You need to remember that dementia is a symptom and not a diagnosis and that’s why it’s important you’re aware of the many reversible dementias there are.  There are a number of causes that present like Alzheimer’s dementia but simply put, aren’t. Depression, a thyroid disorder, a B-12 deficiency, Normal pressure hydrocephalus or water on the brain, tumors, drugs and […]

Tom and June have been together for 64 remarkable years. They met when he was a Midshipman at The Naval Academy and she was completing nursing school. It was a blind date and two weeks after they met he proposed and she accepted. To this day she’ll tell you she has no idea why she said yes. Two years later, […]

  I have family scattered all across the country including Hawaii and I’m proud to say that we’re very close. At a family reunion, a number of us decided to go out for breakfast and we ended up at a popular “chain” restaurant. To their credit, they didn’t miss a beat but when it was over, our table looked like […]

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 […]

Every once in a while I’m approached with the question of “why is she behaving like this?” or “I know he has Alzheimer’s but isn’t that going to eventually change things for the better? He’s always so mean!” Well, in many cases it’s easy to determine when it’s the illness that’s responsible for their behaviors but it’s also true that […]

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 […]

I was reading some dementia care guidelines provided by The Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry at John Hopkins and I thought I’d share some of it with you. The most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s are sometimes called the 4 “A’s” and they’re words you should understand. First is Amnesia-This refers to the obvious Memory Loss your loved one has. […]

If you haven’t already noticed it, there are a few recurring themes in these writings. Insure that your loved one feels safe, be patient and tolerant and most importantly remember that their behaviors are a result of a disease, specifically, Alzheimer’s disease. I’ve mentioned in the past that you can’t reason with someone that has lost the ability to reason […]