction for most people, young or old. A characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease is a volatile change in mood and personality. This is a notable Alzheimer’s disease symptom. If this is unlike a person’s normal behavior, consult a doctor. Someone with Alzheimer’s disease may suddenly become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious. Being out of their comfort zone may cause them to become easily upset. Even in familiar situations at work or with family and friends, a person with Alzheimer’s disease may have mood swings that seem sudden. They may move around constantly, pace, or become fixated on specific details. It is important to pay attention to increased anxiety or aggression, especially if a person is starting to notice their own forgetfulness.

    Social or Work Withdrawal

    People sometimes feel weary of work or social activities. A worrisome sign of Alzheimer’s disease is when a person starts to remove themselves from hobbies or activities that used to make them happiest. Alzheimer’s disease can cause a person to completely forget how to do something that was once their favorite hobby. It may become difficult for them to keep up with their work or social obligations. Because of the changes they are experiencing, a person with Alzheimer’s disease might start to withdraw. They may avoid being social altogether. There can be a growing sense of indifference even in very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Research shows that indifference among people with mild cognitive impairment may predict a progression to developing Alzheimer’s.

    Losing Things

    It is not uncommon to misplace things from time to time. Most people are able to retrace their steps and remember where they left an item even as they are aging. A person with Alzheimer’s disease, however, may put things in unusual places. For instance, they might place their car keys in the refrigerator and forget that they did that. It might be the remote control in a sock drawer. This results in them losing things and being unable to find them again. They simply can’t retrace their steps. As the disease progresses, this may occur more often. They may even become suspicious and accuse others of stealing or hiding their belongings.