Alzheimer’s Blog

With the Walk to End Alzheimer’s around the corner, it seems fitting to talk about Alzheimer’s. What it is, how to prevent it, ways to cope with a loved one with the disease, as well as, what to do to keep your mind sharp as you age. Alzheimer’s Disease is defined as a mental deterioration that mainly occurs late in life, but there are early onset cases in individuals in their 40s and 50s. It is all due to the decay of the brain. Its symptoms usually include memory loss, mood or behavior changes, and difficulty remembering time, dates, and events. More severe Alzheimer’s includes possible trouble walking or eating as well as talking. If you notice any of these symptoms in your loved one, talk to a doctor about ways that you can slow it down before it progresses.

Although, Alzheimer’s is not curable, there are treatments that can slow down the rapid worsening of the disease. Doctors may prescribe certain medications to slow down the deterioration of the brain, as well as natural remedies that have been tested to slow down the spreading of Alzheimer’s. Talk to a doctor before using medicines and remedies to treat Alzheimer’s.

Supporting your Alzheimer’s patient is a hard job. Encouragement and organization are key to keeping your loved one safe and independent. Start by establishing a daily routine. Having a schedule they can stick to can help them remember what comes next each day. Keep them involved. By engaging them in activities they look forward to, the feelings of frustration, isolation and embarrassment could slowly disappear. Talking to them about how they are feeling could also help them cope and ease negative and scary feelings. Keeping a schedule for their medicine and doctor’s appointments is also something to manage. All of this could be stressful to you as well, so take a moment for yourself, and join a support group to learn about available resources, and acquire various copying skills to help you better manage.

If you feel that the Walk for Alzheimer’s is something you would like to get involved with, contact us or see our calendar for more information. Please join us on September 21st as we walk to raise money for a great cause!

Long -Term Care: The Home Care Option

Long-term care is a complex and often confusing topic that, unfortunately, many people first encounter in a crisis situation. Often, the first and most difficult decision, when a loved one needs long-term care, is whether to arrange for care to be provided to the person in their home or to relocate the person, to receive care at a long-term care facility. This program will focus on the home care option, with presentations by experts from multiple perspectives on this subject.

Mary Demakes and Bonnie Akerson will explain the wide range and levels of specialized services available to accomplish long-term care at home. Private Home Health Care has a 20-year history and has been located in Marblehead since 2001. For more information on the company, please see: privatehomehealthcare.org (eldersathome.com).

http://abbotlibrary.org/calendar/long-term-care-the-home-care-option/

Private Home Health Care is teaming up with the Alzheimer’s Association for a good cause!

Want to fight Alzheimer’s but don’t know how? We have the solution for you! Private Home Health Care is teaming up with the Alzheimer’s Association to raise money for research to find a cure to this devastating disease through a baseball game at Fraser Field. You can help us by purchasing tickets to the game. Tickets for the game are 5 dollars and the bigger the group the more money goes to Alzheimer’s research. This game is held on August 1^st at 6:30 and promises to be a fun night for all! Private Home Health Care’s goal is to sell  3,000 tickets, so bring the family, and all your friends!  It is sure to be a night of fun, all for a good cause!   Contact us at 781-639-8696 for more information and to purchase tickets.

The Importance of Drinking Water

Drinking water on a regular basis is essential for good health. Our body’s are made of 60% water and we lose some naturally throughout the day. It is important to stay hydrated considering water acts like a nutrient to our bodies; it assists digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. Though, it is a myth that your body most benefits from eight glasses of water a day. To stay hydrated, the amount of water that we secrete must be added back to our bodies. We lose water through urine, breathing and sweat. Drinking water daily helps your overall health, occasionally drinking it is not enough unless substituted. Be sure to stay hydrated.

Seniors’ 5 Most Concerning Topics

Senior’s 5 Most Concerning Issues

 1.    Seniors are not getting the proper nutrition or hydration.

These are necessities for any person but, for seniors it is extra important.  Some seniors even forget to eat! If no one is around to cook for them or if there is nothing there to quickly eat, they will neglect to eat. Some of the foods that are easy for seniors to prepare do not have much to offer for nutritional value.  Everyone including seniors, should strive to get more fruits and vegetables in their systems; our bodies need them to keep us healthy!

Seniors also tend to have problems with dehydration. We should all attempt to drink enough fluids, especially water.   Adequate liquid amounts can help prevent dizziness and fatigue.  Malnutrition and dehydration can be prevented with the right information and care.

2.    They are at risk of falling.

Seniors with serious balance problems or those who have had a stroke or event where their balance is off could have a hard time moving smoothly through their homes.  Falling is very scary and may happen frequently and unexpectedly.  Even dizziness can cause someone to fall.   Falling prevention involves, using a cane, a walker and making sure walking paths are clear. Keep these tips in mind, because spending time in the hospital to recover from a fall wouldn’t be much fun!

3.    Taking Medication on Time with the Right Dose

Most seniors better manage and recall their medications when following a schedule. Remembering to take this pill at breakfast or this pill at 2:30 can be difficult for many seniors. Not taking the right dosage can cause problems like dizziness, heart palpitations, sleeplessness or worse.  Medication management is very scary and dangerous for those with memory issues.  Some individuals might forget what pills to take, how many, or even where they put their pills.  It’s good practice to utilize pill boxes and reminders from family members, or by writing notes, to make certain all medications taken correctly

4.  Once Friends pass away Seniors may feel Depression

It is sad for seniors when their friends or relatives pass away. Even though some of them may have the company of their children, it is still sad to be the only one left and these feelings may lead to depression.  Studies have shown that people with friends at an old age do much better than those who have lost many of their friends. Human interaction will always be better than the sounds for a TV or radio.  Human interaction keeps individuals actively engaged, verses passively listening.  Depression should be monitored in seniors.  To ward off depression try to keep seniors engaged in interesting activities and engaged in conversations with families and friends.

5.  They Stop Wanting to Exercise

Many seniors stop exercising because they feel like they cannot make any positive changes for their well-being. This is unfortunate because exercise helps seniors increase circulation, obtain restful sleep and a better appetite.  Exercise becomes a lower priority because doing it is more challenging as we age, and maintaining an active life style becomes more difficult with muscle aches and stiffness. Help seniors become more active and incorporate an exercise program by getting an aide to support and encourage them.

Daily Foods That Store Fat

When you eat high carb meals with no balance to low carbs, you end up with increased blood sugar. That puts your body into fat storing mode. The more fat that is stored in your body, the less your body can burn of that fat. With a balance of high carbs, low carbs and protein;  your body is able to burn fat easier using a fat burning hormone naturally produced. With an imbalance of foods sources, this hormone is made less of. Drinking any concentrated fruit juice results in a spike of blood sugar, putting your body in fat storing mode. When the fruit is concentrated, all the fibers are drawn out of it; leaving you with basically sugar water. Margarine has many health risks along with being loaded with trans fats. It is bad for your heart because it adds bad cholesterol and strains the good cholesterol from your body. Shockingly enough, wheat bread is up there with fat storing foods too. Along with any genetically motified foods. In most countries, genetically motified foods are band. Soy is a fat storing food too. 91% of soy made in the US is genetically motified.When you eat these kinds of foods that store fat, exercise will not help. Along with the foods mentioned, it is in the body’s best interest to avoid sugar aspartame, canola and dairy. Foods such as snap peas and green beans decrease grehlin, which is the hormone that makes you hungry even when you’re not. Adjusting your diet to these regulations allows your body to take the shape it’s intended to.

Lunch & Learn: Wiser Health Care Decisions and Choices

Learn how to make Wiser Health Care Decisions and Choices while having a healthy lunch as Mary Demakes, RN, presents choices for your health care.

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