Spring Arbor Living Blog

Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging for the person diagnosed and for their family members and loved ones. Each day can bring new demands as the Alzheimer’s patient and family tries to cope with changing levels of ability and new patterns of behavior. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can often seem overwhelming, but the more information you have, the better you can handle the future. Start by learning about ways to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as where to find support, and how to determine the long-term care options that are best suited to you and your loved one.

There are some Alzheimer’s care preparations that should be done in the early stages of the disease. It may be hard to consider these questions, however, making preparations early helps for a smoother transition for everyone. Depending on the stage of Alzheimer’s at diagnosis, it is important to include the patient in the decision-making process as much as possible.
 
Questions to consider in preparing for Alzheimer’s and dementia care:

Who will make healthcare/financial decisions when the person no longer can? While a difficult topic to bring up, if your loved one is still lucid enough, getting their wishes down on paper means they’ll be preserved and respected by all members of the family.

How will the memory care needs be met? Sometimes other family members assume that a spouse or nearest family member will be the caregiver, but that is not always the case. Caregiving is a large commitment that gets bigger over time. The patient will eventually need round-the-clock care. Communication is essential to make sure that the needs of the Alzheimer’s patient are met, and that the caregiver has the support to meet those needs.

Where will the person live? Is his or her home appropriate, or is it difficult to access or make safe for later? If the person is currently living alone, for example, or far from any family or other support, it may be necessary to relocate or consider an assisted living community with support and custom care plans based on the level of memory care needed.

For information on memory care in North Carolina and Virginia contact Spring Arbor.

Help Guide

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Assisted living communities provide a type of housing for people who need various levels of medical and personal care. The goal of Spring Arbor Living is to provide a home-like setting and is designed to promote the patients’ independence. Services are offered to assist residents with daily living.

What Services Do Assisted Living Communities Provide?
Generally the services provided by assisted living communities vary from facility to facility. Services in various facilities often include:

• One to three meals a day
• Monitoring of medication
• Personal care, including dressing and bathing
• Housekeeping and laundry
• 24-hour emergency care
• Varying medical services
• Social and recreational activities

How Can I Know What Services my Loved One Needs?
Talk with your family, caregivers and patient about what services are needed from an Alzheimer’s Care Facility. Take time to consider what services are important before you visit the assisted living communities. This will help ease the transition. Think about these questions:

• How soon do you want/need to change the patients’ residence?
• What daily activities do they need help with (bathing, dressing, toileting, eating)?
• How often do they need help?

For more information or to set up an appointment contact Spring Arbor Living in your area.

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Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementing disease afflicting the elderly. There are approximately 4 million people suffering from this disease. The millions of people who suffer from this disease must be cared for either at home or in a care facility.

Caring for an Alzheimer's patient at home

About two thirds of those suffering from this disease are cared for at home by family, usually a spouse. As the disease progresses it carries with it a huge burden both physically and psychologically on the care givers. It is vital that the care giver access support systems that can provide reassurance, support groups, literature and strategies for coping with someone who has the disease.
 
Too often the strain becomes too much for a spouse trying to cope all alone with an Alzheimer's sufferer and they themselves have a physical or mental breakdown.

Choosing the right type of care facility

As the burden of care increases many families seek care for their family member outside the home. Finding the right Alzheimer’s care facility can be a difficult process encompassing many concerns.

Understanding the level and type of care facility where your family member is most appropriately cared for is critical. Choosing Assisted Living communities with levels of care is important. Too often families will place an Alzheimer sufferer at the wrong level, either in a facility that offers more assistance than the family member needs or worse making the family member cope with living in a facility that doesn't have the necessary support services required to meet their needs.

Contact Spring Arbor in your area. We understand the needs of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease we can match their needs with our custom care plans.

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Transitioning from home to a residential care community can be challenging for both caregivers and for Alzheimer’s patients.

Here's how to make the move easier:

Due diligence. Caregivers need to have much comfort in their choice of assisted living communities. Unfortunately, the quality of these settings varies greatly. Your decision should be based on three important factors: Is there a dementia care unit staffed by professionals with specific dementia training? Does the facility have locations close enough to your home and/or work to allow for visitation at a level that is best for your family? Does the facility meet the specific medical, social, therapeutic and emotional needs of your loved one?

Understand the emotions. An individual with dementia may not be able to fully appreciate what is happening or the long-term implications of relocating to a care facility. They may react to your emotional state during the move. Also, the new surroundings can be overwhelming and confusing, but this will subside in a few days or a week. Give them time to acclimate and to get used to the staff.

Provide input. Share your knowledge of the patient with the staff, including the unit nurse, social worker and nutritionist prior to admission. Employees need time to learn about the medical condition, temperament, behavior patterns, likes and dislikes, of your loved one.

Talk about it. The level of disclosure to your loved one about the upcoming move is a decision you need to make based on your knowledge of their ability to understand. Be patient and understanding and allow them a chance to voice their concerns. Offer reassurance of your plans for regular visitation.

Prepare the room. Plan to have the room set up before they move in. Bring familiar objects, but nothing of value that could be misplaced or damaged. Label clothing and personal items.

Be by their side. Accompany your loved one to the Alzheimer's care facility for the actual move, and repeatedly explain that they will be okay and that you are there to help. You may want to stay for the day and have dinner together. When it is time to go, explain that you have to leave for a while, but will return as soon as you can. Assure them that they will be fine.

Check in regularly. Monitor the care of your loved one on a regular basis, and advocate on his behalf with the staff and administration.

Think about yourself. Tap your network of family and friends for emotional comfort. And seek support from others who have been through this situation. Spring Arbor Living hosts many events where you can find support.

Original article – Alzheimer’s Foundation

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Alzhiemer’s caregivers will almost always  be faced with the realization that they can no longer care for their loved one  in their home. The challenge is knowing when and how to make that transition to an assisted living community, and how to prepare for it.

Circumstances change almost daily for the Alzheimer's patient, their families and their caregivers. Planning ahead is very difficult.

There is no way to predict the progression of this disease. Each individual is different, different symptoms, different behaviors, and different time lapses between each.

Not all Alzheimer’s patients become violent, but some do. And taking care of a violent patient is not a matter of endurance and stamina. It’s safety. A loved one needs to be moved to an assisted living facility if they are violent. For the security of all, patient and caregiver alike, an Alzheimer’s patient who becomes violent must be moved to a more secure assisted living community, a setting that is safe and comfortable.

The patient has no idea what they’re doing. They would be devastated if they understood the danger they had become to family and caregivers. An Alzheimer's care facility should be considered under these circumstances.

Later in the stages of Alzheimer’s they may need more medical treatment than the caregiver is able to provide.

Many Alzheimer’s patients need protection. An assisted living community can keep patients safe in a well protected area and beautiful environment that provides activities for Alzheimer's patients that keep them healthy and happy longer.  

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Moving a parent or loved one who has Alzheimer's Disease into an assisted living community is not an easy task.
 
Moving is difficult for anyone. But, for those with Alzheimer's disease, a changed routine and an unfamiliar environment can be extremely stressful. If you're moving someone with Alzheimer's into an assisted living community, make the transition as comfortable as possible.

Plan First

If possible, talk to them about their future living arrangements while they can still make choices. Explore all of the  Alzheimer's patient's housing options together. It may be harder for you to guess later about what your loved one would want.

If your parent will be moving to a care facility, visit frequently before the move. Speak with the staff about your parent’s background and special needs as well as medical and mental health history, including a detailed medication list.
 
Make their Space Familiar

Before the move, make your parent’s new home look and feel as familiar as possible. Decorate the area with a treasured quilt, a shelf with special items, a favorite chair or other meaningful possessions. Familiar belongings can trigger feelings of ownership and boost your loved one's sense of security.

Also stock the space with pictures of family and friends, memory books or photo albums. Reminiscing about the past can help a person who has Alzheimer's bring important memories into the present. Label the pictures to help staff members or others identify the people in your loved one's life and encourage conversations about the past.

However, be careful with heirlooms and priceless or irreplaceable items.
 
Moving day

On moving day, follow your loved one's normal routine as much as possible. If possible, make the move during your loved one's best time of day. whether it's morning or afternoon. While you're moving, do your best to stay positive. Your attitude can help your loved one feel safe and secure in the new environment.

Once your loved one is settled, spend extra time with him or her. Encourage friends and loved ones to visit frequently as well. Extra care and attention can help ease your loved one's transition to the new home or facility.

For questions about Alzheimer’s assisted living communities, and what to look for in a care facility, contact Spring Arbor Living in your area.

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If you have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, visits are hard. You may try to convince yourself that you don’t need to go; they don’t know you are there. But visitors are important to people with Alzheimer's. They may not always remember that you came, or who you are, but the human connection has value. If you or someone you know is planning on visiting someone with the disease in an assisted living community, here are some ideas.

• Visit at the time of day when the person with Alzheimer's is at his or her best.
• Bring along an activity, something familiar to read or photo albums to look at, but be prepared to skip it if necessary.
• Be calm and quiet. Don’t talk loudly or talk to the patient as if they are a child.
• Respect the patient’s space, don’t get too close.
• Try to establish eye contact and call the person by name to get his or her attention.
• Remind the person who you are if he or she doesn’t seem to recognize you.
• Don't argue if the person is confused. Be responsive to their feelings. Distract the patient to a different topic if needed.
• Please don’t take it personally if your loved one doesn’t recognize you, is unkind, or responds angrily. They are reacting out of confusion.

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If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the signs of Alzheimer’s Disease, please see a doctor. Early diagnosis gives you a chance to seek treatment and come up with a plan for the future.

Memory loss that disrupts daily life
One of the most common signs of Alzheimer's is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; relying on memory aides or family members for things they used to handle on their own.

Challenges in solving problems
Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.

Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home
People with Alzheimer's often find it hard to complete daily tasks such as driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.

Confusion with time or place
People with Alzheimer's can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.

Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer's. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror.

New problems with words in speaking or writing
People with Alzheimer's may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary; have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name.

Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time.

Decreased or poor judgment
People with Alzheimer's may experience changes in judgment or decision-making especially with money.  They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.

Withdrawal from work or social activities
A person with Alzheimer's may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby.

Changes in mood and personality
The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer's can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.

If you or someone you love is suffering from any or all of these signs, contact a doctor and visit an assisted living care community with specific Alzheimer’s care options.

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Dear Annie: Our mother has Alzheimer's disease, and we don't think our Dad is giving her the right care. Mom seems undernourished. Dad thinks a slice of toast or a cup of coffee constitutes adequate caloric intake for her. If she says "no" to food, he simply accepts that response without trying to encourage her to eat. Her clothes are now several sizes too big.

Mom has emotional outbursts and periods of uncontrollable crying, and she frequently screams out, thus making a good night's sleep impossible for either of them. It is difficult for her to walk more than 15 feet. Dad doesn't assist her consistently, and she has fallen numerous times.

Personal hygiene seems a thing of the past. Their home is now dirty and disorganized. We have offered to clean and do household chores, but they refuse. We gave Dad the name of a local specialist, but he refuses to call. We contacted their family doctor, who said he was unable to convince Dad that Mom needs to go into an assisted living community.

Dad seems to relish being the martyr and constantly complains about having to do everything. We understand that after 50-plus years of marriage, this must be extremely difficult for him. My siblings, our spouses and the grandchildren do not know what to do next. Sincerely, Caring Kids

Dear Caring: It can be traumatizing for one spouse to place another in an assisted  living community, and a certain paralysis can set in, preventing major decisions and changes. You and your siblings need to step up to the plate right now.

If this is situation sounds familiar please contact us at Spring Arbor Living in North Carolina or Virginia.

Original article stardem

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The decision to move your loved one into an assisted living facility is not an easy one. As your loved one ages, they may need more help with daily activities like bathing or remembering medication. Moving to a facility that provides some assistance, without sacrificing independence, may be an option. This type of assisted living environment such as Spring Arbor, is a great option for long-term care.

What should you consider when looking for an assisted living community? First, think about what activities you or your loved one need help with. Here are some considerations to help guide you in your search.

What is most valuable in your loved one's life? What gives them purpose and meaning? Think about where their doctors, church, and family are. The assisted living facility should be near the things and people they hold dear. Seniors need to remain connected.

Think about current and future needs. If a progressive illness is involved look for a facility that can accommodate as mobility changes. Ask questions like: What are the levels of care offered? Are there ramps located throughout? Is the room or apartment fully accessible if a wheelchair is required in the future?

Also, if dementia is involved, there is a risk of wandering; is there an Alzheimer’s area that is safe and secure? When a loved one has Alzheimer's or a related dementia it can seem as though few options are available. As needs progress, the constant care and attention required can seem overwhelming. To meet this need, Spring Arbor offers  "Special Care Cottages" programs that are custom designed for residents with these unique challenges.

Get referrals. You will be surprised at how many people you know or how many people you can be connected with who have done this research. Also, contact your local agency on aging to find out if they can provide a list of facilities they'd recommend in your area.

Visit a few times beforehand. Stop by the community at least twice and take at least one guided tour. Show up unannounced for some other visits in order to see what happenings on a regular day. A nighttime visit is important because most of the staff has likely gone home.

Talk to current residents. If is it possible, talk to residents you meet during your on-site visits.

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