subject: Senior Citizens And The Elderly Maintain Their Independence Despite The Fact Increasing Older [print this page] Alzheimers is a type of dementia- dementia is a broad term that characterizes the break-down or cessation of normal nerve cell activity in the brain due to a disease or condition. When the normative functions of nerve cells break-down or cease, ones ability to create memories, behave properly, and think clearly become impaired. Alzheimers accounts for 60-80% of all dementia cases, with over 5.4 million Americans living with the disease, meaning that about one in eight older Americans are afflicted by Alzheimers on some level.
More specifically, Alzheimers is characterized by an initial decline in the ability to remember new information as well as the onset of apathy and depression. These initial symptoms will progressively worsen until judgment becomes impaired, disorientation and confusion regularly ensues, normative behavior changes, and speaking, swallowing, walking, and other motor-skill related activities becomes difficult to do. Unfortunately, there is no prevention or cure for Alzheimers; as Alzheimers is a disease that slowly affects patients until they are unable to take care of themselves, it is often up to family members and friends of those afflicted by Alzheimers to take care of them.
Most of the people that take on the responsibilities of caring for aging parents with Alzheimers tend to already have a full plate of other responsibilities as well: they likely have their own families to take care of and have full-time jobs on top of taking care of themselves. Although the task of performing care-giving duties for a loved one with Alzheimers may be tough, there are measures and steps that friends and family can take to make their caregiver duties much more efficient and simpler.
Since Alzheimers is a progressive disease that can neither be prevented nor stopped, you should keep in mind that as time goes by, the symptoms will get worse; it is recommended that preventative measures be taken so that when more progressive symptoms appear you are ready to take them on. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the task of taking care of a loved one with Alzheimers:
Make sure that the home is safe and free of clutter
o Install an automatic shut-off switch for the stove and oven
o Install adequate lighting both inside and outside the home
o Remove locks on bathroom and bedroom doors in case an emergency arises while the patient is in either room
Prevent the patient from wandering or getting lost- people with Alzheimers tend to wander outside the home, often getting lost
o Place an ID bracelet around the patients wrist; some newer models even come with GPS tracking
o Notify local law enforcement of your loved ones situation- they can be of tremendous help if notified ahead of time
Dont be afraid to ask for help if you need it
o Taking care of a loved one with Alzheimers while youre working full-time and taking care of your own family is hard- there are services that specialize in Alzheimers care in Encinitas that you can contact to help you lighten your caregiver duties
