Adult Care Services Guides Us Through Challenging Diagnoses
By Breeanya Hinkel
Alzheimer’s and dementia can be a difficult subject matter for any family. Finding the right services will ensure your loved one has the treatment he or she deserves during a very challenging time. Since 1999, Adult Care Services, which includes The Margaret T. Morris Center (Northern Arizona’s only assisted living community dedicated solely to dementia care) has served hundreds of women and men and their families living with Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and memory loss.
Although both men and women can be affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia, women have a greater risk. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women. Of the more than 5,000,000 people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s, 3,600,000 are women.
While dementia is more common among people over the age of 65, there is also early onset dementia which can happen to people as young as 30. If you are showing signs or have concerns, it is important to get diagnosed as early as possible so you can begin any necessary treatment. The Margaret T. Morris Center answered some basic questions about Alzheimer’s and dementia:
What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia?
Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases. Alzheimer’s is a specific disease. Dementia is not.
What are some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia?
Alzheimer’s:
The most common early symptom of Alzheimer’s is trouble remembering new information. The disease typically impacts the part of the brain associated with learning first. As Alzheimer’s advances, symptoms get more severe and may include:
- Disorientation, confusion, and behavior changes
- Difficulty speaking, swallowing, and walking
Vascular Dementia:
Vascular dementia is caused by conditions that damage blood vessels, reducing or blocking blood flow to the brain.
Some signs and symptoms include:
- Confusion and reduced ability to organize thoughts or actions
- Trouble paying attention and concentrating
- Decline in ability to analyze a situation or deciding what to do next
- Problems with memory
- Restlessness and agitation
- Unsteady gait
- Sudden or frequent urge to urinate
- Depression or apathy
Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in the brain regions involved in thinking, memory, and movement (motor control).
Some signs and symptoms include:
- Visual hallucinations
- Movement disorders
- Poor regulation of body functions
- Cognitive problems
- Sleep difficulties
- Fluctuating attention
Are there any preventive measures you can take?
Dementia is hard to prevent, because what causes it is often unknown. In general, the best advice is to maintain your overall health and lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke with these strategies:
- Don’t smoke.
- Stay at a healthy weight.
- Get plenty of exercise.
- Eat healthy food.
- Manage health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
- Stay mentally alert
- Stay involved socially.
- If your doctor recommends it, take aspirin.
What are some ways Adult Care Services help older patients deal with symptoms?
- Giving them activities throughout the day that keep them engaged.
- Focusing on word games to work on the language part of the brain.
- Getting people together: socialization is one of the greatest benefits for any person (whatever age, but including seniors who often suffer from isolation and depression, and certainly those with any type of dementia).
- Loving interaction from caregivers/staff/family members; acceptance of where they are at, and an assurance that they are still valued.
- Person-centered care that acknowledges and respects the person: their history, culture, spirituality, etc.
- Providing medical oversight so any underlying conditions can be addressed and treated (for example, with dementia comes a possible increase in falls because of what is happening in the brain and eyes, etc. This is something that needs to be understood and addressed so falls are minimized).
Is there any advice you can give family members in searching for a care community?
Get the support you need because caregiving can be a 24/7 job that can be very stressful. The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center offers family members a needed break during the day. Also, at some point, a care community, such as The Margaret T. Morris Center, can give the person the level of care they need. Here are some important tips in finding a care facility:
- Find a place that knows about dementia. Sometimes residents with dementia have been asked to leave care communities because staff does not know how to interact with someone with dementia. This can be very upsetting for the person with dementia, as well as the family members
- If you are going to start a day program or move someone into a care community, do not wait for the crisis to happen. It is best to move someone when things are going well: their adjustment period is much easier and shorter.
- It is usually more difficult for the caregivers to move their loved one into a care community than it is for the new resident. Caregivers often feel guilty, very tired, and oftentimes depressed. This opens new questions for them as far as their own value and purpose, in and of themselves, totally separate from a family member, and how they will spend their time.
For more information about Adult Care Services contact: The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center at 928.775.3563; The Margaret T. Morris Center at 928.445.6633; or visit www.adultcareservices.org