Caring for a loved one with moderate-to-advanced dementia often leads to bewilderment. And sadness. Perhaps your relative seems withdrawn. Or is fidgety, pacing, or wandering. They may seem to recede each day. How can you connect with them now? How can you keep them engaged? Experts in dementia care are culling tips from pioneering educator…
Posts Categorized: Memory Loss
Nonverbal signs of pain
Dementia itself does not cause physical pain. But people with dementia still encounter pain, just like anyone else: headaches, arthritis, tummy aches. They just can’t describe it. They might even deny having pain when you ask because they don’t understand the question. Learn the nonverbal signs of pain so your loved one doesn’t suffer. (Your…
Repetitive questions
“When are we going out?” A reasonable question under normal circumstances. But if the person you care for has dementia, you may get this question multiple times in an hour. Aargh! Indeed, repetitive questions are one of the top irritants mentioned by family caregivers whose loved one has dementia. The repetitive questioning isn’t done intentionally,…
What’s in an Alzheimer’s test?
When symptoms of memory loss or confused thinking arise, it’s natural to wonder: Is it Alzheimer’s? There is no specific test for Alzheimer’s disease. To achieve a diagnosis, doctors typically order a variety of tests. Most of the tests are to rule out the many, many conditions besides Alzheimer’s that can cause similar symptoms. Some…
Hallucinations in later life
“I don’t like that bear on my bed!” A visual hallucination such as this can occur in the later stages of dementia or near the end of life. Some people also have auditory hallucinations—hearing things that others don’t—or feel things that aren’t there, such as string in their mouth or ants on their arm. These…
Talking about brain health
Are you concerned a loved one may have dementia? If so, be careful how you bring it up. It’s a scary subject! Before jumping to conclusions, gather some information. Ask family members and close friends what they have observed. Have others noticed changes? Think of the issue as one of “brain health.” Brains change as…
Lessons from theater improv
While there is no denying the hardships of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, a growing number of families are exploring innovative strategies for including lightness and laughter on the journey. One option is to steal a page from the theater arts—specifically, improvisational theater. In conventional comedy improv, actors are presented with the unexpected and must come…
What is MCI?
“Senior moments” are a normal part of aging. They happen to everyone. We just don’t process things as quickly as we did in younger years. Some people develop significant memory and thinking problems. These people are eventually unable to live safely on their own. Typically, they have a stroke or develop Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease….
Genetic testing for Alzheimer’s
These days, most everyone is wondering if they are likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. If someone in your immediate family has been diagnosed with the disease, you might feel at especially high risk. There is a test for an Alzheimer’s gene (APOE4). But it’s not 100% certain: Not everyone who has the APOE4 gene will…
“Lie to my mom?”
Mom taught you to always tell the truth. But in the context of caring for someone with memory loss (dementia), honesty may not always be the best policy. There may be times when the kindest strategy—the one that reduces your loved one’s anxiety or fear—is to omit the truth or bend it a little. This…