Retro Furnishings in Dementia Facilities

New Vision wrote an interesting blog a few years ago, Nostalgia Spaces for Dementia Care, discussing the use of vintage furnishings to comfort residents of UK nursing homes and other facilities (http://www.new-vision.co.uk/health/article/nostalgia-spaces-for-dementia-care)

Glenner Alzheimer's Family Centers developed the "Town Square" adult day center in the US consisting of 14 vintage storefronts with activities. Rosie's Diner, for example has 1950s decor and food, and a juke box playing music from that era. Other storefronts are a library with period books and a pet shop for Pet Therapy Programs.

(TOWN SQUARE® LOCATIONS – The George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers, Inc.®)

Alzheimer's 2020

A recent article reports that the Alzheimer's Association has awarded three 2020 Zenith Fellowships for research in treating or preventing Alzheimer's.

One project involves worldwide investigation into a gene that may lessen the risk of developing Alzheimer's.

Another focuses on the prevention of nerve cell death.

The final award funds the exploration of ultrasound to improve memory.

Read the article here: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20191102/Alzheimers-Associations-2020-Zenith-Fellows-awards-support-new-approaches-to-treatment.aspx

New Hope for Preventing Dementia -- Brain Games

For years, the elderly, and not so elderly, have been encouraged to keep their brains active.

Various brain games were recommended. New research, though, shows that not all brain games are the same.

Some logic and memory games do not seem to help at all.

However, this study showed that training which improves "cognitive processing speed" reduced dementia risk by almost 30%.

You can read the full article here:

https://www.prevention.com/health/brain-game-lower-dementia-risk?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebutton

Please be kind: It's not the person--it's the disease

 You can find the Alzheimer's Association definition here: http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp

Music Therapy for Dementia

My mother was suffering from dementia and was legally blind. It was difficult to think of activities for her. Then I remembered that many years earlier she was a fan of a TV program called Sing Along with Mitch, which featured the Mitch Miller Orchestra. As the lyrics scrolled across the screen the "home audience" was encouraged to sing along with the performers.

Now Mother was long past being able to watch television, but the Mitch Miller audio tapes and CDs were easily available. I bought one and played it for her. Not only did she enjoy listening to the music, but she also remembered many of the lyrics to once again "sing along."

These songs also triggered other memories and Mother began reminiscing about various people and events, something that she had not done in a very long time. It made us both happy

The Alzheimer's Association recommends using music therapy and has helpful suggestions for choosing and using music at: http://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-music-art-therapy.asp

 

David Cassidy Fighting Dementia

David Cassidy recently announced his retirement due to his dementia symptoms. In his most recent performance, he forgot and slurred some lyrics -- and realized he had to explain his condition to his fans.
www.nydailynews.com

HOT COCOA FOR A BETTER MEMORY?

A study of 60 seniors showed a relationship between drinking hot cocoa and improved memory.

Those participants whose memories improved had low blood flow prior to the study. Drinking two cups of cocoa per day improved blood flow and memory.

Scientists are not recommending anyone drink cocoa, however. Only 18 of those studied had low blood flow and those participants who had normal blood flow did not improve. Scientists worry about the side effects of drinking cocoa, which has fat and sugar.

See the article here: http://bit.ly/1fzyFKm

Leeza Gibbons and Caregivers

American talk show host Leeza Gibbons has a personal interest in Alzheimer's disease and caregiving.   Her mother was diagnosed with the disease – and Ms. Gibbons  promised her that she would "tell her story and make it count."

To make good on that promise she established the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation in 2002.  The main program of the foundation is Leeza's Place (http://www.leezascareconnection.org or check it out on Facebook) which has facilities across the country.  

The mission of the organization is to support caregivers so they may have positive experiences with their caregiving.  To that end, Leeza's Place offers the Ten Commandments for Caregivers.

The first commandment is "Take Your Oxygen First."  We are all told on airplanes that we must secure our own oxygen masks before helping our children.  If we don't help ourselves first, we won't be able to help them.   Caregiving  can be enormously demanding and a caregiver who experiences burnout can't assist anyone else.  Caregivers (I wish I had a synonym for this term) must learn to care for themselves – body, mind, and soul.  I have to admit I didn’t follow this rule when being the caregiver for my parents, and I regret that.

It's such an important concept that, Ms. Gibbons uses this first commandment as the title for her book about caregiving.  Co-written with a psychologist/social worker and a physician,  Take Your Oxygen First: Protecting Your Health and Happiness While Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss, was published last year. 

More on the Ten Commandments for Caregivers next time.

Caregiving and Dementia

You become the parent – and your parent becomes the child:  that happens when you realize your parent's mental ability is slipping to the point that your roles have begun to change.  It need not be your parent; of course, it could be a friend, sibling, spouse, or other relative.

The first hurdle is determining when that day of role reversal has come.  The realization may come suddenly with obvious signs of mental deterioration; or you may experience a slowly building awareness that something is wrong.  Some people rush the day.  The first "senior moment" or mistake is, to some, a sign that the senior is incapable of caring for herself.  Sometimes it is done maliciously -- the adult child who wants the parent out of his life or to obtain control of any assets. 

Some forgetfulness occurs at any time in life – the misplaced homework of a child or the misplaced key of a young adult.  Then suddenly is misplacing an item evidence of aging?  Not necessarily, without a pattern of problems.

The more common issue is not recognizing that the day has come.  One may be in denial simply because one doesn't want it to be true and doesn't want to face the future without that person as a fully functioning member of one's life. 

Distance can be a factor in realizing that a problem exists.  A friend of mine spoke with her elderly parents often by phone and thought they sounded fine.  They reassured her they WERE fine.  When she finally came to visit them, she was stunned to find her normally tidy parents living in absolute squalor.  They were unable to cope with daily living.

            I recommend this You Tube video to learn more about dementia.  It's about 90 seconds.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQx6Ku390YU

Caregiving and Elderly Couples

 

Many elderly couples have to deal with heartbreaking dementia.  During the time I was the caregiver for my parents, I had the privilege of watching how my father coped with my mother.  She suffered from senile dementia; his faculties never declined.  

I'm sure the dedication, love, and valor my father displayed was not unique.

This is from one of those emails that are always circulating, author unknown.  I don't know if it's true, but I do know that the essence is true.

"It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s arrived

to have stitches removed from his thumb.

He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. 
 

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

It was well healed, so I got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.  While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.  I inquired as to her health.

 He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him,

 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

 

He smiled as he patted my hand and said,
'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'  "

Caregiving Books

When I began as a caregiver for my parents, only a few books dealt with the issues I was facing.  Many books have been published on the topic since then. 

I'm disappointed with some of these books.  I lived with my parents for the 23 years that I cared for them, and, except for occasional forays into the real world, my caregiving was 24/7.  The books that are written by heath care professionals are undoubtedly correct from a medical point of view.  What they generally cannot tell you is how to deal with the responsibility of DAILY caregiving. 

A physician typically sees the patient for a few minute and usually doesn't understand what it's like to live with the patient.

One book that I do highly recommend, written by Dr. Dennis McCullough, is

My Mother, Your Mother: Embracing "Slow Medicine," the Compassionate Approach to Caring for Your Aging Loved Ones.

Dr. McCullough appears on PBS in this one-minute video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZsJ_jbX3OU

Dr. McCullough's book deals with aging in general, not just dementia patients.  

Perhaps the most famous book dealing with the elderly and memory loss is The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for Persons with Alzheimer Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss in Later Life, by Nancy L Mace and Peter V. Rabins.  First published in 1981, it is currently in its 4th edition.

Caregiving Introduction

When I was in law school, I had a professor who told about his senile father.  The man often wandered away from home and when my professor found him, the father refused to return home with him.  A police officer had to tell the father to go home with this 'nice young man' for him to cooperate. 

The professor explained that one in four people would develop dementia so chances were 50/50 that we would have a parent with Alzheimer's disease or senile dementia.  (I don't know if his statistics were correct.)  I paid little attention to his stories, but within a year, I realized Mom was showing signs of dementia, too.

I was busy finishing law school and only vaguely aware of the changes in Mom's behavior.  At first little things happened that only someone close to her would realize were "off."  The odd conduct occurred more and more frequently.

When I graduated, hiring freezes made it impossible to seek employment with the federal government as I had planned.  I began caring for Mom while looking for work.  Her needs increased and I cared for her until her death in 1997; I cared for Dad until his passing in 2001. 

Although I worked some part time and temporary jobs, my career was essentially on hold from my graduation in 1980 until 2001.  I certainly do not recommend that for anyone!  After caregiving for 23 years, I have definite ideas on what to do – and what not to do.  More resources are available to the caregiver and the elderly than ever before.  In subsequent posts, I will share some of the resources I found most valuable.

A Frightening 4th - When I Was 6

I was sick on the 4th of July when I was 6 years old. Dad promised, though, that I could use my sparklers when I was well. I was visiting my aunts and grandma at their house a few days later and excitedly told them that I was going to use my sparklers that night. Grandma called an aunt over and asked if it was the 4th of July.

I was terrified at Grandma's question! At the age of 6, I was absolutely certain that adults knew everything. Yet here was my Grandma not knowing if it was the 4th of July! Unthinkable. I didn't tell anyone that I was frightened and no one realized that I was upset about something. I kept trying to puzzle out what was happening. I can still feel how scary it was to realize that an adult might not even know what day it was!

And so all these years later I have written the story of Johnny, a little boy who thinks his grandmother doesn't love him anymore because she is acting differently. Mommy explains about grandmother's illness in a way that makes Johnny happy.

Unlike me, Johnny is sad rather than afraid. Also unlike my true-life experience, Johnny's mom realizes something has upset him and helps him.

I wrote the story to help families cope with a difficult problem that occurs so often: a child dealing with the decline of a loved one. I hope my story is of help to you.Special Secret Hearts: a Child's Introduction to Dementia  http://amzn.to/KhvXA8

The Physically Fit May Be Less Likely to Die a Dementia-Related Death

Dementia-related deaths are increasing in the US, but a 2012 study of 60,000 Americans indicates that physical activity is likely to reduce that risk.

Participants were ranked by their fitness levels and a follow up was done about 17 years later.  Those in the "low fitness" category died from dementia-related causes at twice the rate of the physically fit.

More information at: http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=661549

Insulin Being Tested to Treat Alzheimer's

According to the Archives of Neurology, persons with Alzheimer's disease showed improvement to their memory function when treated with intranasal insulin.  Scientists had previously noted a connection between diabetes and Alzheimer's.  This study was conducted for a short period with a small group of people, so it is too soon to know if insulin could be a beneficial treatment for Alzheimer's.

Science Daily reports on the clinical trial here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912164014.htm

 

The Alzheimer's Association actively seeks volunteers for clinical trials.  More information at:  http://www.alz.org/research/clinical_trials/find_clinical_trials_trialmatch.asp

 

NICOTINE PATCHES IMPROVE MEMORY

A six-month study was performed with elderly patients who had mild memory issues.

One half of the group of 74 were given nicotine patches while the other half received placebos. Not only did those using the nicotine patches have improvement, the other group worsened.

The results were enough to encourage researchers to plan further studies.

More information at: http://bit.ly/1nTpbPm