The Dementia Caregiver's Toolbox

Alzheimer's Infographic from Caring.com

Caring.com is a website devoted to caregivers of all types, not just those caring for family members or friends with dementia.  They have put together what they are calling an "infographic" that easily summarizes the impact of Alzheimer's disease by the numbers.

Dementia Volunteers Get Quilts

The Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) has added a bonus to those who volunteer in research studies to find a cure:  they receive a new lap-sized quilt.

Knowing that quilts warm and nurture the body and soul, a related group to the ADCS called The Alzheimer's Study Quilt Project, began collecting lap sized quilts to donate to the volunteers with cognitive impairments who participate in the Alzheimer's disease trials.  The project started in January 2010 and plans to continue indefinitely.

If you quilt or know a quilter who would like to donate a quilt to the project, here are the guidelines for the quilts:

• must be new
• lap size:  40" wide x 45-50" long
• 100% cotton or flannel materials
• any color or theme

Quilts should be mailed to:

Jeffree Itrich
Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study
University of California San Diego
8950 Villa La Jolla Dr, Ste C-227
La Jolla, CA 92037-1712

For more information email the study at adcs-quilts@ucsd.edu or call them at 858-677-1565.

Dementia Caregivers Tour The Virtual Home

A new multimedia project from Weill Cornell Medical College called, "thiscaringhome.org" is a winner for providing dementia caregivers easy to understand methods of safeguarding almost every area of their home.

Developed by Rosemary Bakker, MS, ASID, an interior designer with a background in gerontology, thiscaringhome.org is an interactive website that allows dementia caregivers to get real tips about the 4 key areas of the home:  the bedroom, the kitchen, the living room and the bathroom.  Once a participant clicks on an area such as the bathroom, the site highlights many other detailed areas within the bathroom such as the towel rack, bathtub, lighting, etc.  There is written narration as well as some audio feedback that describes some key suggestions for safety.

This site represents some of the best practices in home safety and dementia care so be sure to check it out.

Give us your feedback after you visit and spread the word!