Support for Families

I found this article to be an excellent one dealing with Alzheimer’s. It provides you with information on how to be a caregiver, how to prepare educationally for Alzheimer’s and caregiver programs. This article provides you with hospice programs to help lighten the load of a role as a caregiver.

            If your loved one is at the later stages of Alzheimer’s, this article will not only define what hospice is, but also provides you with questions to ask a hospice provider such as Do you have staff trained specifically in Alzheimer’s”; How many years has your agency been in business?; Is your agency Medicare certified? Etc.

            It also gives you examples as how to pay for hospice along with definitions of such payment types.

 

(2009, 29 October).Alzheimer’s Family Support and Education.Fisher’s center for Alheimer’s Research Foundation. Retrieved 10/29/09 from www.alzinfo.org

Ideas for Caregivers

We all know that dealing with Alzheimer’s is tough especially if you are the one responsible for taking care of someone who has been diagnosed with this disease. Taking on the burden of having to care for someone in such debilitating conditions can be challenging. This is why I feel that it’s important to provide tips for caregivers so that you will not be overwhelmed to the point of frustration. The article “Alzheimer’s disease: Your role as a caregiver,” lists many helpful tips. I am only going to name a few so as not to further overwhelm you.

            First, make sure that you always take time for yourself. It’s important that you, as the caregiver has relaxation time because if you are stressed, than your loved will be stressed.

            Second, learn as much as you can about your loved ones disease. The more informed you are, the better prepared you’ll be as the disease gets worse.

            Third, help your loved one participate in as many activities as you possibly can. Make sure that your loved one maintains activities in the home like dressing or showering.

            Fourth, consult your loved one about his/her affairs. Make sure that you make yourself aware of your loved one’s will and wishes for death.

            Fifth, set realistic goals for yourself and your loved one. Do not overdue it. Make sure that you set reachable goals for you and your loved one.

            Sixth, do not put your life on hold. Don’t lose yourself in the role of a caretaker. Continue to make time for your friends or hobbies.

            Seventh, have someone you can talk to. Make sure that you always have someone to talk to so that you can share your trials as well as your triumphs. Remember, you are not alone in this.

 

            I believe that if you follow these steps as a caregiver, your load will definitely lighten.

 (2009, October29).Alzheimer’s Disease: Your role as a caregiver.WebMd. Retrieved 10/29/2009 from www.webmd.com

Myths of Alzheimer’s Disease

Because the knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease has been around for years, many myths of how it is obtained have developed. Most of these myths have been believed by many people and have caused unnecessary fear for those who believe them. Because of this, I feel that these myths should be exposed and dispelled so that people will know the truth.

            While searching for the most common believed myths about Alzheimer’s’, I came across a brochure entitled the Alzheimer’s Society. This brochure listed 10 myths that are most associated with Alzheimer’s.

            The first myth is “because someone in my family has Alzheimer’s disease, I’m going to get it.” According to the brochure, only 7 percent of those whom have family members that have the disease will get it. So it’s very race.

            The second myth is “Alzheimer’s disease is only an old person’s diseases.” The brochure states that Alzheimer’s does not come with age; in fact, some people are diagnosed with that disease as early as 40.

            The third myth is “There is a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.” There is currently no cure for the disease, but there are medicines that will help fight against the effects of the disease.

            The fourth myth is “Memory loss means Alzheimer’s disease.” Just because someone has some sort of memory loss throughout the day, does not mean that they automatically have Alzheimer’s.

            The fifth myth is “Aluminum causes Alzheimer’s disease.” Though there have been some links to aluminum and Alzheimer’s, there is no proof that they are directly related to obtaining Alzheimer’s.

            The sixth myth is “Alzheimer’s disease is preventable.” Though Alzheimer’s is not preventable, there are some ways that you can decrease obtaining by eating healthy foods, diet and exercise, reducing stress, etc.

            The seventh myth is “Vitamins, supplements, and memory boosters can prevent Alzheimer’s disease.” Researchers are currently testing such vitamins as ginkgo biloba and selenium to see if these will work.

            The eighth myth is “If I’m diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, my life is over.” Having Alzheimer’s does not mean that your life is over. Early detection is the best way to promote and prolong a healthy life.

            The ninth myth is “All people who have Alzheimer’s disease become violent and aggressive.” The effects of Alzheimer’s will affect peoples’ moods and behaviors differently, so not all will react the same.

            The tenth myth is “People with Alzheimer’s disease cannot understand what’s going on around them.” People with Alzheimer’s do understand what’s going on around them, they just may not be able to express themselves adequately. This is why it’s important to always treat them with respect.

(October 28, 2009).Alzheimer Society. Retrieved from Alzheimer’s Society Brochure on 10/28/09

Drugs that can help Prolong Healthy brain function

Finding out that you or someone you know has Alzheimer’s can be very frightening.  To know that this disease will cause you to eventually lose the ability to do for yourself can also be disheartening. While all this is true, getting the diagnosis of having Alzheimer’s is not the end of the world. There are many prescription drugs available that can prolong the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

            Though there are many drugs that are available, the most common drugs doctors prescribe are Aricept, Exelon, and Galantamine. These drugs are used only for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease cases.

            Aricept is known to decrease the loss of cognitive function. This drug is used for the mildest cases of Alzheimer’s. Exelon is used for the more advanced stage of this disease. This drug helps reduce the progression of Alzheimer’s, while improving their cognitive abilities. Galantamine improves mental function and aids behavioral and mental side effects. Galantamine’s effects last at least a year or longer.

            Even though these drugs will help prolong healthy brain function, they are not guaranteed to work for every patient. In most cases, only half of Alzheimer’s patients will benefit from the drugs available. This is why it is important to always consult your doctor or physician to make sure that you are getting the correct treatment that will benefit you or your loved one.

Myers, Rice Hannah.Common Drugs that Can Fight Alzheimer’s Disease. Retrieved 10/14/09 from www.ehow.com

Introduction

Hi all,

 

My name is Mercede. I am a senior in Elementary Education/Writing Arts program at Rowan University. I chose this program because I really enjoy education and I love to write. Writing is very therapeutic for me and it has always helped me through tough times. My favorite form of writing is poetry. I often write poetry to express my innermost feelings. Writing poetry was the driving force that helped me get through the difficult pain of dealing with my grandmother’s death. My grandmother died of Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 63. I spent most of my early teens watching her suffer the terrible changes that this disease takes its victim through. A once lively person, became almost a vegetable, unable to communicate, use the bathroom on her own and even unable to eat on her own. In this blog, I will discuss the journey that I found myself on while watching her go through this. I plan to provide you with information of how you can recognize the symptoms of this disease, what you can do if your diagnosed, how to help your family cope , and some personal testimony and encouragements to help you understand what it means to be apart of this disease.

10 Signs of Alzheimer’s

Greetings bloggers and welcome to my new site,

 

            I am very excited that you found this blog because it means that you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer’s disease and how it affects the lives of the people who have it and their families. You may be wondering, why I would devote an entire blog to a topic as heavy as this. Well, have you ever sat down and talked to someone you love and cherish, someone whom you have so many wonderful memories with and then have them look you straight in your eye and ask the question who are you? Have you ever seen someone that you care about have to get a feeding tube placed in them because they have forgotten how to swallow? Well, I have; my grandmother. Before this horrible disease plagued my grandmom, she was known as a loving, compassionate stay at home wife who loved to cook and watch her grandkids. She was always baking cakes and having family gatherings at her house to keep the family together.

            Then the “signs” showed up. She began repeating things that she would say at least two or three times. She would forget where her keys were. Whenever these things would happen, family members would chalk it up to it being senility. Then it began happening more and more. That’s when we knew something was wrong.

            While setting up this blog, I found this informative article which is entitled “10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease.’ The article explains what each warning sign is and how it is portrayed in a person. It was an amazing experience to read this article because for some of the warning signs they listed, I could easily picture an example of my grandmother.

            According to the article Warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease the warning signs are:

 

1. 1.      Memory loss- a person begins to forget things easily. My grandmother would forget that she had made a particular statement so she would continue to repeat herself.

 

1. 2.      Difficulty performing familiar tasks- a person forgets how to complete a tasks that was once familiar to them.

 

1. 3.      Problems with language- a person may forget simple words.

 

1. 4.      Disorientation to time and place- a person forgets familiar places.

 

1. 5.      Poor or decreased judgment- a person may put on clothes that are inappropriate for the current weather.

 

1. 6.      Problems with abstract thinking- a person may forget how to use numbers.

 

1. 7.      Misplacing things- a person may forget where they have placed something. As I stated earlier, my grandmother would misplace her keys all the time.

 

1. 8.      Changes in mood or behavior- a person may become angry or sad.

 

1. 9.      Changes in personality- a once bubbly person can become angry.

 

10.  Loss of initiative- a person loses interest in doing simple tasks.

 

 

Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease  (2009, October 8)10. Retrieved 10/8/2009 from www.ouralzheimer’s.com.

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