|
At Visiting Angels we care for many people living with Alzheimer's disease. Most of these individuals are in the early to moderate stages of the disease and do well staying at home with help from a caregiver.
However, because Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease, many of our clients reach a point where it is no longer safe or appropriate for them to stay home- even with 24 hour care in place.
In such situations, our caregivers communicate their concerns to our care team and we make a recommendation to the family. Typically this recommendation involves transitioning the elder into a community that specializes in working with memory impairment.
In the Bay Area we are fortunate to have many outstanding options for memory care. One local company, Emeritus Senior Living, recently published tips for easing an elder's transition from home into a memory care community. Here is what Emeritus suggests:
Before the move, make your loved one's new room or space look and feel as familiar as possible. Moving from one home to another can trigger anxiety for anyone. For a person with Azheimer's disease, however, a changed routine and an unfamiliar environment can be extremely stressful. If you're helping a loved one with Alzheimer's move to a new home or into a care facility, make the transition as comfortable as possible.
Decorate the area with meaningful possessions. Familiar belongings can trigger feelings of ownership and boost their sense of security.
Here are some recommended items for their new room:
- Personal family photos - especially of parents and siblings.
- A favorite blanket or throw for over the bed.
- Favorite bedding can make the resident feel more at home instead of new bedding.
- Familiar furniture can be better and more familiar than new.
- A CD player and favorite music CD's are better than watching TV.
- Bath towels that are familiar or similar to ones they had at home.
Also stock the space with pictures of family and friends, memory books or photo albums. Reminiscing about the past can help a person with Alzheimer's bring important memories into the present. Label the pictures to help employees and others identify with the people in their lives and encourage conversations about the past.
To see the article on the Emeritus page, click here.
For more information about Visiting Angels and how we can help someone you know who is living with Alzheimer's disease, please contact one of our Bay Area offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585 |
| 6/1/2010 9:53:41 AM |
|
The month of November is designated to draw attention to a few causes that are near and dear to our hearts here at Visiting Angels. Follow the links below to learn more about these causes as well as ways you can recognize some very important people and organizations during the month of November.
National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
National Family Caregivers' Month
National Hospice/Palliative Care Month
|
| 11/2/2009 3:53:26 PM |
|
Visting Angels is once again participating in the annual Alzheimer's Association's Memory Walk. The Memory Walk is the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. Since 1989, Memory Walk has raised more than $260 million for the cause.
This year Team Visiting Angels is hoping to recruit 20 members and raise $10,000. Will you join us?
For more information about the event and to join or sponsor our team, please visit our Memory Walk website.
Thank you! |
| 8/17/2009 5:32:11 PM |
|
As part of their continuing efforts to raise awareness of Alzheimer's Disease and raise money for a cure, the Alzheimer's Association has partnered with HBO to produce a documentary titled "The Alzheimer's Project."
The Alzheimer's Association hopes that this new documentary will update the public on new advances in fighting the disease as well as expose the painful reality of what life is like for those living with the disease and their loved ones.
To watch a trailer and read more about "The Alzheimer's Project," including the dates when it will air, click here.
For more information about our homecare services and how we can help individuals living with Alzheimer's, please call one of our Bay Area offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585
|
| 5/8/2009 4:44:50 PM |
|
Wondering if losing your car keys is a sign that Alzheimer's or dementia is setting in? You're not alone, and that's one reason why the Alzheimer's Association has put together an updated list of early warning signs. The article below is taken from the association's monthly newsletter and includes their new list of signs that you should look out for.
Updated Warning Signs Help with Early Detection
It may be difficult to know the difference between age-related changes and the first signs of Alzheimer's. As part of it's public education effort, the Alzheimer's Association has worked with a wide range group of experts to update it's 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's to make them more current and user-friendly. The comprehensive review process included feedback from health professionals, clinicians, scientists and people with dementia.
The revised warning signs are the cornerstones of Know the 10 Signs: Early Detection Matters, the Alzheimer's Association's national early detection campaign. The signs are a key tool in promoting recognition of common changes that may facilitate early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's or another dementia. Early detection, diagnosis and intervention are vital because they provide the best opportunities for treatment, support and planning for the future.
The revised list describes the following signs:
- Memory changes that disrupt daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Decreased or poor judgement
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
- Changes in mood and personality
For more information about the 10 warning signs and early detection and diagnosis, contact the Alzheimer's Association at 877.IS.IT.ALZ (877)474-8259 or visit www.alz.org/10signs.
For more information about how Visiting Angels can provide care to those living with Alzheimer's or dementia, please call one of our Bay Area offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585
|
| 5/8/2009 4:35:34 PM |
|
As Americans continue to live longer, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease is increasing at an alarming rate. Today, more than 5 million people have Alzheimer's in the United States.
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive and fatal brain disease. It destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to effect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer's, but treatment for symptoms, combined with support services, can make life better for people living with the disease.
Risk Factors
The greatest know risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease is increasing age. Most individuals with the disease are 65 or older. However, people can get Alzheimer's in their 50s, 40s, and even 30s. Other risk factors for developing Alzheimer's include family history and genetics.
Although there are several risk factors for Alzheimer's disease that we can't change, including family history and genetics, research has shown that there are things we can do to keep our brains healthy:
Stay mentally active
Remain socially active
Stay physically active
Adopt a brain-healthy diet -dark fruits and vegatables and omega-3 fatty acids. Reduce your intake of foods high in fat and cholesterol.
For more information about Alzheimer's disease, visit www.alz.org or call 1.800.272.3900.
Reprinted by permission of the Alzheimer's Association. Copyright 2007 Alzheimer's Association. All rights reserved. |
| 2/25/2009 5:32:58 PM |
|
The holidays provide a great opportunity for families and friends to spend time with each other and reconnect. Occasionally, family members notice subtle changes in loved ones that lead to health concerns and questions.
The Alzheimer's Association helpline experts (800-272-3900) assist callers who often, especially this time of year, have questions about warning signs and resources available to help family members possibly confronted with Alzheimer's disease.
There are 588,208 California residents age 55 and older living with this disease. It is critical for people with dementia and their families to receive the information, care and support they need as early as possible. Being aware of the different warning signs of Alzheimer's disease can equip families to look out for behavior and actions that may warrant concern and require follow up from a health professional.
The Alzheimer's Association has developed a checklist to help you recognize the difference between normal age-related memory changes and possible warning signs of Alzheimer's disease.
Additionally, if your family is struggling with the disease, the Alzheimer's Association website provides some suggestions to make your holiday celebrations enjoyable for all.
* Article provided by the Alzheimer's Association
For more information about how Visiting Angels can help individuals living with memory impairment, please feel free to contact one of our Bay Area offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585 |
| 11/24/2008 4:17:59 PM |
|
President Reagan launched a national campaign against Alzheimer's disease 25 years ago when he proclaimed November as National Alzheimer's Disease Month. The former president courageously announced his Alzheimer's diagnosis to the public in 1994 and passed away ten years later.
Every November since President Reagan's proclamation in 1983, the President issues a White House proclamation calling upon American's to observe the month as National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. Communities around the country hold events, memorial services and forums. Organizations like the Alzheimer's Association use the month to increase awareness of the need for research, advocacy and support, as well as to educate the public about the disease.
At Visiting Angels we work with many clients who are living with Alzheimer's disease. Our caregivers provide compassionate and tireless service to increase the quality of live of these clients and help them remain at home as long as possible. This month we recognize the contributions made by our caregivers and remember our clients, past and present, who have been touched by Alzheimer's disease.
To find out more about how Visiting Angels can help you, a loved one, or someone you know who is living with Alzheimer's disease, please contact one of our offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585
|
| 11/17/2008 11:22:52 AM |
|
If you have an older adult in your life suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's disease, you may worry about them wandering away and not being able to find their way home. A new law that addresses this issue is under consideration right now.
In September, the House of Representatives passed the National Silver Alert Act. Much like an Amber Alert for missing children, the act would establish a formal, public notification system to spread information about senior citizens who are missing. The bill was introduced after an 86-year-old Florida woman wandered away from an assisted living facility and was later found dead.
Visiting Angels is urging everyone to call and write their senators to encourage them to sponsor the bill.
"Senior safety is first and foremost for Visiting Angels," says chief operating officer Patricia Drea. "The National Silver Alert Act would give families the peace of mind that, if their loved one is missing, the public would be notified and on the lookout for them."
Currently Silver Alert programs operate in about a dozen states and the National Silver Alert Act would provide federal support to the state initiatives and assist in the expansion of Silver Alert. The bill, S 3579, would create a Silver Alert Coordinator within the Department of Justice, who would set voluntary guidelines and monitor state Silver Alert programs. The coordinator would consult with agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Transportation and the Administration on Aging to develop best practices and provide federal funds to implement state Silver Alert programs.
"Reuniting missing seniors with their families requires a rapid and united response," says Drea. "With the National Silver Alert Act our communities can use and build on existing resources to help keep our seniors safe."
Visiting Angels and other organizations serving older adults are asking the public to contact their senators and encourage them to become a co-sponsor of S 3579 and to support the bill when it comes to a vote on the floor. You can find your senator at www.senate.gov. |
| 11/3/2008 11:08:44 AM |
|
Caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia brings with it many unique issues. Caregivers working with people suffering from various forms of memory loss often struggle with the ambiguity and uncertainty it causes. They also may have difficulty coping with the fact that someone living with memory impairment is physically present but is mentally and psychologically drifting away.
The Family Caregiver Alliance has compiled a helpful Fact Sheet outlining these and other issues facing caregivers working with memory impaired care recipients, why such issues arise and how caregivers can address them and better cope with the situation.
For more information about how Visiting Angels can help individuals living with memory impairment, please feel free to contact one of our Bay Area offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585
|
| 10/13/2008 10:39:39 AM |
|
On October 11, 2008 Visiting Angels will join thousands of walkers participating in the Alzheimer's Association Treasure Island Memory Walk. This annual event raises money for the Alzheimer's Association's research and support programs.
Alzheiemer's disease effects many of our clients at Visiting Angels, and we have wittnessed firsthand the impact it has on the friends and family members of those living with the disease. Our caregivers have devoted countless hours to assiting people in our community to stay independent at home while suffering the debilitating side effects of Alzheimer's disease. We believe that participating in the Memory Walk may one day lead to a world without Alzheimer's disease.
At last year's Memory Walk our group of 18 coworkers, friends and family took the leisurely 3 mile walking route around Treasure Island where we chatted, enjoyed the view and danced to the bands that played along the way. We all wore matching t-shirts bearing the names of the friends, family and clients who we walked in honor of. It was a beautiful morning and a rewarding experience- not to mention a whole lot of fun. Together we raised over $3,000 for the Alzheimer's Association!
We're looking forward to this year's event and hope to see you there!
For more information about how Visiting Angels can help care for someone you know who is living with Alzheimer's disease, feel free to call us:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585 |
| 9/26/2008 1:25:43 PM |
|
|
