Spring Arbor Living Blog

Elaine Vlieger is making some concessions to Alzheimer's. She's cut back on her driving, frozen dinners replace elaborate cooking, and a son monitors her finances. But she lives alone and isn't ready to give up her house or her independence.
 
Some 800,000 people with Alzheimer's, roughly 1 in 7 Americans with the disease, live alone, according to data from the Alzheimer's Association. It's a different picture from the constant Alzheimer’s care giving that they'll eventually need.
 
Many cope on their own during early stages of dementia with support from family and friends who keep in close contact.
 
But with support or not, living alone with a disease that gradually strips people of the ability to know when they need help brings concerns, and loved ones agonize over when to step in.

There's no easy answer, and it's a challenge that will only grow. About 5.4 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's or similar dementias. That number is expected to reach up to 16 million by 2050 with the population aging so rapidly.

Most older people want to stay in their homes as long as possible, and developing cognitive impairment doesn't automatically mean they can't initially, says Beth Kallmyer of the Alzheimer's Association. The association's new analysis illustrates the balancing act between a patient's autonomy and safety. People with dementia who live alone can do so initially while they are less impaired, as the disease progresses dementia and Alzheimer’s patients need caregivers. Studies also show that those who live alone have a greater risk of injuries or accidental death than those who don't live alone.
 
The first National Alzheimer's Plan, due this month, may help. It aims to increase screening to catch dementia earlier and urges doctors to help plan for Alzheimer's care.

Do you have a loved one who needs constant Alzheimer's Care? Contact Spring Arbor.

Newsday

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In the last 15 years, the number of men caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's or dementia has more than doubled, from 19 to 40%, according to the Alzheimer's Association. The trend mirrors the higher number of women over the age of 65 in the U.S. with the disease - 3.4 million compared to 1.8 million men. Those demographics have changed the tone of local support group meetings by adding a chorus of male perspectives.

It has also prompted an outpouring of new books, organizations and online resources for men learning how to be nurturers.

Experts attribute the increase in male caregivers to several societal changes, including evolving gender expectations as well as new life expectancy rates.

“Men say, 'this is hard. It's challenging, I didn't realize we would ever be at this point, but I'm not giving up,'" said Edrena Harrison, a social worker and specialist for the National Caregiving Center.

The sentiment is shared by some husbands, who find themselves making dinner, doing laundry and coordinating doctor's appointments for the first time as senior citizens.

In 2010, doctors diagnosed Patti with frontotemporal dementia. She is now unable to drive, perform simple household tasks or follow and participate in conversations.

Since then, her husband has sharpened his cooking skills. He took over the household duties and has grown used to guiding Patti through conversations with friends and family. He also joined a support group for caregivers of those with dementia to learn how to cope with and handle the new lifestyle.

He fears the day when she needs more help than he can provide, and he wants to find an assisted living facility for memory care that he can trust.

But for now, he said, he does what he can for his wife.

Philly.com

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Assisted living communities provide a type of housing for people who need various levels of medical and personal care. The goal of Spring Arbor Living is to provide a home-like setting and is designed to promote the patients’ independence. Services are offered to assist residents with daily living.

What Services Do Assisted Living Communities Provide?
Generally the services provided by assisted living communities vary from facility to facility. Services in various facilities often include:

• One to three meals a day
• Monitoring of medication
• Personal care, including dressing and bathing
• Housekeeping and laundry
• 24-hour emergency care
• Varying medical services
• Social and recreational activities

How Can I Know What Services my Loved One Needs?
Talk with your family, caregivers and patient about what services are needed from an Alzheimer’s Care Facility. Take time to consider what services are important before you visit the assisted living communities. This will help ease the transition. Think about these questions:

• How soon do you want/need to change the patients’ residence?
• What daily activities do they need help with (bathing, dressing, toileting, eating)?
• How often do they need help?

For more information or to set up an appointment contact Spring Arbor Living in your area.

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As our population ages, people with chronic cardiovascular disease, including atrial fibrillation (or irregular heartbeat), are living longer. In a study reported in the journal Heart Rhythm (Volume 7, page 433) researchers reported that atrial fibrillation may be associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Over 37,000 people, average age 60, from the ongoing Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study database were evaluated for signs of atrial fibrillation and for Alzheimer's disease or vascular, senile or nonspecific dementia. During an average of five years' follow-up, 4 percent developed dementia and 27 percent developed atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation was associated with each of the four types of dementia, independent of other cardiovascular diseases. The youngest group with atrial fibrillation (under age 70) had the highest risk of dementia; dementia is linked to older age, so this finding suggests the relationship between atrial fibrillation and dementia is particularly strong. Atrial fibrillation was also linked with the highest risk of death.

Take away: Because subjects with atrial fibrillation were identified as having higher risks of dementia and death, people with cardiovascular diseases -- who are urged to consider measures like diet, exercise, medication and avoiding tobacco for their heart disease -- might want to take these steps also to prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer's.

All the facts you need to make informed decisions if you have to confront Alzheimer's disease -- the most common cause of dementia

Written by Dr. Peter V. Rabins, director of the Division of Geriatric and Neuropsychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Medical Editor of the Johns Hopkins Memory Bulletin, Diagnosing and Treating Alzheimer's Disease is an indispensable resource for anyone concerned about Alzheimer's disease. This new report provides all the facts you need to make informed decisions if you have to confront Alzheimer's disease. You'll learn how Alzheimer's is currently diagnosed ... the existing drugs that are used to treat it ... and various new therapies that may someday provide better treatment.

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Taking care of a relative suffering from Alzheimer’s can be trying, stressful and emotional as the disease progresses.

Yet many families want to keep their relative close, and provide the best care they can from home. It’s important to remember, however, that you can’t care for someone else if you get too run down yourself.

Here are some tips for caregivers that can help you stay healthy and be better able to provide the patience and understanding necessary to the care of their loved one.

1. Share the responsibility. Being the sole person responsible for your loved one’s care can be too much. When you’re run down, stressed out or frustrated you won’t be a good caregiver, and you won’t be doing yourself any favors. Going on too long without a break can lead to emotional and physical health deterioration in your health. Get other family members to help so you have time to yourself as well.

2. Take time for yourself. Make time for the activities that you love at least once a week. Lowering your stress levels will reduce your risk of illnesses and make you feel mentally better. You also want to make sure that you’re nurturing your relationship with your children and family. Caring for a loved one takes a lot of time, but spend time with others as well.

3. Don’t blame yourself. When caring for someone with a disease like Alzheimer’s, accidents will inevitably happen now and again no matter how careful you are. Don’t put all the blame on yourself and further stress yourself out. If you’re doing the best you can, understand that you cannot plan for or prevent every possibility. Learning to relax a little and step back will give you some perspective and lower your stress levels.

4. Join a support group. Don’t go through the stress of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s alone. Caretakers can find support groups. There are numerous websites and blogs dedicated to providing advice, support and laughs to lighten the mood. Finding emotional support is key to keeping yourself mentally healthy and able to care for your loved one.

While being a caregiver can sometimes feel like an all-consuming task, it’s important to pull out a few moments each day to think about yourself and your health. If you are happy, healthy you will be able to provide care and take care of your life as well.

Understand that there are Alzheimer’s care facilities that can meet your needs where your loved one can be happy. Contact Spring Arbor Living in your area for information when the time comes where you feel you or your loved one may be better off with professional care.
 
Original article – Alzheimer’s Reading Room

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Alzhiemer’s caregivers will almost always  be faced with the realization that they can no longer care for their loved one  in their home. The challenge is knowing when and how to make that transition to an assisted living community, and how to prepare for it.

Circumstances change almost daily for the Alzheimer's patient, their families and their caregivers. Planning ahead is very difficult.

There is no way to predict the progression of this disease. Each individual is different, different symptoms, different behaviors, and different time lapses between each.

Not all Alzheimer’s patients become violent, but some do. And taking care of a violent patient is not a matter of endurance and stamina. It’s safety. A loved one needs to be moved to an assisted living facility if they are violent. For the security of all, patient and caregiver alike, an Alzheimer’s patient who becomes violent must be moved to a more secure assisted living community, a setting that is safe and comfortable.

The patient has no idea what they’re doing. They would be devastated if they understood the danger they had become to family and caregivers. An Alzheimer's care facility should be considered under these circumstances.

Later in the stages of Alzheimer’s they may need more medical treatment than the caregiver is able to provide.

Many Alzheimer’s patients need protection. An assisted living community can keep patients safe in a well protected area and beautiful environment that provides activities for Alzheimer's patients that keep them healthy and happy longer.  

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