20 Dec 2009
Dear Mary,
How do you tell the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and just plain forgetting from aging? What can be done to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease? Thank you.
Dear Reader,
Typical signs of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) include short-term memory loss, consistent word finding problems, confusion and disorientation to person, time, and place, as well as poor judgment. Executive functions like problem solving and decision making tend to go early.
With normal aging, information processing and memory recall is slower but do happen. We all forget names and have trouble coming up with words sometimes but, there again, they eventually come to us.
The best advice for reducing the risk of AD is to remember: what ever you do for your heart, you do for your brain. Living a heart healthy life-style, controlling chronic diseases like diabetes, and managing stress all help to reduce risk.
I refer you to the Alzheimer’s Association website (www.alz.org) for a complete list of differences and suggestions for risk prevention.
Dear Mary
My mother attends adult day care three times a week however, she doesn’t participate in activities. I admit that I like the time to myself but feel guilty that she is just sitting there when she could be sitting at home in more comfortable surroundings. Should I continue to send her?
Dear Reader,
Yes. Even though she is not actively participating she is getting something out of it by being an observer. Not everyone is a social butterfly; some people enjoy sitting on the sidelines and watching the goings-on. If she sat at home there would be no opportunity to interact socially if she wanted to and she may sleep all day out of boredom.
If for no other reason, her attendance is important for you. You need this time to renew and reenergize to have the strength to continue to provide the care she needs.
Dear Mary,
I’m ready to blow my stack. My father has dementia and can’t remember from one minute to the next. He is in a hospital with heart failure and although I informed the doctor and nurse about his mental state, they don’t seem to understand. For example, I got a call to come pick him up. The nurse said he signed the discharge papers and is all set to go home!
Mary, he has no memory of signing or any idea what discharge the discharge plans mean. As his primary caregiver shouldn’t I be contacted for important things like this? He is going home to live alone; a situation I feel is not safe. I was hoping to get some guidance from them about housing alternatives. The bottom line is that I refuse to take him home until I have a meeting with the nurse and social worker. Am I doing the right thing?
Dear Reader,
Absolutely! You certainly have the right to say his is an unsafe discharge. Discharge planning begins at the time of admission. Finding out who is assigned to him and keeping in close contact is very important. In a dementia situation, it is a good idea to have the record flagged to make everyone aware of the memory problems. And, make sure they put in writing that the caregiver is to be consulted about everything.
When you attend the meeting, ask if it’s possible for him to go to a rehabilitation center or assisted living home for a while to buy you time to make other arrangements. Bring a list of questions and don’t leave until they’re all answered.
Dear Readers,
I wish for you a joyful holiday season and hope you and your loved ones are blessed with peace and happiness in the coming New Year.
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