July 23rd, 2020

Dementia and Appetite Decline

Persons living with dementia commonly exhibit challenges with eating, but the reasons vary. Let’s explore a few possible causes of appetite decline. Memory trouble. In the early stages of dementia, when a person may still be caring for himself or functioning with limited assistance, the problem might be simply forgetting to eat. When this problem is discovered, it’s a sign that care partners need to provide more frequent living assistance and check-ins. Vision decline. As we age, we naturally experience a narrowing of our field of vision. For a person living with dementia, this process is on overdrive and it […]

home visit nurse checking on female senior patient

June 15th, 2020

Top Family Caregiver Mistakes: Part 2; Not hiring in-home help

Hope Hospice is publishing a five-part monthly series about common family caregiver mistakes. Following is Part 2, a continuation of the previous discussion on preparation. This series is written by Debbie Emerson, MS, Hope Hospice Community Health Educator. Revisit Part 1: Not Planning in Advance Revisit Part 1.5: Not having healthcare, financial, and legal affairs in order Mistake #2: Not hiring in-home help One of the most debilitating aspects of being a care partner is the feeling that you’re in this alone, that no one else is helping you. Having a support team in place is essential for the […]

June 2nd, 2020

Does Dementia Impact the Brain’s Emotional Center?

People living with dementia are experiencing deterioration of brain functions. How does dementia impact the brain’s emotional center? The COVID-19 pandemic has caused mass hysteria that has touched all parts of the globe. For some, fear of not knowing when or if society will return to normal is debilitating. Others are amped up about restrictions on personal freedoms and commerce. Even the most cool-headed of us is experiencing uncertainty on some level. Whichever concerns we carry, we are all processing these circumstances the same way: via the brain’s amygdala region, the emotional center. Now, if the average adult is experiencing […]

March 19th, 2020

Top Family Caregiver Mistakes: Part 1, Not Planning in Advance

Hope Hospice is publishing a five-part monthly series about common family caregiver mistakes. Following is Part 1: Not Planning in Advance. This series is written by Debbie Emerson, MS, Hope Hospice Community Health Educator. An Introduction to the Family Caregiver Mistakes Blog Series One of the most challenging tasks a family member will face is becoming a caregiver to an aging or chronically ill loved one. As this responsibility often presents itself rather suddenly (and usually without a lot of options), most of us are sorely unprepared for the undertaking. We’re not taught how to be caregivers in school. […]

caregiver woman keeping company to a senior lady

February 13th, 2020

Boredom and Dementia Patients

Dementia dramatically affects a person’s entire being, and its progression is impossible to stop. A person living with one of the various diseases that cause dementia may experience symptoms from memory loss to speech problems and vision decline, but the greatest complaints are boredom and loneliness. Why do boredom and loneliness top the list? In most cases, caregivers (often, family members) are at a loss of how to provide dementia-related care. Dementia symptoms have changed the relationship between caregiver and loved one, and it’s common to feel at a loss of what to do. When you can no longer have […]

illustration shows reduced peripheral range

December 26th, 2019

Vision Decline in Dementia Patients

Caregivers commonly observe vision decline in dementia patients. People living with dementia commonly experience changes to their vision beyond what’s expected as part of the normal aging process. As dementia-related illnesses cause progressive brain deterioration, a person will experience certain sight deficits because the brain is no longer processing what the eyes see in the same way. Some common problem areas include: Depth perception The patient may exhibit difficulty in navigating steps, grabbing objects, and distinguishing between two- and three-dimensional scenes. With the latter, for instance, the person may try to pick up flowers from a floral-printed tablecloth. Reduced […]

December 2nd, 2019

What is Sundowning?

Family care partners and professional caregivers alike get frustrated with dementia-related behaviors that are barriers to providing care and improving quality of life for the person in their care. Behaviors associated with sundowning are particularly difficult. Sundowning is a lay term that describes a state of increased confusion and anxiety that presents itself in the late afternoon and continues through the evening; for some, it extends into nighttime. Signs include many forms of anxiety, aggression, pacing, confusion, wandering, and repetitive behaviors. Some people experience hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, sundowning occurs in as many as 20 […]

October 1st, 2019

Avoiding Pressure Ulcers

Caregivers need to keep a close eye on elderly patients to avoid pressure ulcers from occurring. Pressure ulcers (also called decubiti, or bedsores) are blisters or breaks in the skin caused when the body’s weight presses blood out of a specific area. Pressure ulcers are commonly found in bedridden patients or people with mobility challenges who do not get up to move frequently enough. According to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel estimates that 2.5 million American develop pressure ulcers each year. The most common areas for sores are the bony areas—tail bone, hips, heels, and elbows. Damage can range […]

October 1st, 2019

Flu Prevention for Seniors

Flu prevention for seniors is more important than ever. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people 65 years and older account for between 50 and 70 percent of reported influenza-associated hospitalizations. Overall, flu hospitalization rates during the 2017–2018 flu season were the highest ever recorded. Vaccination is the single best way to help protect against the flu and is especially important for older adults. Flu vaccine saves lives and prevents the serious complications that sometimes result. Caregivers of all ages should get an annual flu shot and should take preventive measures, such as washing hands, staying away from people […]

October 1st, 2019

How Alzheimer’s Disease Affects Communication

Memory loss is one of the widely known symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, but many other skills and abilities become impaired as well. Persons living with dementia experience changes in the brain’s temporal lobe that affect their ability to process language. Even in the disease’s early stages, caregivers may notice a decline in formal language (vocabulary, comprehension, and speech production), which all humans rely upon to communicate verbally. Symptoms include word loss, confusion during the conversation, not being able to follow a storyline, and decreased speech. Word loss and the brain’s temporal lobe As a child is learning a language, nouns […]

August 27th, 2019

Seniors and Hot-Weather Safety

It is very important to be educated on the importance of seniors and hot-weather safety. Too much heat is unsafe for everyone. It is even riskier for those who are over age 65 or who have health problems, as these groups generally do not adjust to major temperature fluctuations as fast as younger people. According to the National Center for Environmental Health, more Americans die from over-exposure to hot weather than by any other natural disaster. Heat-Related Illness Being hot for too long can cause several illnesses, all grouped under the name hyperthermia. Hyperthermia occurs when there is an unusual […]

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Senior care

Dementia and Appetite Decline

Top Family Caregiver Mistakes: Part 2; Not hiring in-home help

Does Dementia Impact the Brain’s Emotional Center?

Top Family Caregiver Mistakes: Part 1, Not Planning in Advance

Boredom and Dementia Patients

Vision Decline in Dementia Patients

What is Sundowning?

Avoiding Pressure Ulcers

Flu Prevention for Seniors

How Alzheimer’s Disease Affects Communication

Seniors and Hot-Weather Safety