livity_life_care

Stages of Alzheimer's

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 22:51:54 GMT

Alzheimer’s disease typically progresses slowly in three general stages: early, middle and late (sometimes referred to as mild, moderate and severe in a medical context).

Since Alzheimer’s affects people in different ways, each person may experience symptoms — or progress through the stages — differently.

Overview of disease progression

The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease worsen over time, although the rate at which the disease progresses varies. On average, a person with Alzheimer's lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors. Changes in the brain related to Alzheimer's begin years before any signs of the disease. This time period, which can last for years, is referred to as preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

The stages below provide an overall idea of how abilities change once symptoms appear and should only be used as a general guide. (Dementia is a general term to describe the symptoms of mental decline that accompany Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases.)

The stages are separated into three categories: mild Alzheimer's disease, moderate Alzheimer's disease and severe Alzheimer's disease. Be aware that it may be difficult to place a person with Alzheimer's in a specific stage as stages may overlap.

Early-stage Alzheimer's (mild)

In the early stage of Alzheimer's, a person may function independently. He or she may still drive, work and be part of social activities. Despite this, the person may feel as if he or she is having memory lapses, such as forgetting familiar words or the location of everyday objects.

Symptoms may not be widely apparent at this stage, but family and close friends may take notice and a doctor would be able to identify symptoms using certain diagnostic tools.

Common difficulties include:

Coming up with the right word or name.
Remembering names when introduced to new people.
Having difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings.
Forgetting material that was just read.
Losing or misplacing a valuable object.
Experiencing increased trouble with planning or organizing.

Middle-stage Alzheimer's (moderate)

Middle-stage Alzheimer's is typically the longest stage and can last for many years. As the disease progresses, the person with Alzheimer's will require a greater level of care.

During the middle stage of Alzheimer’s, the dementia symptoms are more pronounced. the person may confuse words, get frustrated or angry, and act in unexpected ways, such as refusing to bathe. Damage to nerve cells in the brain can also make it difficult for the person to express thoughts and perform routine tasks without assistance.

Symptoms, which vary from person to person, may include:

Being forgetful of events or personal history.
Feeling moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations.
Being unable to recall information about themselves like their address or telephone number, and the high school or college they attended.
Experiencing confusion about where they are or what day it is.
Requiring help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion.
Having trouble controlling their bladder and bowels.
Experiencing changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping during the day and becoming restless at night.
Showing an increased tendency to wander and become lost.
Demonstrating personality and behavioral changes, including suspiciousness and delusions or compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing or tissue shredding.

In the middle stage, the person living with Alzheimer’s can still participate in daily activities with assistance. It’s important to find out what the person can still do or find ways to simplify tasks. As the need for more intensive care increases, caregivers may want to consider respite care or an adult day center so they can have a temporary break from caregiving while the person living with Alzheimer’s continues to receive care in a safe environment.

Late-stage Alzheimer's (severe)

In the final stage of the disease, dementia symptoms are severe. Individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, to carry on a conversation and, eventually, to control movement. They may still say words or phrases, but communicating pain becomes difficult. As memory and cognitive skills continue to worsen, significant personality changes may take place and individuals need extensive care.

At this stage, individuals may:

Require around-the-clock assistance with daily personal care.
Lose awareness of recent experiences as well as of their surroundings.
Experience changes in physical abilities, including walking, sitting and, eventually, swallowing
Have difficulty communicating.
Become vulnerable to infections, especially pneumonia.

The person living with Alzheimer’s may not be able to initiate engagement as much during the late stage, but he or she can still benefit from interaction in ways that are appropriate, like listening to relaxing music or receiving reassurance through gentle touch. During this stage, caregivers may want to use support services, such as hospice care, which focus on providing comfort and dignity at the end of life. Hospice can be of great benefit to people in the final stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and their families.

Source: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/stages

Qualities of a Care Partner

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 22:53:36 GMT

What to look for when choosing a great Care Provider

Compassionate.

Compassionate is defined as the feeling of concern and sympathy for others. We need to remember that our patients, apart from cosmetic work or delivering babies, are generally not in the healthcare setting because they want to be. They are fearful and at risk of losing their health, possibly their lives, and concurrently, those visitors with them may be at risk of losing precious loved ones. They are not in control and are frightened, and they need us for support. This also means that we are consummate advocates for the patient and willing to speak up when we do not feel the environment is as safe as it can be.

Empathetic.

Empathetic is defined as the ability and willingness to share in the feelings of others. It does not mean that we agree with the patient or completely understand what they are going through. It simply means that we are willing to make a concerted effort to listen to them, to put ourselves in their place and to attempt to understand their challenges. This needs to be done without judgment and with the understanding that everyone has their own set of values and their own life experiences that have brought them to this point.

Selfless.

Selfless is defined as the ability to give to others at the expense of themselves. I have countless stories of nurses over the years that illustrate this ability to give to others. This could be as simple as missing lunch to hold a patient’s hand or to do something extraordinary for someone else. I had one trauma nurse I will never forget who was caring for a homeless man hit by a car. When the patient was being discharged back to the street, the nurse realized that his shoes were not removed during the trauma because he did not own any. His foot size was the same as the patient’s, so he gave him his shoes and wore shoe covers for the rest of the day. I felt that this was a tremendous example of selflessness. We recognized him as an everyday hero. The stories go on and on and we need to celebrate them when they happen.

Self-aware.

Self-aware is defined as a high degree of emotional intelligence. We are more effective in anything that we do when we understand ourselves, the way we think, and where our values are in reference to others as well as our personal strengths and limitations.

Experienced and Skilled.

A great nurse is technically strong with a thirst for knowledge. It is our obligation as nurses to continue to remain on the cutting edge of our practice regardless of the discipline. As nursing leaders, we should be reading on healthcare economics, leadership theory and other issues that impact those in leadership roles. Within the independent disciplines, it is important to read journals, achieve certifications, continue our academic pursuits and read all of the information that comes from our healthcare organizations in regard to policy, product or process changes. Lack of knowledge can lead to adverse patient outcomes, and for that ignorance is no excuse but rather our responsibility.

The new healthcare challenges are changing the work environment for nurses and creating value conflicts more than before in the areas of personal, professional, institutional, and social. Livity Life Care always puts your loved ones at the center of all we do and work to be what we have dedicated our lives to be –The Best Care Partners we can be!

– Original Source: http://www.nursetogether.com/5-things-that-make-a-good-nurse-great#sthash.m0KPZbMP.dpuf

Helping Persons with Dementia to Live Well

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 22:56:39 GMT

One of the greatest challenges care partners face is not knowing how much assistance to give or when to give it because the person with early-stage dementia is primarily independent with dressing, bathing, walking and may still drive, volunteer or work. The most difficult tasks may involve managing a daily schedule or household budget.

As a care partner, our support with these everyday tasks can help the person with dementia develop new coping strategies that will help to maximize his or her independence. Every relationship is different, but finding balance between interdependence and independence may increase confidence.

When supporting persons living in the early stage of dementia, our staff ensures:

Safety first: Is there an immediate safety risk for the person with dementia to perform this task alone? If there is no immediate risk of injury or harm, provide encouragement and continue to provide supervision as necessary.
Avoid stress: We prioritize tasks or actions that do not cause unnecessary stress for the person with dementia.
Make a positive assumption: We always assume that the person with dementia is capable of completing the task. If you sense frustration, try to identify the cause of the frustration before intervening. Focus on his or her current needs, rather than dwelling on the future.
Create a help signal: We identify a cue or phrase that you can use to confirm if the person with dementia is comfortable receiving support.
Talk it over: The best way to determine how and when to provide support is to ask directly. We ask the person with dementia what they need or the frustrations they may be experiencing. We then discuss it, and follow up with a plan.
Work better together : We find activities to do together and keep the conversation going about expectations for how you will provide support. Our Care providers check in regularly by asking the person with dementia if you are providing a level of assistance that is comfortable or adequate.

Maximizing independence

While every person experiences the early stage of dementia differently, it is common that a person in the early-stage may need cues and reminders to help with memory.

Our care givers take the initiative to determine how to assist with:

Keeping appointments
Remembering words or names
Recalling familiar places or people
Managing money
Keeping track of medications
Planning or organizing
Transportation

We focus on the person's strengths and how they can remain as independent as possible, and establish a strong channel of communication.

Understanding emotions

Providing support to a person living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia is an ongoing and sometimes emotional process. People with Alzheimer’s want to live well for as long as possible. The ability to remain healthy, active, engaged and independent are consistent desires identified by newly diagnosed individuals.

Age is just a Number

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 22:58:39 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Just because you are 60+, it doesn’t mean you should be suffering from chronic pain. Targeted exercises can relieve you of pain and enable to lead an active life. This can slow the aging process and help relieve other signs of aging.