Making a home safer for someone with Alzheimers

January 2nd, 2012

Realizing your parent has Alzheimer’s is hard for anyone, and trying to understand the type of care they will need can be overwhelming. It’s important to remember that your parent will want to retain as much of their independence as is possible. One way to do this is to continue living in their same home.

During the early stages of the disease, most patients are capable of still living on their own with a few key alterations to their environment. Here are some things which can make it easier for your parent to continue living alone.

  • Pick a few, key places to post lists of emergency phone numbers (on the fridge, next to the person’s bed)
  • Make sure all smoke alarms are functional and have fresh batteries. If possible, purchase electrical appliances with automatic shut-off functionality, as people with Alzheimer’s sometimes forget turning an appliance on.
  • Install night lights in hallways and bathrooms for better visibility
  • Use labels for drawers and cabinets to help them remember where things are kept.
  • Arrange furniture so moving around the house is as easy as possible. Once you have done that, try not to move furniture again as this can confuse people with Alzheimer’s. It’s much easier on them if things stay in the same place.

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Seven Warning Signs of Alzheimers

September 16th, 2011

As we age, we can all expect to experience some memory loss. It is a normal part of aging and does not necessarily mean that we are suffering from Alzheimer’s. So, how do you know the difference between the symptoms of normal aging and those that might indicate the onset of Alzheimer’s?

Here are seven warning signs that could indicate the beginning of Alzheimer’s:

  • Asking the same question over and over again.
  • Repeating the same story, word for word, again and again.
  • Forgetting how to cook, or how to make repairs, or how to play cards—activities that were previously done with ease and regularity.
  • Losing one’s ability to pay bills or balance one’s checkbook.
  • Getting lost in familiar surroundings, or misplacing household objects.
  • Neglecting to bathe, or wearing the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean.
  • Relying on someone else, such as a spouse, to make decisions or answer questions they previously would have handled themselves.

As the disease progresses, symptoms such as these become more noticeable and begin to interfere with daily activities. If a loved one is experiencing any of these early warning signs, it’s time to talk to a doctor. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s helps both patients and family members’ time to plan for the future, and also offers the best chance to treat the symptoms of the disease.

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Understanding Alzheimer’s

September 4th, 2011

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, a group of disorders which impairs mental functions. Named for the German physician, Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906, this disease impacts an estimated 35 million people worldwide.

While all of the causes of Alzheimer’s are still not fully understood, scientists are making tremendous progress in this area. Scientists generally agree that there is unlikely to be a single clear “cause” of Alzheimer’s. It is more likely the result of a combination of inter-related factors, including genetic factors, which are passed along family lines of inheritance, and environmental influences, which range from previous head trauma to educational level to one’s experiences early in life.

The most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s include difficulty in communicating, learning, thinking, reasoning, and memory loss. A person with Alzheimer’s can also become disoriented with regard to time and place, and can become lost even while in a familiar area such as their own neighborhood.

Alzheimer’s disease not only affects the person with the disease, but also the rest of the family. Family members are confronted with making important life decisions, not only for the medical care of their loved one but planning and preparing for their needs as the disease progresses.

Alzheimer’s can be a devastating illness, and those individuals who are caring for a loved one need to realize they themselves are at risk for things such as depression or physical and mental exhaustion.

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