Topic: Alzheimer’s
The year-end holidays are here and often include get-togethers with family and friends, lively conversation, good food, gift exchanges, and festive merrymaking.
For someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, however, the activities, engagement, and added stimulation can be disorienting. The holidays can also interfere with daily routines, causing stress and confusion. Individuals who are experiencing cognitive change often do best when their environment and schedule are relatively predictable. …
How to make the holidays more dementia-friendly and -inclusiveRead More »
What is your role at Aging Wisdom?
Creative Engagement Specialist
What made you want to work in the field of aging? …
My Grandpa meant the world to me. Early in my life, it was just me and my mom. She was a teacher, and we’d spend the summers with my grandparents in Portland. My mom would take classes while their assignment was to keep me out of trouble.
Lucky for me, this meant hours with my Grandpa. He lovingly referred to me as “the Streaker,” since most of my time was spent in their backyard, running around like a maniac, jumping in and out of my cheap plastic pool, not wasting time with a swimsuit, soaking in the freedom. …
Gen X: We’re up! Turning to the next generation of caregiversRead More »
A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia can be difficult. Getting accurate information and dependable guidance and support is essential. Planning for health care, financial, and long-term care decisions brings peace of mind.
As Aging Life Care professionals, we focus on clients’ well-being and quality of life. We also understand the value of clients being informed and prepared, especially when health, cognition, or other circumstances change.
Preparation emerges as the key to embracing the evolving chapters of life while maintaining a sense of control and independence. …
Planning for the Future Following an Alzheimer’s DiagnosisRead More »
As we grow older, we all experience cognitive change. Our brain, like the rest of our body, naturally changes as we age. Changes in cognition can be subtle and most changes are normal. Misplacing keys or taking longer than usual to recall a person’s name or a word are common examples. There are times, however, when we notice changes that are consistent, repetitive, and may suggest cognitive impairment. …
Don’t Go Down the River of Denial; Recognize the SignsRead More »
It’s not unusual to hear the terms dementia and Alzheimer’s used interchangeably, though they are not synonymous; they have different meanings. Dementia is an umbrella term that describes a broad range of symptoms; dementia is a syndrome, not a disease. Dementia is a decline in cognitive function that is typically not reversible. …
What’s the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?Read More »
A lack of insight or awareness is when a person living with a form dementia or a brain injury is unable to recognize changes in their behavior and emotions.
Adult children may interpret this as a parent being difficult or in denial. However, the part of the brain that is damaged, often by Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body dementia, or a stroke, is what is affecting the individual’s inability to see these changes. It is related to loss of activity in areas in the front of a person’s brain, known as the frontal lobes. …
Caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s, another dementia, or Parkinson’s, whether it’s a spouse or parent, can be stressful, and at times, overwhelming, even on a good day. Too much stress can be harmful to you both. It’s also not uncommon for family caregivers to be so concerned with the needs of the person in their care that they lose sight of their own well-being. …
Art can be created and experienced in many forms. Dance. Collage. Painting. Drumming. Pottery. Singing. Acting. Writing. Gardening. Knitting. Poetry. Sewing. Storytelling. Drawing. Even cooking.
The effect of experiencing or making art when living with dementia can be profound. We see this every day in our work as Creative Engagement Specialists and Care Managers. …
Washington state primaries are just around the corner. Today, July 15, 2022, marks the start of the 18-day voting period (through Election Day, Tuesday, August 2). Ballots have been mailed and Accessible Voting Units (AVUs) are available at voting centers.
Whenever an opportunity to vote is on the horizon, our team often fields questions from family members and other supports about voting when the person in our mutual care is living with a cognitive impairment. …