dementia

Holiday Care for Individuals Living with Dementia

The holidays are a time of joy spent with our family and friends. But, for individuals living with memory loss and their caregivers, this can also be a time of added stress and confusion. If you are celebrating the holidays this year with a loved one living with Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia, be sure to take these steps to keep the holiday fun going all season long.

Two women gazing at a Christmas Tree

Familiarize the Family

Before your family or friends come over to visit, be sure to let them know what to expect. Changes caused by dementia can sometimes be a shock to those who haven’t interacted with your loved one for some time. Encourage visitors to be patient and let the person finish their thoughts without interrupting. Warn them not to get angry or upset if their loved one tends to repeat themselves, ask the same questions, or call them by the wrong name. It is generally best to let family and friends know what to expect before they arrive, through a text message, phone call, or email. The Alzheimer’s Association has a great example letter if you need help getting started.

Take Care of the Caregiver

Holidays can put additional stress on caregivers as well. Ask about ways that you can help while you are in town visiting or, if you are the caregiver, don’t hesitate to assign duties to others to help with care! Overall, caregivers should try not to juggle too much and prioritize which traditions are most important to maintain and reasonable in doing. This can help alleviate the stress of “too much to do.”

Adjust Expectations

Holiday traditions are important for individuals living with dementia, as they can bring back memories of the past. However, we want to ensure that following these traditions does not put too much stress on your loved one and their caregiver. When planning holiday festivities, it’s best to try and stick to your loved one’s routine as closely as possible – this may mean adjustments for some holiday activities. Crowds and strange places may make a person with dementia feel nervous or confused. Activities may need to happen earlier in the day, as some with dementia may get more agitated in the evening. Be realistic about what your family can and can’t do this holiday season.

Adjust gift giving

Finding a gift for your loved one to enjoy may feel a little more difficult – the Alzheimer’s Association has a great list of gifts to give a loved one with dementia. Use your loved one’s interests and abilities to help them select/make gifts for others as well! My grandma always gave her grandchildren a Christmas ornament each year. When she started to get in the later stages of dementia, she enjoyed coloring – so she colored us each an ornament to put on our trees (a prized ornament still on my tree each year!)

Please comment below with other ideas you have to celebrate the season with ALL our loved ones!

 

Written by: Jessica Lowe, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County, lowe.495@osu.edu.

Reviewed by: Aaron Fowler, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Greene County, fowler.440@osu.edu.

I am a Dementia Friend

I am a Dementia Friend

There are almost 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common cause of dementia, and that figure is expected to rise to nearly 13 million by 2050. Nearly everyone knows someone living with dementia – a loved one, a coworker, a friend, or a neighbor.

Have you ever wondered how to support people in your community who are living with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease? The Dementia Friends program is a social action movement developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom. It aims to equip people to better support individuals in their communities living with dementia through awareness, understanding, and action. The Dementia Friends program focuses on five facts they believe everyone should know about dementia:

  1. Dementia is not a natural part of aging.
  2. Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain.
  3. Dementia is not just about losing your memory.
  4. It’s possible to live well with dementia.
  5. There is more to the person than the dementia.

You can learn more about dementia and become a dementia friend by participating in a 75-minute virtual training session through the Ohio Council for Cognitive Health. Whether you become an official dementia friend or not, some of the small actions you can take to better support individuals in your community living with dementia include:  

  • Offering to call someone with dementia once a week to chat
  • Including a person with dementia in conversations
  • Asking a person with dementia for advice
  • Playing a board or card game together
  • Inviting a person with dementia to join you for a cup of coffee
  • Listening, smiling, and showing you care
  • Offering to pick up groceries or run an errand
  • Offering support to caregivers of people living with dementia
  • Volunteering for an organization that helps people living with dementia or their caregivers
  • Making your home more dementia friendly
  • Encouraging your friends to become dementia friendly
  • Being more patient with people living with dementia when out in the community
  • Making your workplace more dementia friendly
  • Campaigning for change (e.g., by participating in local advocacy events)

To learn more about dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease and advocate for change, consider reaching out to your local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association for current resources and events.

Written by Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County

Reviewed by: Alexus Masterson, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Muskingum County

Healthy Habits for Your Brain and Body

a brain

In 2023, more than 6 million Americans lived with Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, which is a general term for memory loss that is serious enough to interfere with everyday life. Between 2000 and 2019 deaths, from heart disease decreased 7.3% while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased 145%.

The good news is that a healthy lifestyle can protect your brain and lower your risk of cognitive decline and possibly dementia. And it’s never too early or late to adopt healthy lifestyle habits! The Alzheimer’s Association recommends ten healthy habits for your brain and body:

  1. Challenge your mind. Be curious! Put your brain to work and do something that is new for you. Learn a new skill. Try something artistic. Challenging your mind may have short- and long-term benefits for your brain.
  2. Keep learning. Education reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Encourage youth to stay in school and pursue the highest level of training possible. Continue your own education by taking classes at a local library, community center or college, or online.
  3. Get moving. Engage in regular exercise. Find ways to build more movement into your day — walking, dancing, gardening — whatever works for you! The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week for optimal physical and mental health. Moderate-intensity physical activity includes activities that raise your heart rate and increase blood flow to the brain and body.
  4. Protect your head. Help prevent injuries to your head by wearing a helmet for activities like biking, wearing a seat belt in the car, protecting yourself while playing sports, and doing what you can to prevent falls.
  5. Be smoke-free. Choose not to use tobacco if you never have and stop smoking if you are currently using tobacco products. It’s never too late to stop! Quitting smoking can lower the risk of cognitive decline back to levels similar to those who have not smoked.
  6. Control your blood pressure. Medications can help lower high blood pressure, and healthy habits like eating right and physical activity can help, too. Work with a health care provider to control your blood pressure.
  7. Manage diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or controlled by eating healthier, increasing physical activity, and taking medication, if necessary
  8. Eat right. Eating healthier foods can help reduce your risk of cognitive decline. This includes more vegetables and leaner proteins, along with foods that are less processed and lower in fat. Choose healthier meals and snacks that you enjoy and are available to you.
  9. Maintain a healthy weight. Talk to your health care provider about the weight that is healthy for you. Other healthy habits on this list — eating right, exercising, and sleeping well — can help with maintaining a healthy weight.
  10. Sleep well. Good quality sleep is important for brain health. Stay off screens before bed and make your sleep space as comfortable as possible. Do all you can to minimize disruptions. If you have any sleep-related problems, such as sleep apnea, talk to a health care provider.

What’s good for the heart is good for the brain, so making healthy lifestyle choices to take care of your heart is also a way to protect your brain. The Life’s Essential 8 healthy lifestyle habits from the American Heart Association are very similar to ten healthy habits listed above. So, take a look at these lists and take action today to protect your brain and your body.

Written by Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County

Reviewed by Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Perry County

Sources:

Alzheimer’s Association. 10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain. https://www.alz.org/help-support/brain_health/10-healthy-habits-for-your-brain

Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures

American Heart Association. Life’s Essential 8. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/lifes-essential-8

Holiday Concerns for Older Adults

For many, the holidays are filled with celebrations and festivities with family and friends, but it can be a worrisome time for those who have difficulty getting around, or are confined to their homes. Older adults might choose to forego family celebrations and festivities for fear of falling or being a burden on family members. By skipping family functions, older adults may have an increased feeling of loneliness and isolation during the holidays.

family during the holidays

Unfortunately a day out with an older adult cannot be spontaneous. However, with a little pre-planning and modifications, holiday traditions and activities can be safe for older family members. This may require some changes to family plans, but having senior family members with you during the holidays is well worth the adjustments.

In order to make celebrations suitable for every family member, here are some things to consider during the planning process:

  • How far can the person travel?
  • Are the costs affordable to someone on a limited budget?
  • How much walking is involved?  Are there hills or other obstacles that would make it hard to navigate?
  • Is there wheelchair access?
  • Is there parking nearby?
  • Are restrooms easily accessible?
  • Are there benches or chairs that can be used?

Planning what you need to take with you is also important. Be prepared for the unexpected. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:

  • Make sure you have all the medications needed. Take an extended supply, just in case you are still out when the next dose is due.
  • Have clothing appropriate for the weather and the outing. Comfortable shoes and warm weather clothes are important.
  • Bring some snacks and plenty of water.

Once you get to the activity, the next step is to be alert to any hazards or problems that might occur. Holidays are a joyful time of year meant for get-togethers, memories, and a touch of nostalgia. However, the holiday season can be one of the most dangerous times for older persons. For example:

  • Holiday decorations may affect the ability of your loved ones to move freely throughout the home. Just because you can easily navigate the extra decorations, doesn’t mean that your loved one will.
  • Look for extension cords or floor rugs that can lead to a fall.
  • Make sure that walkways are clear of ice and snow.

Additional considerations are needed for family members living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. For instance, consider the effect of too much clutter: Too many lights, music and decorations can be overwhelming. The Alzheimer’s Organization provides additional tips on how to help family members with dementia enjoy the holidays. In addition, the Healthy Aging Network Telecast on Managing Family Members with Dementia Over the Holiday Season provides additional tips to help you and your family.

The holidays give older adults something to look forward to, provides a stimulating change of scenery, and create pleasant memories to carry with them. So, even though it may take a little extra planning and work, involving your older family members in holiday celebrations can improve the meaning of the holiday season.

Written by: Kathy Tutt, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Clark County, tutt.19@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Michelle Treber, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Pickaway County

Sources:

Reducing Loneliness: How to Help Seniors During the Holidays, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/alzheimers/art-20047715

Memory Lapse or Something More?

Daughter and Mother Living with Dementia

Do you ever forget where you’ve placed your remote, or just can’t recall the name of acquaintance? When this occurs, do you wonder if you are starting to develop dementia? It’s common to become somewhat more forgetful as you age. The question is, how you can tell whether your memory lapses are part of normal aging or are a symptom of something more serious.

If you are in your 40’s, 50’s or 60’s, you may have noticed that you might need a bit longer to remember things, get distracted more easily or struggle to multi-task as well as you once did. You may worry that these are an early sign of dementia, it is important not to worry too much. While these changes are frustrating at times, they are a part of normal aging.  

By contrast, people with dementia have a loss of memory and other mental function severe enough that it affects their ability to live independently at home, interact is social activities and at work. While some memory loss, such as recall and recognition, is the result of the aging brain, dementia is some type of injury to the brain that goes beyond normal changes. For a variety of reasons, once-healthy neurons (nerve cells) in the brain stop working, lose connections with other brain cells, and die.

Dementia can cause a significant decline in a person’s mental abilities by affecting their capacity for things like memory, thinking and reasoning.

Although people in the earliest stages of dementia often sense the something is wrong, the illness eventually deprives them of the insight necessary to understand their problems. So it’s usually up to a family member or friend to recognize the symptoms. The Alzheimer’s Association,  Know the 10 Signs brochure highlights a list of 10 signs that should not be ignored.

  1. Memory loss that is severe enough to disrupt daily life-for example, asking for information over and over again.
  2. Challenges in planning or solving problems, such as trouble following a recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.
  3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure-for example, trouble driving to a familiar location.
  4. Confusion over time or place.
  5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships, including difficulty judging distances and determining color.
  6. New problems with words in speaking or writing, including difficulty following or joining a conversation.
  7. Putting things in unusual places and being unable to find them again.
  8. Decreased or poor judgement-for example, giving large amounts of money to telemarketers or paying less attention to personal hygiene.
  9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.
  10. Changes in mood and personality, including becoming suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious.

If after reading this list you are worried about yourself or someone close to you, arrange for a medical evaluation. Making a diagnosis of dementia requires a thorough examination by a physician. Many forms of dementia are not reversible, but early detection provides an opportunity to minimize other medical conditions that may bring on severe dementia symptoms earlier than they might otherwise show.

If you would like to learn more about your memory, please join us at 10a.m. on Wednesdays in May for the Virtual Master of Memory. These four sessions will be offered online. Sessions will include information on memory strategies, nutrition, medications, medical conditions, and exercise for the body and mind.

Sessions are free – but registration is required. You may register here: https://go.osu.edu/masterofmemory

Written by: Kathy Tutt, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension-Clark County, tutt.19@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Roseanne Scammahorn, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension-Darke County, scammahorn.5@osu.edu

Sources:

Alzheimer’s Association, https://www.alz.org/

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Dementia-Information-Page