Here we are again, about to turn the corner into a New Year. With every New Year we have the opportunity to write a new 365 page book and we should be doing our best to make it the best book ever. This is especially true if you’re a caregiver of a loved one with Alzheimer’s dementia. How did your […]

You’ve heard me say that your loved ones with Alzheimer’s have problems processing. Well this is particularly evident when it come to dressing. There’s a series of steps that go into dressing and although your loved knows how to dress themselves they may have a problem understanding in which order everything goes on.  This is when the boxers end up […]

  Every individual with Alzheimer’s is special and unique.  One of the things that we should all remember is that “anticipation breeds frustration” and that’s why you may want to think twice about sharing up and coming events with your loved one prematurely. Telling him or her that your daughter is coming for a visit “next week” can have them […]

Not surprisingly, two of the most challenging behaviors exhibited by an individual with Alzheimer’s dementia are delusions and hallucinations.  If you’re a caregiver and you’ve dealt with either of these two issues in your journey with your loved one, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Of the two behaviors, I think most would agree that dealing with delusions is […]

If you’re caring for your loved one at home, it’s important that you maintain an appropriate environment.  Is your residence supporting your loved one with Alzheimer’s? Let’s see. Are hallways and common areas clutter free? Is the flooring appropriate for good traction? Remember, no scatter rugs as they grab toes. Are the windows allowed to open only a little? Is […]

Sundowning is when behavior problems with your loved one begin at dusk.  About 40 % of those with Alzheimer’s will “sundown” and many caregivers want to know why. Well it’s no secret that the those with Alzheimer’s are much better in the morning so maybe your charge is just tired, perhaps their body clock is out of sync or maybe […]

My Aunt Gail was an amazing person in so many ways. She served with the Red Cross in Europe during WWII,  she was an accomplished business woman, world traveler and a superb amateur golfer that won the National Championship of Cuba in 1951. Christmas time was always special at our house because it meant we’d get to see Aunt Gail. […]

  It never fails. Every time I give one of my talks to groups about “Understanding Alzheimer’s” the subject of driving comes up. “I’m worried about his driving the car.” “How do I stop her from driving the car?” Occasionally you’ll hear of a senior that willingly surrendered the car keys, much to the relief of the family and probably […]

Join the Journey Care for Caregivers Robert E.P. Elmer III, Senior Care Advisor-Master Trainer I received an email from a reader the other day asking me to talk more about the technique of “therapeutic fibbing.” Trust me, this is a very valuable tool in dealing with those with Alzheimer’s and other memory disorders. Before I go any further, I realize […]

One of the biggest challenges that many families have is dealing with the loved that should surrender the car or at least the keys.  It’s not easy when the son or daughter has to take on the responsibility of being the parent to their parent and to be perfectly honest with you many simply won’t do it, especially when it […]