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Big List of Alzheimer’s Resources

 

Facing an uncertain future can be terrifying for all involved, but this big list of Alzheimer’s and dementia resources can help families learn more about how to take action against the disease, how to cope, and learn more about what’s in store.

List of Alzheimer’s Resources

We’ve started a list of Alzheimer’s resources to act as a guide for anyone who wants to get involved in the fight against the disease — from fundraising for a cure, to learning how to cope with difficult behaviors and raising awareness.

This list includes our own blog articles as well as links to some of the best and most useful Alzheimer’s resources on the web:

 Alzheimer’s Caregiving and Support

 Alzheimer’s Fundraising and Awareness

 Alzheimer’s Prevention

 Alzheimer’s Research and Science

 Alzheimer’s Videos

 Books About Alzheimer’s

 Trials

 Diagnosing Alzheimer’s and Dementia

 General Reference Alzheimer’s Resources

 Genetic Testing and Alzheimer’s

 Local Alzheimer’s Association Chapters

 Movies About Alzheimer’s

  • Aurora Borealis: A well-received independent film where dementia plays an important role in the plot
  • Away From Her: Julie Christie plays woman who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease
  • Iris: The true story of the English writer Iris Murdoch’s battle with Alzheimer’s
  • The Alzheimer’s Project: A moving and informative documentary by HBO about Alzheimer’s
  • The Savages: A dark comedy starting Phillip Seymour Hoffman about caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s

 Music Therapy for Dementia Patients

 Nonprofit Organizations

 Personal Alzheimer’s Blogs

 

For more information, contact one of our Sales Directors today!

 

 

 

Source: Jeff Anderson

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Moving Your Parents to Senior Living: Making the Difficult Choice

 

Your parents say they won’t move.

It’s a common, exhausting scenario: You see signs that your aging parents need help, but they refuse it. They insist that they’re fine on their own, but the evidence and your intuition tell you that’s not true. Perhaps one or both of your parents’ health has taken a turn for the worse. Or maybe after months or years, you’re experiencing caregiver burnout and seeing your own health and relationships deteriorating.

Yet having the conversation and ultimately moving elderly parents to assisted living, or another form of senior living, is probably one of the hardest decisions a child will ever have to make, says Stella Henry, R.N., author of The Eldercare Handbook. “Many seniors unrealistically believe they can take care of themselves for the rest of their lives,” she says. That’s why family members can be instrumental in identifying problems and making changes to help their loved ones, she adds.

Reasons We Feel Guilty

Even when you know relocating your parents to a senior living community is the right thing to do for their safety and health, guilty feelings may arise. “Emotions range from feeling inadequate to feeling overly responsible,” says Dr. Stephan Quentzel, a psychiatrist in New York affiliated with Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital.

 No matter our age, the role reversal is uncomfortable.

“We want our parents to remain decision-makers,” Quentzel says. “We’re upset when we have to take over their roles. We feel guilty about the role reversal.”

We feel our caregiving efforts have failed.

We assume the act of moving loved ones into assisted living declares loudly and clearly that we can’t handle taking care of them, says Quentzel. “The paradox, of course, is that we want nothing more than to ease our parents’ pain and suffering, even to sacrifice our comfort temporarily to improve their overall lives.”

We promised we’d never put them in a nursing home.

While in the past you may have your parents’ promises, decisions must be made based on what’s best for the parent at the given time, says Barry Jacobs, a doctor of psychology and author The Emotional Survival Guide for Parents. “Often, putting a parent [in senior living] is the most loving act that a child can do because it improves the quality of the parent’s life from medical and social perspectives. Parents often thrive, to their great surprise.”

We know we’re asking a lot from our parents.

Change is hard for everyone, and a move to assisted living or long-term care is a big change. Suddenly, you’re asking your parents to form acquaintances, trust professional caregivers, navigate unfamiliar schedules, and acclimate to new environments.

PRO TIP: Make It Your Problem, Not Theirs

Earlier is better than later to discuss a move to assisted living — though many wait. Henry says 95% of her clients come to her in crisis situations, which often results in caregiver guilt and added stress. If you have the discussion early and often, your loved one will be better prepared for the next steps.

As for what to say? “Make it your problem instead of your parents’ problem,” says Henry. “Clearly express your concern by saying, ‘Mom, I’m concerned about you; it makes me worried to see you like this.’” Nine out of ten parents don’t want to burden their children, and will often respond to this sort of honest communication, says Henry. If you make it clear to your loved one that you’re focused on doing what’s best for both of you, it can be easier for them to accept change.

3 Ways to Cope with Guilt

Whether the process goes smoothly or if there are bumps along the way, children often have guilty feelings about moving elderly parents to assisted living or long-term care. Here are three ways to cope:

1. Focus on the small victories

Did your parent enjoy a meal or activity in their new home? Do you sleep better knowing they’re less likely to fall in their new surroundings? When guilt creeps in, remind yourself of the benefits of their new home, experts say. “Small victories include excellent palliative care, creating meaningful activities, even keeping our parents together for as long as possible,” Quentzel says.

2. Accept some uncertainty.

Being put in the position to make critical arrangements for others is often hugely stressful. When the task concerns relocating your parents to an assisted living community or nursing home — a decision with enormous financial and lifestyle consequences — the anxiety and second-guessing can be even higher. Remember why you made the choices you did but know that some uncertainty will remain about how things might turn out.

3. Give it time.

As with any change, there will be an adjustment period — for children and for their aging parents. It will likely take time for your parents’ relocation to senior living to bear fruit. Strike up a conversation with family members visiting their loved ones and ask them how they dealt with the change. Enjoy meaningful moments with your loved one, and restorative time doing what you like to do, during this transition period.

From Angry and Overwhelmed to Peaceful and Confident – One Caregiver’s Story

“Dealing with my mother’s dementia, which came on so quickly, challenged every fiber of who I am,” Marjorie W. of Washington state recalls. “My mother was a very sharp woman who made me promise, after having dinner with a family member suffering from dementia, that I would never allow her to become like that. But I had no idea how to deal with this demand once the dementia actually started.”

It wasn’t until she began caring for her mother full time that Marjorie realized she was right. The lack of a medically prepared support system put stress on her mom’s health, as well as on her family’s and her own. Now, years later, her father needs extra care.

“One positive result occurred, however — after experiencing all of the feelings of guilt with my mother’s situation, I was clear placing my father in an assisted-living situation was the right thing to do. Because I had bound myself in guilt with my mother, the questions surrounding my father’s relocation were mostly answered.”

Marjorie’s father made a smooth transition to assisted living, and then to a nursing home when the time was right. He had the ability to help choose his living situation, and thrived in his new home.

 

For more information, contact one of our Sales Directors today!

 

 

 

Source: Claire Samuels

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Why Seniors Have Different Nutritional Needs

 

Eating well is important for good nutrition at any age, but it is even more necessary for older adults because nutritional needs change. Adequate nutrition is necessary for health, quality of life and vitality. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, many seniors do not eat as well as they should. This can lead to poor nutrition or malnutrition. Reducing calorie intake can also easily get mistaken as a disease or illness.

How Our Bodies Change As We Age

There are many reasons our bodies change as we get older, including perceptual, physiological and general age-related conditions. These changes all influence the performance of each person’s body as a whole, which in turn influences our eating, nutritional intake, and overall health.

Perceptual Changes

Perceptual changes later in life can influence our nutrition, such as changes in hearing, smell, and taste:

  • Hearing: Diminished or loss of hearing affects our ability to maintain good nutrition. The difficulty and frustration from the inability to hold a conversation with our eating partner out at a restaurant or at a social function can limit one’s food experience.
  • Smell: The loss of smell can have a huge impact on the types of meals one chooses to eat as there is less satisfaction. This can lead to poor food choices.
  • Taste: One of the most common complaints is in regards to the diminished taste in food. As taste buds decrease, so does our taste for salty and sweet — often times making food taste more bitter or sour. This may cause people to eat fewer fruits and vegetables.

Physiological Changes

One reason nutritional needs change is due to physiological changes that occur later in life:

  • Energy: Expenditure generally decreases with advancing age because of a decrease in basal metabolic rate and physical activity, thus decreasing the needs of calories.
  • Function: Our bodies also begin to experience a decrease in kidney function, redistribution of body composition and changes in the nervous system.

Other Aging-Related Changes

Other changes in body function may impact nutritional intake, such as:

  • Dentition: The makeup of a set of teeth (including how many, their arrangement and their condition) can change. The loss of teeth and/or ill-fitting dentures can lead to the avoidance of hard and sticky foods. Older people with dental problems may avoid some fruits and vegetables, such as apples or uncooked carrots, because of this.
  • Gastrointestinal Changes: Chronic gastritis, constipation, delayed stomach emptying, and gas may also lead to avoiding fruits and vegetables, as well as other healthy foods. Thus, the food categories that should be emphasized may get eliminated instead.

These factors alone may contribute to why 3.7 million seniors are malnourished. They may also shed light on the importance of educating caregivers and aging seniors on specific dietary need options, as well as catered senior diets and nutritional needs.

Seniors, Malnutrition and Vitamin Deficiencies

Malnutrition is seen in varying degrees in the elderly, along with varying vitamin and calcium deficiencies. Malnutrition is due to undernutrition, nutrient deficiencies or imbalances. Most physicians do not see frank malnutrition anymore, such as scurvy. Instead, they encounter milder malnutrition symptoms, such as loss of appetite, general malaise or lack of overall interest and wellness.

Common deficiencies of nutrients of dietary origin include inadequate intake of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, folic acid, calcium, and niacin. Malnutrition may also be the result of some socioeconomic risk factors, such as the following:

  • Fear of personal safety (which affects the ability to go grocery shopping)
  • Lack of health insurance (which may cause malnutrition to go undetected)
  • Financial concerns
  • Institutionalization or hospitalizations (that do not ensure adequate nutrition)
  • Lack of interest in cooking or eating alone
  • Loss of a spouse or family member

How To Improve Nutrition for Seniors

Clearly, good nutrition plays a vital role in the quality of life in older persons. This is why preventative medicine and focusing on good eating habits is crucial.

Health professionals recommend following a preventative health maintenance nutritional program, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It describes two eating plans:

  1. The USDA Food Patterns
  2. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Eating Plan

What Is the Recommended Daily Nutrition for Seniors?

The USDA Food Patterns recommends that people 50 or older choose healthy meals every day from the following:

  • Fruits — 1½ to 2 ½ cups
    What is the same as ½ cup of cut-up fruit? A 2-inch peach or ¼ cup of dried fruit.
  • Vegetables — 2 to 3½ cups
    What is the same as one cup of cut-up vegetables? Two cups of uncooked leafy vegetables.
  • Grains — 5 to 10 ounces
    What is the same as one ounce of grains? A small muffin, a slice of bread, a cup of flaked, ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice or whole-grain pasta usually equal one ounce of grains.
  • Protein foods — 5 to 7 ounces
    What is the same as one ounce of meat, fish or poultry? One egg, ¼ cup of cooked beans or tofu, ½ ounce of nuts or seeds or one tablespoon of peanut butter.
  • Dairy foods — 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk
    What is the same as one cup of milk? One cup of yogurt or 1½ to 2 ounces of cheese. One cup of cottage cheese is the same as ½ cup of milk.
  • Oils — 5 to 8 teaspoons
    What is the same as oil added during cooking? Foods such as olives, nuts, and avocado have a lot of oil in them.
  • Solid fats and added sugars (SoFAS) — keep the amount of SoFAS small
    If you eat too many foods containing SoFAS, you will not have enough calories for the nutritious foods you should be eating.

Ensuring adequate nutrition and proper intake of fats and nutrients will help keep older adults feeling more vital, and ultimately, more healthy. This form of prevention is far more effective than intervention later down the line.
You can also learn more about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services DASH eating plan to decide whether it’s right for your loved one.

What About Nutrition for Seniors Who Choke on Water?

Dysphagia describes the condition where someone may have difficulty swallowing. In most instances, the person may struggle to swallow solid foods. However, the University of Michigan confirms that people may struggle with swallowing liquids as well.1 This is why some people may appear to choke on water.

When older adults struggle to swallow solids, pureeing the meals helps to make swallowing easier. Ironically, the same solution also works for ensuring water intake in people who choke on liquids, because pureeing thickens the liquid. Eating pureed meals reduces the risk of dehydration while also helping to resolve swallowing problems.
The University of Virginia also recommends using milk or nutrition shakes to puree food.2 This helps older adults to increase their intake of calcium and other healthy fats. Essential nutrients, such as Calcium, is important for the body for all life stages, but particularly for the elderly, whose bones become more brittle as they get older.

Where Can I Find a Speaker on Nutrition for Seniors?

Health speakers are not difficult to come by, but not all of them are qualified to deliver lectures on eating well and choosing the right meals to get healthy calories. It is always best to check the qualifications of the person you choose to work with to ensure he or she is a nurse, nutritionist or licensed medical practitioner.

Here’s how you can find one:

  • Call up your local college or university
  • Look for published experts online
  • Try asking around on LinkedIn
  • Visit a local clinic or hospital
  • Ask your physician

 

For more information, contact one of our Sales Directors today!

 

 

 

Source: Dana Larsen

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Friendship, Food, and Peace of Mind: 5 Top Assisted Living Benefits

 

After a life of working and caring for others, your senior loved ones deserve the physical and mental well-being of a happy retirement. Assisted living communities offer social interaction, a full and productive lifestyle, safety, and just the right support for seniors who are largely independent, but may need some daily care.

Consider these five benefits of assisted living communities to understand how a move to assisted living could help your aging relative enjoy happiness and health.

1. No more boredom

After retirement, seniors may be overwhelmed by free time. These extra hours can be used to pursue passions or pick up new hobbies. Many assisted living communities offer activities that appeal to all walks of life, such as:

  • Movie nights offer classic entertainment with old favorite films, popcorn, and snacks.
  • Communal gardens, which give older adults the opportunity to spend time outside.
  • Art and music classes meant to teach new skills and encourage creativity.
  • Poker and card tournaments, which engage seniors in friendly competition.
  • Book clubs, to promote discussions between friends.

 2. The help seniors need, when they need it

One of the key assisted living benefits is help with activities of daily living (ADLs). This can mean anything from occasional assistance getting dressed to daily incontinence care.

If an adult is independent when they move in, but needs more care as they age, that assistance is available on-site and can be quickly arranged. Health-related benefits of assisted living communities include:

  • Caregiver aid, from bathing to escorting residents to dining areas and activities.
  • Medication management to keep track of prescriptions.
  • Senior care coordination, which includes transportation to doctor’s appointments and some on-site medical services.
  • On-call nurses or trained staff to respond to emergencies.

 3. Intellectual stimulation

Mental stimulation may lower the risk of long-term cognitive decline. Opportunities for life-long learning are among the many benefits of assisted living facilities. From lending libraries and language lessons to woodworking shops, there are plenty of ways seniors can stay engaged.

  • Communities have access to stimulating resources and brain games designed to slow cognitive decline.
  • Guest lecturers and local professors may come to speak about popular topics, like art history or flower arranging, at assisted living communities.
  • Computer rooms and personal tablets are often available, and community staff can help seniors develop technical skills.

4. Safety and security for seniors

Keeping seniors healthy and safe stands out as one of the main assisted living benefits that spurs caregivers to seek a new home for their loved one. Security-related benefits of assisted living facilities include:

  • Minimized fall risks. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in seniors 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Assisted living communities are designed for accessibility and mobility, with ramps, flat thresholds, and hallway hand railings. Raised toilets, specially designed walk-in showers, and grab bars in bathrooms also reduce the likelihood of falls.
  • Security. Elderly people are often targets for break-ins and scams. Senior living communities utilize security companies and alarm systems to provide peace of mind.
  • Disaster preparation. Elderly people aging in place are responsible for checking smoke detectors, installing carbon monoxide alarms, and replacing fire extinguishers. In the event of an emergency — like a tornado, earthquake, or fire — they might have to find safety on their own. Assisted living communities have disaster plans and staff prepared to help seniors in case of emergency.
  • On-call staff. Emergency call buttons in assisted living apartment communities are used to notify staff in case of falls or injuries. This means seniors don’t have to worry about struggling to contact help or waiting to be found after a medical event at home.

 5. A healthier lifestyle, without the effort

Elderly adults have unique fitness and nutrition needs. Living at home, the task of preparing healthy, balanced meals and organizing transportation to fitness classes or physical therapy falls to seniors or their family members. However, many assisted living benefits improve senior health, such as:

Dining services, which provide flavor and nutrition

All-inclusive dining takes the guesswork out of cooking healthy meals, and it saves seniors and family members from the stress of specialized diets. Assisted living communities offer dietitian-approved meals for diabetic diets, high cholesterol, and more. Meals incorporate the full food pyramid, including important vitamins for seniors.

On-site exercise classes, which offer variety and fitness

Assisted living communities offer supervised, safe exercise programs for seniors of all abilities. Physical activity keeps aging adults healthy longer, improves cognitive function, and is a great social outlet.

 

For more information, contact one of our Sales Directors today!

 

 

 

Source: Claire Samuels

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Top 10 Facts About Alzheimer’s Disease

 

1. Half of adults aged 85 and over have Alzheimer’s.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Facts and Figures report, an estimated 45% of American seniors 85 and older suffer from Alzheimer’s, and 1 in 10 people aged 65 and over (10%) has Alzheimer’s disease. It is the most common cause of dementia among older adults.

 2. More than half of the 5.4 million Americans with the disease may not know they have it.

In part because of the difficulty with detecting early-stage Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), many of those with the disease remain undiagnosed. With research and time, our ability to detect early-stage Alzheimer’s continues to improve, though it will increase the overall number of people known to have the disease.

3. More women have Alzheimer’s.

The Alzheimer’s Association reports that nearly two-thirds of Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s are women. However, it is important to note that this does not mean there is a gender-based predisposition for the disease; the primary reason for this statistic is that women generally live longer than men.

 4. Symptoms of the disease can develop in people as young as age 30.

We may think of Alzheimer’s as a disease of the elderly, but up to 5% of Americans with Alzheimer’s (around 200,000) have the early-onset variety, which can start to show symptoms as early as one’s 30s. Though the cause still isn’t well understood, some of these cases have a genetic component.

5. The incidence of Alzheimer’s will increase to every 33 seconds by 2050.

The rate at which Alzheimer’s occurs — every 65 seconds in the U.S. — is projected to double by 2050 because of the growing population of people over age 65. The number of people who live into their 80s and 90s is also expected to grow, and the likelihood of Alzheimer’s increases with more advanced age.

6. The disease is the 6th-leading cause of death in the U.S.

“Alzheimer’s is becoming a more common cause of death as the populations of the U.S. and other countries age,” reports the Alzheimer’s Association. In part, this is because we are experiencing more success in reducing the rate of death from other causes such as heart disease, while the rate of death from Alzheimer’s continues to increase.

7. There are over 16 million American caregivers for someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.

Family caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients provide a whopping 80% of the care at home, while a mere 10% of seniors receive all their care from paid health professionals. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, most (70%) of those caregivers are women.

8. There is an increased likelihood of depression, emotional stress and financial problems among caregivers for those with the disease.

The communication difficulties and personality changes of Alzheimer’s can place an incredible strain on caregivers. “The close relationship between the caregiver and the impaired person — a relationship involving shared emotions, experiences and memories — may particularly place caregivers at risk for psychological and physical illness,” reports the Alzheimer’s Association. Social and therapeutic support are shown to reduce this risk.

9. The total cost of health and long-term care services for Alzheimer’s is $277 billion.

Over $102 billion of that amount was paid out of pocket. About $175 billion, or roughly 70%, was paid by Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid coverage is particularly important for those Medicare beneficiaries who have very low assets and income but who need long-term care or skilled nursing.

10. There are an estimated 800,000 Americans with the disease living alone.

For all of the Alzheimer’s sufferers who are receiving support from family caregivers or who are living in an Alzheimer’s or dementia care community, as many as 15% of people with the disease still live alone. Many of those have no identified caregiver, a situation which puts them at greater risk of medical emergencies, poor self-care, social isolation and a range of other issues.

 

For more information, contact one of our Sales Directors today!

 

 

 

Source: The Alzheimer’s Association’s “Facts and Figures“report.