Delirium, depression, and dementia are conditions faced by many older adults. None are a part of normal aging, and all are different. However, it can be difficult to distinguish between them, as the symptoms are similar. And, a person may have more than one of these conditions at the same time. Alert your doctor if …
Continue reading “Differentiating Delirium, Depression, and Dementia”
Caregiving can feel like a “solo” job. Often a caregiver is spending time in the home of a client and may be the only person their client sees that day. This can be a tough job, so we want to be sure our caregivers are fully supported and understand that they are NOT alone out …
Continue reading “What’s Different About Caregiving at Assisting Hands serving Northern Kentucky?”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 out of 4 older people falls each year, but fewer than half tell their doctor. Falls are serious – one in five falls causes a broken bone or head injury. 95% of all hip fractures are caused by falling, usually sideways, and …
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Most seniors would prefer to receive care in the comfort and familiar surroundings of their own home. Yet many have trouble with the activities of daily living and managing their healthcare, especially their medications. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of older adults hospitalized due to medication-related problems has doubled …
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In the video above, dementia educator Teepa Snow demonstrates how to use music to engage people with brain disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, music is a powerful tool to use with those with Alzheimer’s and dementia because the brain areas responsible for musical memory are largely untouched by these brain diseases. Here are some …
Depression is one of the most common challenges of growing older. Interacting and engaging with others is a powerful depression fighter. The American Sociological Association examined the connection between depression and feelings of loneliness, finding that the two are intertwined. Untreated, depression can cause a senior to withdraw from social engagement—but it is important to …
Humans are “hardwired” to crave and rely on human contact. Unlike turtles, for example, that are on their own from the moment they hatch out of a buried egg, from day one people depend on other people for survival. Brain experts explain the origin of this “wiring”: early human beings lived in small, interdependent groups. …
When Phyllis arrived in the ICU after heart surgery, her daughter Isabelle expected her to be a little out of it for a day or two. But on the third day, she and her father grew increasingly concerned that Phyllis’s behavior was very unusual, even under these circumstances. She didn’t seem to really understand where …
Continue reading “Complications after Hospitalization: Delirium”
Today’s seniors grew up in the era when automobiles became commonplace, and were the pride and joy of many teens. Driving, therefore, equals independence in the minds of most seniors. But physical or intellectual impairment and even the normal changes of aging can make driving less safe, or unsafe, for older adults. It seems that …
Is your family struggling to manage care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other brain disease? Distraught as you see them lose their cognitive abilities – perhaps even the ability to recognize individual family members? You are not alone. Many in our community are dealing with these painful issues. You want not only …
Continue reading “Introducing Teepa’s GEMS® for Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care”
