Featured Article:  The Key for Me
is to NEVER Ask a Yes or No Question

Alzheimer's Reading Room By Bob DeMarco

"After you shower, we'll do (your favorite thing)"...

The key for me is to NEVER ask a yes or no question, such as "Do you want to eat lunch now?"  

I will either say "Let's have some lunch" or "I thought we should eat" or something similar. If they think they are joining you in something that YOU want to do, they are much more agreeable.  

If you put it back on them by asking if they want to, it requires too much thinking and figuring out if they want to do that thing or if they would rather just stay where they are since they are tired anyway.  

You can also give "choices" like "Do you want to eat lunch now or in a few minutes?"  

If it's something they really don't like to do, such as shower, you just assume matter-of-factly that they will be showering and say things like "Here, this is the washcloth for your shower" or "Here are clean socks for after your shower", etc.  

If they say that they aren't showering, repeat what they said back to them "Oh, you aren't showering?" Then they will know that you heard them and you can continue with "After you shower, we'll do (your favorite thing)"...

Superlative thought process. I like it a lot. It's amazing what pretending that the activity desired, is just part of ordinary, normal, routine behavior can do. It's like joining a work in progress, being part of the "natural" fit of life. It can bring security and comfort to those who get confused with the inconsistencies of daily life. I can also help the loneliness and isolation of being "different"' in a world of "normalcy". 

I have found that giving choices only confuses people with dementia even more "Choices" are not choices that you would really give to a non-Alzheimer's sufferer expecting a reasoned answer. "Choices" are not real but just a way of making the person feel like they matter and have a say in their own life and what they do...it makes them feel empowered but as you can see you have already made the important decision that they are eating lunch (or whatever else you have planned for them)...

Bob DeMarco, Alzheimers Reading Room 

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one source of life news for the entire Alzheimer's community. The organization's goal is to Educate, sometimes Entertain, and Empower Alzheimer's caregivers and their families worldwide.

 


 

"A girl should be
two things: classy
and fabulous."

~ Coco Chanel  

  Hospitalization Can Speed Cognitive Decline in the Elderly

Hospitalization of older people might place them at higher risk for accelerated cognitive decline, according to a recent study.

Rates of decline occurred twice as fast among elderly patients on average after a hospital stay compared with their previous rate of decline and with older people not admitted to a health care facility. Some mental change is considered a normal part of aging, but advanced decline is associated with risk of disability and loss of independence, dementia and death.

"Understanding a link to cognitive decline to something as common as a hospital stay is very important," says lead author Robert Wilson, a neuropsychologist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "Hospitals can be a very risky experience for the elderly and we think people need to understand that."

While other experts on aging have noticed the negative impact hospitals have on some elderly patients, the authors say this is the first study "to measure cognitive function enough times before and after hospitalization to determine the effect of hospitalization on the rate of cognitive change."

The study involved 1,870 people ages 65 and older enrolled in the Chicago Health and Aging Project. Among those, 71% were hospitalized at least once during the study. Researchers administered tests of memory and thinking skills every three years, making an overall measure of cognition skill based on the total of the four scores.

The rate of decline after hospitalization would be "equivalent to being more than 10 years older," Wilson said. The research, published in Neurology, was funded by the National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Aging.

"The hospital can be a bad place to go if you're an older individual," says physician Marie Bernard, deputy director of the National Institute on Aging. . "It should be avoided if possible, but that doesn't mean patients shouldn't see their health care provider. They need to do that."

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"You must be the change you wish to
see in the world."

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Photography courtesy of Valerie Cipriano (203.518.1508)

Spring Gardening Tips for

If you're looking for a fun activity that will get your loved one up and moving throughout the warm weather months, gardening might be a great idea. It's a fun, rewarding pastime that can be made easier for seniors who have trouble getting around. Your relatives will love the look that a few flowers, will lend to their property, and you can help them choose varieties that will bloom all season long. Here are five tips to help you get started.

1. Start out with an herb container garden in the kitchen. When placed on an easily accessible windowsill, these little plants will flourish the more you pinch and pick them. Try using herbs that you or your loved one often use in cooking, like basil, parsley, chives and rosemary.  

2. Instead of annual flowers, you might want to choose perennials. This will ensure that you won't have to plant entirely new plants every year. Instead, you and your loved one will only have to do a bit of maintenance to keep the blooms healthy and beautiful.  

3. Mulch around the plants. If you take the time to mulch around your loved one's plants, you'll be saving him or her a lot of effort that would otherwise go into weeding. Mulch can not only prevent weeds from growing, but it can make plants go for longer periods of time without watering and keep the soil in good condition.

4. Plant vertically whenever possible. If you use an arbor or a trellis, your loved ones won't have to bend over or stoop in order to reach the plants for watering, weeding or pruning.  

5. Purchase the right gardening tools. There are many tools that are designed to make gardening easier for seniors. This includes those with long handles, oversized grips and improved leverage. A lightweight watering can is also a good idea, as well as a hose that's located close to the garden. A comfortable stool or chair can be very useful.

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"It is gratefulness which
makes the soul great."

  ~ Abraham Joshua Heschel

KUDOS from Kelly

 By Kelly McNamara     

Faith Sibiya Nozipho

Faith has come through for us in an amazing way a few times this month. First, she stepped in quickly when a caregiver resigned to take a case. She cared for the client for two weeks until we found a permanent caregiver. She did an outstanding job with F P and was highly regarded by the client as well as her husband and daughter. Shortly after that assignment, she began a case with a new client, FM, and immediately fell into place, using her considerable skills and patience she reserves especially for dementia clients. Always caring and professional, we are so glad to have her aboard. Thanks so much Faith!

Flora Rosa   

Flora is a regular caregiver for I W. When the client was unexpectedly admitted to the hospital after a fall, Flora made a special trip to visit her in the hospital on her birthday, shortly before Easter. She stayed with and comforted her family for several hours during her surgery. A hospitalization, especially an emergency one, can be very troubling to a client. It was both a surprise and a welcome gift for I W and her family. Thanks so much, Flora for going out of your way to comfort a special client and her family during an important time!

 Providers We Love   

We are privileged to have received referrals from and be able to coordinate care with many Assisted Living facilities, rehab facilities, and Medicare Home Care and Hospice agencies. Our growth is in large part due to the trust the staff in these organizations have put in our caregivers.  We are likewise impressed with them and we are committed to referring to them on a regular basis. 

Montowese healthcare and Rehabilitation Facility, North Haven, CT   

Conveniently located just outside new haven off I91, Montowese offers the highest quality of Rehabilitative and Medical Care. They are a CARF Accredited Provider, which guarantees the excellence of their program.

Their 120 bed dedicated building provides high-tech, hospital-like medical care to seriously ill patients of all ages.

Their specialties include bariatrics, stroke, post-surgical orthopedics, complex medical conditions, and more.

Their interdisciplinary approach includes doctors, practitioners, therapists and nurses who work in concert with the patient and family to assure optimal recovery and independence.

Emeritus also has facilities in Woodbridge, South Windsor, and Rocky Hill.They were recently voted the Best Assisted Living Communities in CT. It is easy to see how they earned this award. All their facilities boast lovely exteriors, inviting interiors, personable, helpful and competent staff, great food, and varying levels of care to meet the specific needs of an aging population.

Established in 1901, VNA Health Care provides home health care, hospice and independent living services to more than 60 towns throughout Greater Hartford and Waterbury communities. They provide a full range of Medicare covered services including nursing therapy and Hone health aides. They also hold wellness clinics throughout the state, meals on wheels, telemonitoring so that their patients health conditions can be monitored remotely thus preventing hospitalizations. They have a wonderful hospice program (with pet therapy!) They also have specialized programs in cardiac care and Geriatric care management. With a century of experience a coverage area that spans the state of CT, and a wonderful caring and professional staff, they are well equipped to meet all your skilled nursing needs at home. The easiest way to inquire about their services is to call 1-800-466-3227.

We take our recommendations of providers very seriously. Please consider our favorites in deciding care for yourself or your family members. We would choose any of them for our loved ones.