Alzheimer's: Dealing with Difficult Behavior

Alzheimer's: Dealing with Difficult Behavior

    
By J B Buckley

 

As if it weren’t enough to deal with forgetfulness and confusion while caring for your loved-one with Alzheimer’s, but aggressiveness, wandering and paranoia can really put you over the edge. Managing your loved-one’s difficult behavior is your true testament of love and devotion. You know it isn’t their fault, it is their disease that is making them scream, cry or yell terrible things out at you. Who ever said patience is a virtue, didn’t care for a loved-one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Perhaps a caregiver’s only defense is to understand how to react to difficult behaviors and be ready for them.

Difficult behaviors can be broken down into the following categories: Wandering, Sleeping and Eating Problems, Agitation, Paranoia and difficulty with personal tasks. This is not to say these categories are the only forms of behavioral problems displayed by people living with Alzheimer’s, but their remedies may intersect other problems.

 

Wandering is not an uncommon hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Stress in the variety of noise, clutter or crowding can cause your loved-one to wander. The best idea is to reduce excess stress. A person living with Alzheimer’s disease should be settled in a quiet, clean, and spacious environment. This will eliminate many of the unwanted stressors, which could cause your loved-one to wander. Other reasons why your loved-one may wander include: Feelings of being lost, boredom, need to use the restroom or medication side effects.

 

In order to prevent your loved-one from feeling lost or foreign to his or her environment, provide them with familiar objects and reassure them quite frequently that they are at home or in a safe place. Maybe a family photo or an award he or she has won always jogs their memory so keep it close by. If your loved-one displays signs of boredom, give them a task of limited difficulty. This will keep them entertained but won’t frustrate them. Folding laundry is a great activity for people living with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

 

It is possible that your loved-one is wandering because they need to use the bathroom. In which case, place elaborate signs or pictures on bathroom doors to help guide them. Also, it is a good idea for you to implement regular toilet times. This will keep both of you on schedule. If your loved-one is wandering due to medication side effects, contact their physician to initiate a change in prescription or to lower the dosage. Wandering can be a dangerous behavior. Caregivers should contact their local Alzheimer’s Association to obtain information about ‘The Wanderers Program’ in their area.

 

People living with Alzheimer’s or dementia often experience sleeping and eating problems. Common causes for these problems include: discomfort, medication, pain, dehydration, depression and excessive sleeping or eating.

 

Feeling discomfort can sometimes not be conveyed by your loved-one depending upon the severity of the disease but it can cause eating and sleeping disturbances. Frequently monitor your loved-one’s room temperature, lighting, noise level, and chair or bed position. If you think your loved-one’s medications could be curbing his or her appetite or ability to sleep, speak to their doctor about changing or eliminating prescriptions.

 

Pain can be a factor in eating or sleeping disturbances. Again, sometimes a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia cannot express their feelings; if you sense a change in appetite or sleeping pattern has suddenly occurred without due cause, set an appointment for a medical examination. Dehydration is a known factor of sleeping and eating disturbances. Make sure your loved-one is drinking plenty of water. Place a pitcher filled with water near your loved-one at all times. Remind them it is there frequently and check to make sure it remains somewhat full. Too full can result in another problem- slip and falls.

 

If you feel your loved-one is showing signs of depression, have him or her evaluated by their physician. Anti-depressants or bedtime sedatives may be a productive treatment option. Depression can also cause excessive sleeping or eating. In which case, increase their exposure to light and reduce or eliminate nap time or snack time.

 

Defined:
Behavioral problems are defined as patient responses, which are considered noxious to staff, other patients, the patient himself, or family (Burgio, Jones, Butler, & Engel, l988). Behavioral problems have a profound impact on quality of care, staff, morale and the day-to-day operation of the long-term care institution

 

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Empty Fridges Could Equal Poor Health For Seniors

Empty Refrigerators Could Equal Poor Health for Seniors

By Jennifer B. Buckley

If you are caring for an elderly loved-one, consider keeping their refrigerator well stocked to keep them healthy. Sounds strange? Well a newly published research letter in the August 12, 2000 issue of The Lancet suggests this claim fairly accurate.

According to the report, “Elderly people with empty refrigerators are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital after assessment compared with patients with adequate refrigerator content.” Researchers from Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland conducted the study. A total of 132 elderly patients (aged 65 and older) recently discharged from the hospital for various aliments were studied. All received routine medical visits in their homes at least once a month after their release from the hospital. During the visits, medical researchers did a thorough assessment of their refrigerator content; classifying it as adequate, inadequate or empty.

A classification of adequate meant the seniors contained the appropriate amounts of different food products to maintain proper nutrition. An inadequate measure was based on refrigerators containing rotten foods or outdated foods. An empty classification proposed there were less than three different food products in the fridge.

Additional data collected included variables such as body mass index, biological markers and nutrition. In addition, social data was collected and proved to be a valuable measure. According to a report on Aging-Related Statistics published in 2000 by the Federal Interagency Forum, seniors who are socially active are more likely to have better physical and mental health.

Patients were evaluated for at least three months, and the numbers and exact dates of hospital admission were calculated within the figure. The study recorded that of the 132 refrigerators assessed, 119 or 90% were classified as having adequate or inadequate food content and 13 or 10% were considered empty. The patients with an empty refrigerator, compared to patients with a full refrigerator, did not differ in age, gender, body mass index, or socially.

According to the findings, four or 31% of the patients with empty refrigerators were admitted back into the hospital four weeks following the conclusion of the assessments. Only 10 or 8% of those patients with a full fridge had to be readmitted into the hospital.

The study concludes that the adjusted risk of being admitted was increased threefold with an empty refrigerator.

The report suggests that future studies need to be completed in other settings to help determine the impact on one’s health from an empty refrigerator. However, caregivers may want to take notice of food content in their loved-one’s home. The report does not give direction as to which food products should be kept stocked up, just that the food product should not be spoiled or outdated. The Food and Drug Administration’s food pyramid is normally recommended for an adequate source of nutrition for most people, except those on special diets.

Traveling With a Person Who Has Altzheimer's

Traveling With a Person Who Has Alzheimer’s

By 

 

Joyce Simard                                  

Being a caregiver doesn’t mean you have to give up life’s pleasures. You can still enjoy traveling with someone who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease; it simply requires planning well in advance. Safety should be the number one consideration in traveling with a person with Alzheimer’s. Wandering and becoming anxious may be more likely because you’re leaving the familiar routine and environment.

 

The first thing to do is call your local Alzheimer’s Association and register with their Safe Return Program or Wanderer’s Program. Both are moderately priced. The entire registration process should be completed before leaving for your vacation. It is also important to remember to never leave your loved-one alone during the trip because they are more likely to wander in an unfamiliar environment. If a situation does present itself, have a crisis plan ready and don’t be hesitant to seek assistance from local authorities or emergency services.

• When preparing for bedtime during a hotel stay, secure the hotel room door.
• During your trip, maintain a daily routine as much as possible. This will help lessen confusion.
• Wake up at the same time each morning and go to bed at the same time each evening.
• Keep regular meal times.
• Have comfort items such as pillows, snacks and water readily available when you travel. This includes any kind of transportation including bus, train, car or airplane. 

 

If you feel travel will be too difficult with your loved-one consider respite care at an assisted living facility. Many facilities offer this form of short-term care. A great way to approach respite care with your loved-one is to tell them they are going on vacation too. Respite care will provide quality care and meaningful activities, which will make their stay very enjoyable and safe, just as a vacation should be. You can even call the facility frequently while on your trip to make sure everything is ok. 

Keep in mind that taking a break from your care giving responsibilities can be vital for your own mental and physical health. In the end, it’s a tremendous benefit to both caregiver and care recipient. Bon voyage!

 

For more interesting articles on Caregiving...

http://www.caregiver.com/channels/alz/articles/alzheimers_traveling2.htm

 

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