Every caregiving situation is unique. We have multiple caregiver employees here at Long Term Solutions. Take some time to meet three of them: Karen, Nancy and Debbie.
You can find Karen's story by clicking here.
Learn more about how Nancy provided care to her father here.
Lastly, Debbie provided care to both her mother and her father. You can read more about her story here.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Dementia Awareness Week
This week is Dementia Awareness Week in the U.K. They are trying to raise awareness for the various types of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Lewy Body dementia, Fronto-temporal dementia, Korsakoff’s syndrome, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, HIV-related cognitive impairment, and mild cognitive impairment. According to the World Health Organization, 35.6 million individuals have dementia, and there are 7.7 million individuals diagnosed with dementia every year. These numbers are incredible, and the World Health Organization also noted that dementia is one of the top causes of disability in older individuals.
As a caregiver, knowing the symptoms and signs of dementia can be crucial to early diagnosis and early treatment. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, these are some important symptoms of dementia:
- Is your loved one having trouble remembering recent events? Do they have little trouble remembering past events?
- Does it seem like your loved one is distressed or confused when in a familiar environment?
- Does it seem like your loved one has started repeating themselves frequently?
- Does it seem like your loved forgets the names of objects? Do they forget the names of their friends?
- Does your loved one look visibly upset or anxious when they realize they’ve forgotten something?
All of these can signal dementia, and if you begin to notice it in your loved one, talk to their primary care physician immediately. Early diagnosis is incredibly important in the treatment of dementia.
Please take some time to look at the Alzheimer’s Awareness UK website. It has some excellent resources for individuals caring for people with dementia and it has information for those worried their loved one may be developing dementia.
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
As a caregiver, knowing the symptoms and signs of dementia can be crucial to early diagnosis and early treatment. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, these are some important symptoms of dementia:
- Is your loved one having trouble remembering recent events? Do they have little trouble remembering past events?
- Does it seem like your loved one is distressed or confused when in a familiar environment?
- Does it seem like your loved one has started repeating themselves frequently?
- Does it seem like your loved forgets the names of objects? Do they forget the names of their friends?
- Does your loved one look visibly upset or anxious when they realize they’ve forgotten something?
All of these can signal dementia, and if you begin to notice it in your loved one, talk to their primary care physician immediately. Early diagnosis is incredibly important in the treatment of dementia.
Please take some time to look at the Alzheimer’s Awareness UK website. It has some excellent resources for individuals caring for people with dementia and it has information for those worried their loved one may be developing dementia.
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
Friday, May 17, 2013
Outdoor Activity: Gardening
This week, we want to write about gardening. In the past, we’ve written about it as a way for caregivers to relieve stress. In this post, we’re going to focus on how gardening can help the elderly and why it is such a great activity for them.
It’s a wonderful summer activity because it will help to get your elderly loved ones outside. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, being outside can increase vitamin D levels, it can improve mood, and it will increase concentration. Lastly, gardening specifically can help elevate moods. According to a study in Neuroscience, gardening increases cortisol levels and a bacteria in soil helps to increase serotonin production in the brain. All of these will directly benefit your elderly loved one.
Additionally, gardening is a low impact activity, so it’s a great way to incorporate some activity in your elderly loved one’s day without taxing them too much. Additionally, gardening can encompass a wide range of activities from planting individual seeds to pruning roses. This allows caregivers to modify the activity and tailor the activity to their elderly loved one’s needs. For example, if your loved one is unable to kneel down, then planting seeds in individual pots might be the best option. If they don’t feel like doing that, you can have your elderly loved one sit in a lawn chair and prune taller plants.
Lastly, you can click here for a great video from NBC Today about different assistive technologies that are directed at helping the elderly garden.
It’s a wonderful summer activity because it will help to get your elderly loved ones outside. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, being outside can increase vitamin D levels, it can improve mood, and it will increase concentration. Lastly, gardening specifically can help elevate moods. According to a study in Neuroscience, gardening increases cortisol levels and a bacteria in soil helps to increase serotonin production in the brain. All of these will directly benefit your elderly loved one.
Additionally, gardening is a low impact activity, so it’s a great way to incorporate some activity in your elderly loved one’s day without taxing them too much. Additionally, gardening can encompass a wide range of activities from planting individual seeds to pruning roses. This allows caregivers to modify the activity and tailor the activity to their elderly loved one’s needs. For example, if your loved one is unable to kneel down, then planting seeds in individual pots might be the best option. If they don’t feel like doing that, you can have your elderly loved one sit in a lawn chair and prune taller plants.
Lastly, you can click here for a great video from NBC Today about different assistive technologies that are directed at helping the elderly garden.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Stroke Awareness
According to the National Stroke Association, strokes are the fourth leading cause of death in America. They are also a leading cause of debility among older adults. Fortunately, 80% of strokes are preventable.
What is a stroke? A stroke is when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel, and this blockage cuts off blood supply and oxygen to the affected area. As a result, the tissue and organs in the area die. There are two types of strokes: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic strokes occur when arteries are blocked by plaque or a blood clot. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain breaks and blood is leaked onto the brain, causing serious damage.
Fortunately, knowing how to recognize a stroke in a victim can literally be a lifesaver. Use FAST as a tool to remember the four warning signs of a stroke.
F – Face: Is one of side of their face drooping? Have the individual smile and look for any differences.
A –Arms: Ask the individual to raise both of their arms. Are they able to keep both up? Does one arm start to drift downward?
S – Speech: Is their speech hard to understand? Are they slurring words?
T – Time to Call 911: If they are exhibiting any of the above symptoms, call 911 and seek medical attention immediately.
According to the American Heart Association, there are some other symptoms that you can look for such as sudden numbness or weakness in the legs, an onset of confusion and difficulty understanding, trouble seeing, increased inability to walk or maintain balance and coordination, and severe headaches.
What is a stroke? A stroke is when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel, and this blockage cuts off blood supply and oxygen to the affected area. As a result, the tissue and organs in the area die. There are two types of strokes: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic strokes occur when arteries are blocked by plaque or a blood clot. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain breaks and blood is leaked onto the brain, causing serious damage.
Fortunately, knowing how to recognize a stroke in a victim can literally be a lifesaver. Use FAST as a tool to remember the four warning signs of a stroke.
F – Face: Is one of side of their face drooping? Have the individual smile and look for any differences.
A –Arms: Ask the individual to raise both of their arms. Are they able to keep both up? Does one arm start to drift downward?
S – Speech: Is their speech hard to understand? Are they slurring words?
T – Time to Call 911: If they are exhibiting any of the above symptoms, call 911 and seek medical attention immediately.
According to the American Heart Association, there are some other symptoms that you can look for such as sudden numbness or weakness in the legs, an onset of confusion and difficulty understanding, trouble seeing, increased inability to walk or maintain balance and coordination, and severe headaches.
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