December 2011 - Driving

Driving demands quick reaction time and fast decision making - because of this a person with Alzheimer's will eventually become unable to drive. Making the decisions about when its time to stop driving can be difficult, but dealing with the issue early on can help ease the transition. Learn more at the Alzheimer's Association Dementia and Driving Resource Center where you can watch how four families deal with different issues related to dementa and driving.

• Watch videos
• Tips on conducting the difficult conversations
• Tips for planning ahead
• Signs of unsafe driving
• Personalized help is always available at our 24/7 Helpline - 800.272.3900

November 2011 - Holiday Coping Tips

Many families struggle with issues related to Alzheimer's and holidays. For instance, your mother might not handle crowds well, yet you want her to be a part of the celebration. Do you buy presents for a person with Alzheimer's? Do you bring your father from the nursing home or do you leave them there?

• Holiday Coping Tips - Click here
• Personalized help? Call our 24/7 Helpline - 800.272.3900
• Holiday Gift - Make a year end gift in honor of your spouse, parent or friend with Alzheimer's - Click here

October 2011 - Hospice and Palliative Care

As families approach stage 7 (the end stages) they are faced with a myriad of decision. As the disease progresses through the final stage, the person begins experiencing difficulty with walking, swallowing, and other automatic functions. Faced with decisions around feeding tubes, end stage care, hospitalization for infection treatment, most families are hesitant to contact Hospice care because it seems as they are giving up on the person. Yet, palliative care is simply another type of care that is not aggressive and invasive, and it can be paid for by the Hospice benefit. Leanr more...

• Education Class - Palliative and Hospice Class - October 27th pm - 1:30 - 3:30 pm (See OCTOBER Essentials Classes) or call our 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 for more information
• Understanding the Hospice Benefit - Click here
• End of Life Decisions - Click here
• Late Stage Care - Click here

September 2011 - Later Stage Care - Incontinence

As the person with dementia moves through the stages, most often loss of bowl and bladder control becomes a problem. This impacts both the physical and emotional well being of the caregiver as it creates a large amount of work and signals yet another loss. Steps can be taken to help the situation and it can be managed, but the caregiver must be educated.

• Dealing with Incontinence - Overview article on this issue
• Later Stage/Hands on Care Training - Centerville, Thurs, Sept 29th, 1:30 - 3:30pm - Download Essentials flier for more information

August 2011 - Providing Meaningful Activities

Keeping a person with dementia engaged in meaningful activities throughout the day can be difficult for caregivers already exhausted by the many demands on their physical and emotional energy. The 24/7 need of people living with dementia is overwhelming, but tips on providing meaningful activities can be helpful.

• Meaningful Activities - Overview article "Staying in Engaged in Meaningful Activities
• A Dignified Life - "Being Together - Managing and Valuing Activities"
• 101 Things to do with a Person Living with Dementia
  
• Adult Day Care can be another solution - getting a break and letting others interact with the person might give you the rest you need for evenings and weekends when you need all your strength for caregiving

July 2011 - When Families Don't Agree

Working with the person with dementia can be difficult, but most people find more difficulty working with their family because of the emotional nature of dementia caregiving and misinformation about the disease. Three main causes of family friction are discussed:

1. Spouse Caregiver/Children Issues
2. Sibling Issues
3. Step Families Issues.

After a discussion of each area and tips for handling the issues, ideas for moving forward will be suggested.

Download the "When Families Don't Agree" Tip Sheet

If you need further help:

Call our 24/7 Help-line at 800.272.3900 or email our staff - julie.worley@alz.org

June 2011 - Adult Day Services

Miami Valley Assistance to Pay for Adult Day Services - Click here

* Please note - Some Assisted Living Facilities in the Miami Valley also offer Day Service programming on an hourly basis. To find out if your local Assisted Living offers this service you may call the facility directly. List of Assisted Livings in the Miami Valley - Click here

May 2011 - The Nursing Home Decision

Main Article

The Nursing Home Decision - Click here

Resources

On-line Resources

• Nursing Home Compare - Click here
• Long-Term Care Ohio - Click here
• Guide to Choose a Nursing Home - Click here
• Assisted Living Facilities in the Miami Valley - Click here
• Nursing Home Facilities in the Miami Valley - Click here

Book 1 - The 36 Hour Day (Chapter 16)

"A time may come in the process of caring for someone with dementia when placement is the most responsible decision the family an make."

• In this chapter... types of living arrangements, finding the right facility, paying for care, talking to your loved one about the move, tips to make visits more enjoyable, adjusting to a new life, if there are problems

Book 2 - A Dignified Life (Chapter 10)

"Once placement is made, it always takes time for the person to adjust...The knack of patience and empathy is important here. Making an adjustment like this would be hard on any of us."

• In this chapter... family concerns about placement, the "martyrdom trap", types of facilities, evaluating the setting, making the move from home to facility, getting the best care from a facility