News You Can Use

Transportation tips for caregivers
Caregivers often take over transportation responsibilities when adults with Alzheimer’s or another dementia no longer can drive or use public transportation.  Here are tips to make the task less stressful:

• Be patient.

• Stay calm.

• Be aware of your body language.

• Allow enough time to get ready.

• Use the bathroom before leaving.

• Provide information in small bits.

• Validate the person’s feelings whenever possible.

• Give step-by-step directions.

• Have in the car relaxing music, sunglasses, photos, food, etc.

• Seat the person in the rear right side with seat belt and child safety locks on.

• Avoid glare from the sun, if possible.

• Bring a mobile phone for emergencies.

• Try different approaches at different times to find what works best.

How to explain Alzheimer’s to a child
Children in a family dealing with Alzheimer’s disease often are confused about what is happening to the affected family member.  Here are tips for talking with children about Alzheimer’s:

Provide accurate, clear information appropriate for the child’s age

• Simplify the language, but don’t talk down to the child.

• Don’t sugarcoat the reality or hide the issue.

• Explain what’s happening, why and what will happen next.

• Explain what to do and how.

• Tell them what is—and is not—expected of them.

• Address the child’s feelings, taking into account such traits as gender.

• Use logic and reason.

• Know how the child has learned to express and interpret emotions.

Help the child to cope

• Move at the child’s pace.

• Accept the child’s feelings and behaviors.

• Maintain routines and discipline.

• Watch for teachable moments.

• “Do with” rather than “talk at.”

• Help “label” feelings and “normalize” situations.

• Be honest.

• Spend quiet time together.

• Give them special attention.

Activities can maintain skills of people with dementia
Creative activities can help people with dementia maintain or improve skills while enhancing interactions between their caregivers and others.

In choosing activities, remember that people with dementia care more about what they’re doing than why they’re doing it. They live in and find joy in the moment.  Simple, everyday tasks can keep people with dementia active and help them feel needed. Repetitive tasks also may stimulate memory and maintain functional habits while providing a sense of accomplishment.

Depending on the stage of dementia, appropriate activities include:

• walking the family’s or a neighbor’s dog

• arranging flowers

• measuring cooking ingredients

• setting the table

• putting ice in glasses and filling them with water

• washing or rinsing dishes

• scooping ice cream

• folding napkins

• clipping coupons

• planting seeds in small pots

• sweeping the sidewalk

• putting stamps on envelopes

• folding towels

• taking off labels from cans before recycling

• shredding papers

• winding yarn into a ball

Visit our online message boards and chat rooms
The Alzheimer's Association now offers message boards and chat rooms as an online support community for people with Alzheimer’s, family caregivers and professional caregivers.  These services are a new addition to our Chapter’s service and are monitored by Association staff.  Visit www.alz.org/messageboards to browse message boards and to check out the chat rooms.    

Question:  How do I write a bequest to the Alzheimer’s Association?
Answer:  An outright bequest in your will is one of the simplest and most popular ways to make a gift to the Alzheimer’s Association.  Such bequests can be included in your will at its creation or added and updated later by a codicil.  It’s important to name precisely the individuals and organizations that you intend to benefit from the bequest.  By avoiding generalities such as a common name for an organization, you avoid confusion or possible litigation and ensure your donation reaches its intended beneficiary.  Click here for more information.
 

Dementia carries enormous cost worldwide
Medical care and social services for people with dementia worldwide run a staggering $156 billion annually, according to a recent Swedish study. As large as that figure is, it doesn’t reflect the enormous additional expenses of family caregiving, costs to business and other costs. 

“If we don’t invest the research dollars to get this disease under control, the impact on the global economy will be back-breaking,” says Stephen McConnell, Alzheimer’s Association senior vice president. “The good news is we could achieve a major return on our investment if we could just delay the onset or slow the progression of the disease by a few years.”