Hydration for Alzheimer’s Patients

Caregivers should be mindful of hydration when dealing with their loved ones with Alzheimer’s Disease. Since your loved one has Alzheimer’s, he/she may forget to drink or not realize that they are thirsty. Their medications can also be dehydrating; for example, blood pressure drugs could dry them out even if they drink some water. And vomiting or having diarrhea for more than a day can cause dehydration in Alzheimer’s patients, as it does with anyone else.

Simply saying to them, “drink something” may not help. They may not follow through. If you make it easier for them by handing them a glass, they are more likely to drink. (watch them and remind them to sip it.) Fruit has a lot of water in it, too, so if they don’t want to drink water or juice, offer an orange.

Signs of dehydration in anyone include being more confused or lethargic than usual. The person’s sodium level goes up and confusion results (which also happens when sodium is decreased). But in someone with dementia, this change may be hard to notice. Still, watch for changes relative to how they usually behave. If they seem even more mixed up or lethargic than usual, and if they also feel warm to the touch, alert your doctor. Sometimes people for whom this is a recurrent problem need to have an IV put in temporarily.

Ed Picard, Respite Center Coordinator
Charlie’s Place Respite Center

Holiday Hints for Caregivers

The holidays can be a fun time for everyone, if you set realistic expectations for yourself and your loved one. The noise and chaos of large holiday crowds can agitate and confuse an Alzheimer's patient - particularly if there are a lot of young, excitable and unpredictable children about—so it is best to try and avoid these situations, whenever possible. Consider foregoing crowded holiday parties, in favor of small, intimate gatherings with family and friends. For family and friends who may not have seen him in a while, make them aware that your loved one has good days and bad, and that there really is no way to predict which days will be good ones. Try to maintain your loved one’s normal daily schedule as much as possible during the holidays, which may mean arriving at functions late or having to leave early. If you inform your host or guests far enough in advance, they may be more willing to accommodate special requests for scheduling of festivities.

In all instances, try to minimize your loved one’s exposure to excessive noise, large crowds, and chaotic activities by making sure he has a quiet place to retire to, if he should become agitated. Along these lines, Alzheimer's patients usually fare better when they are allowed to visit with only one or two guests at a time, which enables them to better focus their attention. When your loved one’s family and friends go to visit with him, encourage them to introduce themselves with not only their names, but their relationship and other useful information. For example, they can say something like, “Hi Uncle Joe, I’m your nephew Ralph from Utah. When I was a kid, we used to have a great time fishing together with your brother Todd, my father.” This might serve to jog some memories, and could lead to an enjoyable conversation for both your loved one and the guest.

During the wintertime, it is important to make sure your loved one stays warm and comfortable.

1. Dress them in layers so you can easily add or subtract clothing as necessary. Make sure they have a warm coat, hat, gloves, and waterproof insulated boots.
2. Check for drafts -- sometimes their favorite spot to sit near the window can be quite chilly. On that token, if your home tends to be cold in the winter, make sure that at least the bathroom is warm for when your loved one needs to bathe.
3. Provide additional blankets within easy reach for the bed should your loved one become cold at night.
4. Be aware of the dangers posed from heating sources and holiday decorations. For example, in addition to supervising your loved one around Christmas trees, candles, radiators, space heaters and fireplaces, you may want to consider installing physical barriers to prevent accidental fires or injuries.
5. Make sure outdoor walkways are shoveled and free of ice - you may need to hire a service if this is too much for you to handle on your own.
6. Minimize the threat of winter colds and flu by getting flu shots and practicing good hygiene - wash your hands (and theirs) regularly or use instant hand sanitizer.
7. The winter climate can be quite dry, so make sure to moisturize your loved one’s skin with lotion and lip balm to prevent uncomfortable, itchy dry skin and chapped lips.

Julie D. Brewer, MA, Program Coordinator

Memory Boosting Herbs: What You Should Know

Studies have shown that Rosemary, Sage, Cumin, and Tumeric are herbs that have special properties for boosting memory and/or cognitive function, for those who use them.

1. Rosemary: A powerful antioxidant that protects neurotransmitters in the brain.

2. Sage: A mint herb that helps the mind to stay alert and calm, while supporting cognitive function.

3. Cumin: A potent spice that helps improve memory and speeds up recovery from amnesia.

However, Tumeric is vying for super-herb status!

4. Tumeric: This herb has been shown by research to be one of nature’s most potent healers. Tumeric supports microphage cells in clearing out plaques in the brain; discourages chronic nerve-cell inflammation; neutralizes free radicals; and binds toxic heavy metals, to prevent them from congregating in the brain. Low amounts taken over a long period of time are more effective than high dosages.

The more than 1 billion people who live in India have one of the lowest incidences of Alzheimer's in the world. Some researchers link their healthy minds to the average of 6 tablespoons of turmeric they consume, on a daily basis. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric protects the brain against oxidative damage that might contribute to the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's, by thwarting the development of destructive brain plaques.

Suggestion: Use a salt-shaker to sprinkle turmeric on your daily meals. In its powdery, uncooked state, it does not affect the taste of foods. I have tried it on my own meals, so I know this to be true!

For more information, visit http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/food/articles/2010/10/13/20101013memory-boosting-spices.html

Rashida Keith, Program Coordinator

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and across the nation there are candle lighting ceremonies and activities to increase the public’s knowledge of Alzheimer’s and its devastating effects. November is also the beginning of the holiday season where we celebrate Thanksgiving. As part of our celebration here at the office we enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner with the clients at Charlie’s Place, our respite center. What a joy it was to spend time with the group and see their faces light up with excitement over the feast before them. As we took time to slow our office routine down a bit to share this holiday meal with them it made me long for my own large family’s dinner table. Unfortunately, living 1200 miles from my childhood home has prevented me from being there for Thanksgiving for 34 years. So each year I call and speak to family members as the phone is passed around the table; I get a few words with my mom, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and now great nieces and nephews.

This year I called my mom back later in the evening to spend more time with her as it gets more precious with each passing day. I fear the day she won’t know who I am when I call. It was a joy to hear she had cooked a turkey to bring to the family gathering yet I fear the day she forgets to turn the oven off. She recounted what she could remember of the celebration and could tell me the names of some of those in attendance, my brother and his family, two sisters but she couldn’t remember if their children were there, three great grandchildren, and some in-laws that she had no idea who they were. There was a pang of loss in my heart as she once prided herself in rattling off the names of all in attendance. I once listened to all 68 names of the family members at the annual reunion! She’s been aware that her memory is failing her and mentions it now and then in passing. “My memory is not so good anymore.” She will say. For the first time she mentioned that she doesn’t think so well anymore. She gets confused often. Her birthday is this week; she will turn 87 years old. She is in very good health with the exception of her Alzheimer’s. Our journey could be a long one and I will continue to savor the moments of her clear mind and accept humor and empathy in those moments of less clarity.

The holidays often allow us to see the changes in a loved one as we spend more time together during them. It is often the only time some families see each other and the symptoms of Alzheimer’s are recognized for the first time. This is another blessing we receive from the holidays as it gives us the opportunity to act on seeing those symptoms. Don’t discount them but rather ask when the last time a doctor’s visit was made, are they taking their medications regularly if they have been prescribed, perhaps it’s time to get their vision, hearing, and teeth checked. Make sure your loved one has a will and their wishes are known for their care. These are not the easiest conversations to have but are so important and will make the journey easier. With care, there may be many holiday seasons to enjoy yet!

Barbara W. Auten, Executive Director

Stop and Think About Thanksgiving

One of the local radio stations has already begun playing Christmas music.
The retail stores are already adorned with Christmas trees and holiday décor.
Internet postings are advertising pre-“Black Friday” sales.
Where ARE you THANKSGIVING?

For me, personally, overriding Thanksgiving seem irreverent and disrespectful of a holiday where we are supposed to stop and truly reflect on our blessings and thankfulness this past year. It seems distracting to do this when Christmas rears its head so early on.

In 1620, a group of people, calling themselves Pilgrims, set sail for the New World [America], seeking religious freedom and a better life for their children. Of the 110 Pilgrims and crew who left England, less than 50 survived that first devastating winter in Plymouth. Then, an Abnaki Indian, named Squanto, wandered into their camp and “Welcomed” them. He was a godsend to them, teaching them how to tap the maple trees for sap, showing them which plants were poisonous and which had medicinal powers, and moreover, teaching them how to plant Indian corn and other crops. The results were gained in an abundant harvest for the Pilgrims, with enough food to put away for the winter and they found themselves very thankful for not only the food, but also their wilderness homes and the peace with their Indian neighbors. They wanted to stop and celebrate and offer thanks for their bounty. This “first” Thanksgiving included the Pilgrims and their Indian friend, Squanto, who brought 90 members of his tribe. The celebration lasted three days.

So, why the History lesson? Reading about the long and arduous journey of the Pilgrims brings to mind the long and arduous journey of the Alzheimer’s caregiver. And, Alzheimer’s Services is a little like “Squanto,” assisting families in need, offering an “abundant crop” of educational events and resources for the caregiver and their loved one to have a “bountiful harvest” of hope and blessings to put away whenever they need them.

For the caregiver, however, who might be questioning, “What do I have to be thankful for?”….there’s no easy answer. There can be simple observations of thankfulness, however. Perhaps, like us, the caregiver can overlook the stress of caregiving and focus on what a privilege it is to “serve” their loved one, that special someone in need. There is also that blessing of being present with their loved one, that connection of a favorite memory, a smile, a joyful moment in an otherwise harried day. Plus, hosts of support groups, of which we offer many, are a source of comfort and camaraderie among new-found friends, allowing the caregiver to unload their emotions and frustrations. And, finally, there’s a growing awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, unlike a just a decade ago, which affords us all more information and research and more ways to legitimize a voice in our government for benefits and resources. That’s a pretty good bounty!

Let’s not shirk Thanksgiving. Our organization is so thankful and might I say, privileged, to serve our ten-parish area….individuals who come to us after that first diagnosis, those who are at a loss of how to manage the care of their loved one, and those who need to learn more about the disease and its process. We are blessed with wonderful families, many of whom have become our extended families and these relationships are meaningful and so very important to us. The lives and the stories that have passed through our doors are and have been extraordinary and definitely should be on a Hallmark card, “Things I am Thankful for!” The Pilgrims had a three-day Thanksgiving celebration, but we celebrate and honor You, the Caregiver, and You, the individual with Alzheimer’s disease, all-year long. That’s what makes us so blessed to serve each and every one of you.

Christmas is a beautiful and magical season. But, Thanksgiving deserves our attention, too. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving, and years later it was designated as the fourth Thursday of each November. Let’s put Christmas aside for just a little while as that Fourth Thursday is upon us. The music and the shopping and the decorating can wait. Our gratitude is always forefront; the abundance and bounty of who we serve, what we do, and the relationships that sustain us are well worth recognizing this Holiday first.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dana Territo, Director of Services

Reflection

As I approach my 2nd year anniversary of joining the staff at Alzheimer’s Services I am proud to be able to say that I work for an organization that provides so many wonderful programs and services for caregivers and their loved ones who not only suffer from Alzheimer’s disease but any memory related dementia. Each day, I see the smiles of caregivers who drop their loved ones off at Charlie’s Place knowing they will receive a 5 hour break from caring for their loved one affected by Alzheimer’s disease and that their loved ones are being left in loving, caring, compassionate hands. Sometimes I can hear the laughter and joy from support group members who meet monthly to share their personal stories. I can’t hear the soft cries, or the frustration, but I know it’s being shared because they are not alone as they go through their journey at Alzheimer’s Services.

6 years ago, I needed help in coping and caring for my parent. I was a caregiver for my Father, a prominent, dedicated, strong, man, who gave 45 years of his life as a public servant to our community. A policeman for all of his adult life, he became Police Chief of Baton Rouge and finally retired in 1977. Dad suffered from late stage dementia and Parkinson’s disease until his death in 2005 at age 82. His wife of 60 years, my Mom, preceeded him in death and I became his full time caregiver until he passed away. The strong, dedicated, public servant - my parent, became my child. The roles had reversed. It was my turn to be strong, dedicated, and compassionate …a caregiver. It’s an all too common story, one told many times by caregivers who come to Alzheimer’s Services for services and programs, education about Alzheimer’s disease or who just come to open their hearts to a friendly face who knows what they are going through.

My experience as a fulltime caregiver has given me compassion for the caregivers who give so much, patience with those suffering from this disease and passion for this organization. I know first-hand what it feels like to be worried and exhausted from caring for a parent with dementia, sandwiched with parenting duties of children, combined with the duties of working a full time job. Fatigue from the 36 hour day…seems like it will never end. Sadly, eventually it does.

Now, I look back and think that I would have been a much better a caregiver if I would have been able to take advantage of all the resources, services, support groups that I see so many families who come to Alzheimer’s Services receive. I didn’t know Alzheimer’s Services existed.

It is my personal mission to create awareness and funds for an organization that strives to give so much to so many in need. It is my personal mission to invite everyone who has ever been a caregiver of a loved one with a memory related disorder or know of someone who is coping with Alzheimer’s disease to become an Ambassador for Alzheimer’ Services. I, WE, THEY need YOU!

Won’t you join us in fulfilling the mission of Alzheimer’s Services …to make a significant difference in the lives of those coping with Alzheimer’s disease. Please spread the word… Be an Ambassador… there is hope and Alzheimer’s Services can help you cope with this debilitating and exhausting disease. For more information please call 334-7494 or email Debbie at alzdev@alzbr.org.

Debbie Little, Development Director

Memory Boxes

Memory Boxes are a great way to reminisce with your love one with dementia or Alzheimer’s. The boxes are very easy to make. Here is what you will need.

Supplies:
*small cardboard box
*decorations (box and stickers)
*strips of paper

Directions:
*Place a small picture or sticker on each strip of paper and jot down a sentence about that sticker or picture.

Example: Place a sticker of a dog on one of the strips of paper and jot down a sentence. Such as: Remember our pet dog “Rover” and how cute he was?
*Continue same sequence, adding more memories to each strip of paper.
*Place other unique memories, such as a favorite piece of candy.

Other Examples:
*sticker of a “Hershey kiss candy”—Remember how much you love chocolate?
*sticker of a “fishing pole”—Remember the big fish you caught when we went fishing at Toledo Bend?
*sticker of a “baseball”—Remember when you played baseball for the Baton Rouge Sluggers?
*sticker of a “flag”—Remember when you were in the Navy?

*Finally, place all of the strips in the box and take the box out whenever you want to reminisce.

You can make one of these at our Annual Maximize Your Memory Day to be held on Friday, November 19th, 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Pennington Biomedical Center.

Ed Picard, Q.D.C.P.
Charlie's Place Respite Center Coordinator