Ten common mistakes people make when selecting a long term care facility for a...
By Micha Shalev, MHA CDP CDCM Part one of two. Part two will be in the November issue of the Fifty Plus Advocate. When families and...
Dementia and shower (‘bath) time
By Micha Shalev One of the challenges in caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or another kind of dementia can be bath (or shower) time....
Reasons why a person with dementia may want ‘to go home’
By Micha Shalev
Photo Micha Shalev, Photo Submitted “I want to go home” is one of the most heartbreaking and confounding phrases people with dementia may...
Safety monitoring of a loved one diagnosed with dementia
By Micha Shalev
(Photo Micha Shalev, Photo Submitted) We get news every day of remarkable developments in the tech world that claim to make our lives...
What is the treatment for Alzheimer’s disease?
By Micha Shalev, MHA CDP CDCM Alzheimer's is a terminal disease. This means it has no cure and will end in death. However, there are...
Family caregiving: Why respite?
Being a family caregiver, while a fulfilling role, can consume a great deal of physical, mental and emotional energy. Consequently, respite care is very important because it gives family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s and related dementia disease an opportunity to create a plan of care for themselves; something a caregiver often overlooks.
Productive aging
Our staff likes to tease. The easiest group to pick on is the activities staff. We accuse them of having a cushy job, saying they get paid to play games all day, to listen to music, have snacks, knit, play puzzles on the computer, or go on trips. We roll our eyes when they complain about a hard day. But the truth is these jobs are hard. They are also important, undervalued, and have a real impact on our residents.
Key assumptions in caring for the Alzheimer’s patient
Dementia is a difficult diagnosis. The progressive decline of brain function and memory retention are frustrating and challenging experiences for the senior afflicted, as well as for their loved ones.
Helping people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in case of emergency
People with dementia are especially vulnerable to chaos and emotional trauma. They have a limited ability to understand what is happening, and they may forget what they have been told about a particular disaster. First responders, neighbors and family members assisting with an evacuation should be alert to potential reactions of someone with dementia in disaster situations.
How to recognize signs it’s time for placement in a specialty memory care facility...
Moving a family member into memory care facility is never an easy decision. However, there are some telltale signs that caregivers can look for in order to recognize when it’s time for assisted living:
