September 2015

Tips You Can Use...Today

 

Continuing in our effort to offer practical advice, this issue of the newsletter will focus on helpful techniques that you can implement right away. We have ideas to help keep your loved one safe and healthy. 

  • Learn how to use redirection techniques
  • Is hygiene for your loved one becoming a problem? We have tips for you
  • Discover the value of vaccines for older adults
  • Perfect the art of hand washing
  • Make your home a safe environment
  • Escape with some trivial facts 

And, take a look at this month's activities at the community. 

September Activities are Special

Kick up your heels in September at ActivCare at Bressi Ranch. Our activity calendar is loaded with exciting events and activities. We celebrate Labor Day and Grandparents Day. We have special visitors including watercolors with Joy and Helen Woodward pet therapy ambassadors. Plus, there's a hoedown at the end of the month. Check our our calendar for all the details.


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High 5 for Hygiene
 

Bathing, grooming and dressing. These activities of daily living can be a challenge for those living with dementia...and their caregivers.

 

Discomfort in bathrooms, difficulty selecting clothing or just not remembering, whatever the cause, those with dementia can sometime miss a task in keeping themselves clean. While isolated instances may not pose a problem, ongoing failure to groom could lead to health problems or social challenges.

 

The Alzheimer's Association has prepared a helpful brochure for family caregivers that contains helpful tips to help with bathing, grooming, dressing and personal care. 

 

Personal Care

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The Value of Vaccines


With children returning to school, vaccines have been in the news lately. But, vaccines are not just for children, they are for adults too.


 

Did you know that older adults can be vaccinated against Pneumonia and Shingles?

 

Taking precautions against harmful disease can improve the quality of life for your loved one. The Center for Disease Control has prepared a simple chart of what vaccines you should have and at what age. Remember, this is a guide. Consult with your doctor whether these vaccines are appropriate for you and your loved one.

 

Schedule of Vaccines for Adults

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All Hands for Hand Washing

 

Did you know that hand-washing is one of the most effective (and easiest) ways to prevent the spread of disease and infection? 

 

Seems simple enough: Wash your hands before preparing food and wash your hands after using the restroom, got it. Just getting your hands wet may not arm you against germs. There is actually more. 

 

The Mayo Clinic has put this list of do's and don'ts of hand washing. When to wash before and when to wash after as well as the use of hand sanitizers are outlined in this brief article.

 

Hand-washing Do's and Don'ts

  
Home Safety When Caring for Those with Alzheimer's

Caregivers are amazing individuals. They offer compassion, patience, and love. Some caregivers even have to have a sixth sense to ensure that the environment in which they provide care is safe. 

Should you still be working on your "safety sense" or wish to hone your skills further, the National Institute on Aging has developed this helpful guide to make your home safe for those with Alzheimer's or dementia. 

Do you check your trash containers before wheeling them to the curb to ensure that something of value has not been discarded? Do you have decals at eye-level on your sliding glass doors to prevent accidents?

Benefit from these practical tips and others by reviewing this handy guide and giving your home a safety check-up.


Caregiver Support Group

 

Connect with other caregivers, gain support and share your experiences. Co-sponsored with the Alzheimer's Association San Diego/Imperial Chapter, ActivCare at Bressi Ranch offers a support group for family caregivers of those with Alzheimer's and dementia. The meetings are held once a month and are free and open to the public. 

 

Plan to join our next Caregiver Support Group meeting on Tuesday, September 8 at 10 am. Call (800) 425-2091 to reserve your spot.

 


In This Issue

ActivCare 
Memory Care Tip
Redirection Techniques

You've been there. When your loved one asks the same question over and over. No matter how many times you've answered, the question gets repeated. 

An effective technique in handling this situation is redirection. 

Redirection is the simple act of acknowledging and distracting in order to redirect focus to a more productive or safer topic or activity. 

Click below to learn more.




DID YOU KNOW?

 
Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don't drift apart.


Elvis Presley was a natural blond.


The first webcam watched a coffee pot. It allowed researchers at Cambridge to monitor the coffee situation without leaving their desks.


Leonardo da Vinci could write with the one hand and draw with the other simultaneously.


There are 3 Billion Google searches every day.


One fourth of the bones in your body are in your feet.


Coca-Cola would be green if the food colorant wasn't added.


Edgar Allen Poe died of rabies.


Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.


If removed from the stress of the modern world, the average human would sleep about 10 hours a day.


The average person spends 2 weeks of their lifetime waiting for the light to change from red to green.


87% of Americans have ice cream in their freezer at any given time.



ActivCare at Bressi Ranch's specially designed environment, engaging activity program and compassionate caregivers provide the perfect combination for residents with memory loss to thrive.

We invite you to take a tour and see for yourself. Please call me at (800) 425-2091.
  
Regards,

 

Maria Salinas

ActivCare at Bressi Ranch 

 

P.S. Be sure to Like us on Facebook.  and follow us on Twitter.

 

 

 

6255 Nygaard Street

Carlsbad, CA  92009

 

activcareliving.com