If your parent has Alzheimer's or dementia, the uncertainty of what new challenges will arise each day can create serious anxiety. Learn more in this post about Alzheimer's Los Angeles new ten-episode video series with Caregiver Tips. The series started on September 24 and a new video will be posted online each week, until November 26, 2019.
Read MoreEmotional contagion occurs when people mimic the emotions that they see in others. Researchers have found that emotional contagion is increased in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, as well as Alzheimer's disease. In this post, we’ll explore the "caregiver's mask" — this is a useful tool to prevent agitation in family members, but it can also take a personal toll on caregivers.
Read MoreThis blog post may tread into the territory of TMI (too much information). However, if your parent has dementia or Alzheimer’s, helping them with lab tests can quickly become a challenge. While caring for my Dad, I adopted five techniques to help both of us through the trauma of routine lab tests. It’s my hope that these may help others out there too.
Read MoreI was recently speaking with a friend whose mother is in her early 80s. She lives across the country from her Mom and is starting to become concerned about changes that she's detected in her mother's behavior. It begs the question, if your Mom or Dad seems forgetful, should you be worried about dementia? In this blog post, we’ll discuss potential next steps if your family member doesn’t fit the profile for “normal,” aging-related forgetfulness.
Read MoreParents of children with behavioral challenges may be familiar with two experts in the field of collaborative problem solving: Dr. J. Stuart Ablon (Director of Think:Kids) and Dr. Ross Greene (Founding Director of Lives in the Balance). In this post, we’ll explore how the collaborative problem solving techniques and “Plan B” approach recommended for children could also be used productively by adult children interacting with parents suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's.
Read MoreIts seems that many approaches to child care can be applied productively to other vulnerable populations, such as individuals with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Yet, it seems like multi-generational, "cross-pollination" of best practices hasn’t occurred widely. The I-PASS study at Boston Children's Hospital focuses on family-centered hospital rounding processes. If family-centered communications can reduce medical errors for children, why not for older patients too?
Read MoreMental health care seems to be afterthought or downright ignored in our healthcare system. Yet, mental health services and expertise are essential components in a care plan for patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Caregivers often find themselves at a loss, trying to identify the mental health services that their family members need….
Read MoreWhen an elderly parent is hospitalized, whether planned or unplanned, it's a stressful time for caregivers. Add hospital delirium to the mix and things can get overwhelming fast. Fortunately, awareness about delirium is on the rise in the medical community and there are things that both clinicians and families can do to reduce the likelihood of delirium developing.
Read MoreCaring for an elderly parent often feels similar to parenting. It can be a lot of routine appointments and tasks to ensure that your family member is safe, healthy, and cared for. But, what happens when you encounter critical situations where you just don't know where to turn? It might be beneficial to hire a geriatric care manager. In this post, we’ll explore when and why you might use this type of resource.
Read MoreAs your family members grow older, their health may deteriorate to a degree that it's no longer safe or practical for them to live at home, even with in-home care. For most people, 24x7 private care is not an affordable alternative. In this post, I'll be discussing memory care facilities and eight things you may want to keep in mind as you explore this care alternative.
Read MoreIn the United States, cars and driving are an integral part of our culture of personal independence. So, what happens when your elderly parent shows signs that they might not be safe behind the wheel? The “car conversation” is often a difficult one which stirs up feelings of defensiveness, frustration, and anxiety for all involved. In this post, we’ll offer thoughts on when and how to broach this sensitive topic.
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