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Dementia Caregiver -What do caregivers Look Like in 2023

You

Me

Us

Her

Him

Son

Daughter

Wife

Husband

Friend

Grandson

Granddaughter

Aunt

Uncle

Niece

Nephew


You are

tall, short

young, old

happy, sad

energetic, exhausted

free, stuck

loving, irritated

calm, abusive

relaxed, overworked

eager, defiant



Thought for the day


Dementia thoughts

Daddy might not know who I am

But I know who he is.

Daddy lead me when I knew nothing

Now I can lead him when he knows nothing

I would rather spend time with my father in my home then in a nursing home

My parents raised 6 kids but 6 kids can’t raise one father

It’s not what you say but how you make him feel

Love and respect were earned when when we were kids by daddy being there and supporting us

Now it’s time to reciprocate the love and respect for him

Daddy walked me down the aisle at my wedding to give me away

Now I need to walk him down the aisle in his last stage of life until God calls for him

A daughter is a daughter for the rest of her life

A son is a son til he takes a wife

Every day I pray for God to direct my thinking and give me patience

I pray for God to remove my resentment

Every memory I have from my childhood about Mommy and Daddy is positive and pleasant. I hope to continue to direct my thoughts to be positive

Daddy always said, when Mommy and Daddy are gone, you kids will only have each other

Since Mommy died, daddy is lonely and now that his family doesn’t visit, he is even more lonely

God gave daddy dementia to test our will to be there and keep a promise made to Mommy

I hope my children care for me the same way I cared for my parents

Kids do what they see

Kids learned by visual observation

not what you say

Thoughts for today



My favorite dementia books
















Book Review


Dementia Home Care: How to Prepare Before, During, and After Paperback – April 13, 2021, by Tracy Cram Perkins

I highly recommend this book for anyone who has a Loved One with Dementia or if you are caring for someone with Dementia. This book is informative as well as interactive. It is set up like an Encyclopedia, having a Table of Contents, body, facts, Medical details, charts, recommended readings, Appendixes, and an Index. You can pick this book up and turn to any page and begin reading and interacting with this book.

Hot Topics highlighted in this book:

Healthcare Directive

POA

Driving

Stages of Dementia

The Power of Laughter

Journaling

The FIVE magic words

The Meltdown Trigger List

Memory Kits

Respite care

Caregiver burnout

Adaptive clothing

Bathing/ Toileting

and more




#alz.org









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Lundberg Early Alert Bed Alarm System - Wireless Bed Sensor Pad & Pager - Elderly Monitoring Kit with Pre-Alert Smart Technology - Bed Alarms and Fall Prevention for Elderly and Dementia Patients

  • ABSOLUTE PEACE OF MIND: knowing you'll be alerted before your loved one gets up from bed is an absolute lifesaver. Our wireless bed alarm sensor pad and pager are designed to notify you before it's too late. You'll be able to rest easy, especially in the middle of the night, knowing you can get there before they fall.



BELLS FOR DOORS

MAKE SOME NOISE WHEN THE DOOR OPENS SO YOU CAN HEAR YOUR LOVED ONE


I string up bells and put them on every door in my house. I place the bells on the closet door, bathroom door, exit doors, and bedroom doors

I can hear the bells ring and I know what my Dad is doing




Stages

In the early stage of Dementia, most people function independently. He or she may still drive, take part in social activities, live alone, cook, volunteer, and even work. Your role as a care partner is an important one: to provide support and companionship, and help plan for the future. You can provide suggestions about obtaining care for the future. You can observe actions and activities that may need to be addressed and discussed in the future. You can begin to collect contacts such as doctor's addresses and phone numbers. Discuss POA and Medical Directives.


"Early stage" refers to people, of any age, who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or Cognitive memory Loss, and are in the beginning stage of the disease. The early stage of Alzheimer’s can last for years. A diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t just affect those with the disease; it affects everyone who loves and cares about them. Learn more about the stages of Alzheimer’s.

Common difficulties in Early Stage include:

  • Coming up with the right word or name.

  • Remembering names when introduced to new people.

  • Having difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings.

  • Forgetting material that was just read.

  • Losing or misplacing a valuable object.

  • Experiencing increased trouble with planning or organizing.

MODERATE LEVEL

Middle-stage Alzheimer's is typically the longest stage and can last for many years. As the disease progresses, the person with Alzheimer's will require a greater level of care. During the middle stage of Alzheimer’s, dementia symptoms are more obvious. the person may forget words, get frustrated and agitated, and act in unexpected ways, such as refusing to bathe. Damage to nerve cells in the brain can also make it difficult for the person to express thoughts, tell you about a recent fall, tell you if he is hungry, and perform routine tasks without assistance.



Symptoms, which vary from person to person, may include:

  • Being forgetful of events or personal recent history.

  • ​Feeling moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations. Agitated easy. Confused

  • Being unable to recall information about themselves like their address or telephone number, and the high school or college they attended. Can recall childhood events but not current events. Does not know who the President of the United States of America is at this time.

  • wonder, get lost, and not know where he is,

  • needs help in the bathroom, wears pull-ups

  • cannot cook or function in the kitchen

  • always cold

  • more confused

  • might use a spoon instead of a fork

  • needs to be encouraged to change clothes daily

  • needs someone to manage medicine



END-STAGE DEMENTIA

In the final stage of the disease, dementia symptoms are more severe and easier to identify as a caregiver. Individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, carry on a conversation back and forth with another person, and, eventually, control the ability to move independently. They may still say words or phrases, but communicating pain or feelings becomes difficult. As memory and cognitive skills continue to worsen, significant personality changes may take place and individuals need extensive personal care. At this stage, individuals may:

  • Require around-the-clock assistance with daily personal care.

  • ​Lose awareness of recent experiences as well as of their surroundings.

  • Experience changes in physical abilities, including walking, sitting, and, eventually, swallowing

  • Have difficulty communicating.

  • Need Physical therapy or Occupational Therapy

  • Need to be given pills and a drink to swallow the pills

  • needs direction on how to eat- pick up a spoon, put food on the spoon, put the spoon in your mouth

  • needs 24 hour care/ memory facility





My favorite Dementia books


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