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 Caregivers Should "Go With The Flow"

A while back the New York Times ran an article called "Zen And The Art of Coping With Alzheimer's Disease". 

I was intrigued by the article because it was trying to capture the attention of the baby boomers (it worked, hooked me!) and it also talked about the importance of validating the feelings and perceptions of those with dementia.  Hurrah!

Dementia Caregivers May Not See Pain Symptoms

A recent study by the University of North Carolina found that residents in long term care facilities who were cognitively impaired or had dementia were less likely to receive regular doses of pain medication or to get pain medication at all.

This comes as no surprise to many of us who work with dementia residents every day.

Men As Dementia Caregivers

A few years ago, I heard someone speak about the unique challenges that men have as dementia caregivers.  I hadn't thought of it before but it made sense.  Recently, I was glad to see more articles and discussion about this topic.

Dementia "Fact Splicing" As Part Of Memory Loss

I recently read about the term, "fact splicing" to perfectly describe something we see so often in someone with dementia who begins to struggle with memory loss.

Alzheimer's Disease: 5 Quick Facts

The Alzheimer's Association has published a new report that contains updated statistics on this disease. 

Below are 5 quick (and staggering) facts from the full report:

• 5 million persons in the US alone have Alzheimer's Disease
• Someone develops Alzheimer's Disease every 71 seconds
• Each year, Alzheimer's Disease costs the medical field over $148 BILLION
• As many as 10 million Baby Boomers may develop Alzheimer's Disease in the US
• The fatality rate of Alzheimer's Disease remains at 100%.

You can access the full report by going to their website at www.alz.org.

Hospice Caregiving For End Stage Dementia

Hospice care may be an option for someone in the late or end stages of dementia.  Last time, we reviewed the definition of hospice care and the reasons why it may be important.  Hospice can be a frightening thought for dementia caregivers, especially when they have been the primary caregiver up to this point.

Dementia Caregiving: What About Hospice?

Dementia as a disease is devastating to caregivers for many reasons but the fact that there is no cure brings caregivers to cope with the end stages of the disease.  Hospice is a term we often hear but many are confused about the definition or purpose.

Dining Out With Dementia

I received a number of emails concerning my post about traveling on an airline and it got me thinking about the difficulties that can be found in a simple trip to a restaurant with someone in the middle stages of dementia.

Here are some tips to make the trip easier...

Dementia Education In The Air

On a recent flight to a speaking engagement, a situation presented itself during takeoff that reminded me of how little the general public understands dementia.