Of the many and varied effects of Alzheimer’s disease, distress is one of the more difficult to manage. Maintaining a sense of calm yourself, and mastering effective calming strategies to help the senior, are crucial for the wellbeing of both the person with dementia and yourself. Dementia care expert Teepa Snow recommends the following four techniques to address the root cause of the senior’s distress and to effectively de-escalate strong, negative emotions and behaviors Step into the person’s shoes. When a senior with dementia is distressed, mimicking that distress, combined with active listening techniques, lets the person know you empathize with his or her feelings. Try repeating back what you hear the senior saying in a similarly distressed tone of voice. This will reassure the … [Read more...] about Zen Master: Calming an Alzheimer’s Patient
What You Should Know About Alzheimer’s and Medicare
For older adults and those with disabilities, Medicare is invaluable when it comes to doctor visits, hospitalizations, prescriptions, and more. And with the rising number of seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease – and an equally increasing cost for Alzheimer’s care – it stands to reason that families are counting on Medicare to help. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s care expenses currently cost our nation as much as $277 billion this year alone, and are expected to cross the $1 trillion mark by the year 2050. The key to determining if Medicare will cover any or all of these expenses boils down to one significant question: are care needs deemed medically necessary, or custodial? Medically Necessary Care The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid … [Read more...] about What You Should Know About Alzheimer’s and Medicare
Are You at Increased Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease?
Although the jury is still out on what actually causes Alzheimer’s disease, the pieces of this puzzle are slowly coming together. Experts do know, for instance, that there are certain risk factors that can increase a person’s likelihood of developing the disease. To help those at risk to take steps to get tested and, if needed, to be treated in the earliest stages of the disease, THE MEDICAL TEAM’s Alzheimer’s care experts share these top risk factors. Physical factors: Obesity (a BMI of 30 or greater) triples a person’s risk High blood pressure in middle age is a strong indicator of later-life Alzheimer’s Abnormalities of the brain that impact Alzheimer’s risk have been identified by scientists Lifestyle choices: Smokers are more likely to develop … [Read more...] about Are You at Increased Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease?
Therapeutic Activities for Each Stage of Alzheimer’s
Although each person experiences Alzheimer’s disease uniquely, the disease typically progresses through three main stages, and each stage brings with it different challenges to address in order to provide the best level of care. Understanding these stages, and where a senior falls within the continuum, can help in delivering the most appropriate therapeutic approach. THE MEDICAL TEAM’s Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care team offers these details on what to expect in each stage, and suggests appropriate activities to help seniors reach their highest potential. Stage 1 (Mild): In the early stage of Alzheimer’s, mild forgetfulness and misplacing items is common. It can become challenging for the senior to recall names of new acquaintances, to plan out tasks, and to remember recently … [Read more...] about Therapeutic Activities for Each Stage of Alzheimer’s