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Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Knowing the Stages of Alzheimer's Disease and What
the Caregiver Can Do
National Alzheimer's Awareness Month is good time
to evaluate your situation
 By Marion Somers, PhD
– "Doctor Marion"
November 20, 2006 - Since November is Alzheimer’s
Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to address some basic issues
dealing with this difficult disease that affects so many people around
the globe. During my years working with caregivers, and especially over
the last decade, I am often asked how someone can tell if his or her
elder loved one has Alzheimer’s. You never want to diagnose this
yourself, and I don’t, but you should be aware of the three general
phases of Alzheimer’s. Sometimes these phases overlap, but they often
progress in this general order:
STAGE ONE
● Difficulty concentrating
● Disorientation as to person/Lack of recognition of self
● Disorientation with time and/or place
● Increased irritability, frustration, and anxiety
● Lack of humor
● Lack of spontaneity
● Loss of memory
● Slight personality
and behavior changes
STAGE TWO
● Aphasia
● Changes in appetite
● Difficulty reading, writing, or doing math
● Increased anger
● Muscle twitching
● Novel behavior patterns
● Repetitive movements
● Throwing tantrums
● Wandering or
getting lost
STAGE THREE
● Become bedridden
● Become emaciated
● Diminished verbal articulation
● Experience incontinence
● Unable to perform
basic daily activities
What Can You Do?
Caregiving is a lot like juggling. First you have
two balls in the air (work and family), then three (caregiving), then
before you know it six balls are skyward and you can become overwhelmed
trying to keep them all afloat.
Try to stay centered and balanced within yourself.
Only then can you deal with all of the responsibilities and increased
work load and not get angry, frustrated, tired, and/or discouraged.
Even though your elder might be dealing with a loss
of competency due to Alzheimer’s, it still behooves us to take care of
our fellow human beings. You and your family need to remember who your
elder was and all that he or she accomplished in life.
Realize that he or she is still there somewhere
deep down inside themselves. It can be challenging to draw that person
out, but it can also be very rewarding when it occurs.
If your elder is in the early stages of
Alzheimer’s, it’s important to keep him or her at home if at all
possible. Familiarity and continuity can help delay the most negative
impact of Alzheimer’s.
Little things like finding his way to the bathroom
will be easier for your elder since he knows where it is. If you move
your elder to new surroundings such as an elder care facility, it can
dramatically increase his feelings of disorientation and anxiety, and
that can increase the negative impact of Alzheimer’s.
It’s also vital to visit your elder as often as
possible. This provides him or her with familiar faces and memories and
history. It also increases his contact with the outside world and
provides positive stimulation.
Go ahead and bring your elder his favorite foods,
always taking into account any dietary restrictions. Also bring his
favorite entertainment. Sit and talk about the past as well as the
present.
Make sure that your elder’s senses are stimulated
with such things as music, art, plants, pets, and familiar family
memorabilia and/or photos. If at all possible, engage them in activities
that made them happy in the past.
Keep him involved in the world.
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Elder Care News for Baby Boomers
Elder Care Website and Book Target Baby Boomer
Caregivers
Doctor Marion launched by company claiming to be
first with such media for boomers
August 14, 2006 – Older adults carrying for even
older parents is a growing trend as American life spans continue to
lengthen. The latest effort at serving the need for caregiving
information is a new Website that also promotes an upcoming book. Marion
Somers, Ph.D., who calls herself "Doctor Marion," has announced her site
is online now and her book will be published next month.
Read more..
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About Doctor Marion
With over 30 years of experience as a geriatric
care manager, consultant, lecturer, professor, and caregiver to
thousands, Marion Somers, Ph.D. (Doctor Marion) is a nationally
recognized expert in elder care topics, trends, and solutions. Through
her comprehensive web site, DoctorMarion.com and book, “Elder Care Made
Easier: Doctor Marion's 10 Steps to Help You Care for an Aging Loved
One,” Doctor Marion puts a friendly face on elder care, and is the first
expert of her kind to provide widespread access to answers for the
millions of caregivers facing the difficult task of caring for an
elderly loved one. For more information, visit
www.doctormarion.com.
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