In researching Alzheimer's Disease, attempting to learn all I can about the disease, and how to care for those that have it, I have come across numerous books, articles, and blogs. In November, I received an Amazon Kindle for my Birthday, and immediately started downloading any book I found concerning Alzheimer's Disease. The first book I downloaded and read is Alzheimer's Finding the Words, A Communication Guide for Those Who Care by: Harriet Hodgson.
"Much like a telephone, speech depends on
transmission and reception. If there are
problems on the line - Alzheimer's Disease -
the message is garbled. The sender and receiver
are having entirely different conversations."
In Alzheimer's, Finding the Words Harriet leads us on her journey with her Mother, Mabel Clifton Weil whom suffers from Alzheimer's Disease. In the beginning stages Harriet and her mother lived in two separate states, and Harriet attempted long distance Care-giving, this became more and more difficult with every passing day. Harriet was then forced to move her mom to a nursing facility near to where Harriet lives so that she could properly care for her mom.
In her book Harriet briefly touches on multiple facets of Alzheimer's and how to communicate with those that have it. Starting with defining Alzheimer's Disease, early warning signs, loss of communication skills, stages of the disease, to tips and techniques caregivers can use to communicate and help their loved ones. Through the multiple subjects she touches on, Harriet will pinpoint a problem, give an example of a situation she had experienced with her mother, then site a reference from a particular book or professional in the field on how they recommend dealing with the issue. Followed by methods that has worked or not worked for her.
I completely enjoyed the fact that she touched on such a wide range of subjects, however they were brief and left me wishing for more information on certain areas of concern. It is for this reason that I would give her book 4 out of 5 stars. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has found themselves caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's, yet found themselves lacking the knowledge to do so.
Have you read this book? Add your comments below.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Teleconference on Caregiving for Dementia
Today I had the privilege to listen in on a teleconference by Carole Larkin on the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's Care Connection. Carole Larkin MAG, CMC, CAEd, QDCS, EICS, is a Geriatric care manager who specializes in helping families with Alzheimer’s and related dementia issues. She also trains caregivers in home care companies, assisted livings, memory care communities, and nursing homes in dementia specific techniques for best care of dementia sufferers.
On the second Thursday of every month, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's Care Connection holds a teleconference with a different guest speaker that caregivers like myself, can call in and listen to a qualified professional speak, and ask questions concerning our loved one. You can connect with this teleconference by dialing toll free 1-877-232-2992 then entering guest code 271004#. This conference is held at 1 PM Eastern time.
Today's topic was titled Candy Bars in the Shower and Other Tips and Tricks to Manage Activities of Daily Living . You can find recorded archived calls at http://www.alzfdn.org/AFAServices/careconnection.html. Carole provided allot of useful and interesting information, I recommend that you connect to the above link and listen to her speech. The information ranged from dealing with the repetitive behavior of Alzheimer patients to assisting with eating and bathing, as well as incontinence issues.
On the second Thursday of every month, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's Care Connection holds a teleconference with a different guest speaker that caregivers like myself, can call in and listen to a qualified professional speak, and ask questions concerning our loved one. You can connect with this teleconference by dialing toll free 1-877-232-2992 then entering guest code 271004#. This conference is held at 1 PM Eastern time.
Today's topic was titled Candy Bars in the Shower and Other Tips and Tricks to Manage Activities of Daily Living . You can find recorded archived calls at http://www.alzfdn.org/AFAServices/careconnection.html. Carole provided allot of useful and interesting information, I recommend that you connect to the above link and listen to her speech. The information ranged from dealing with the repetitive behavior of Alzheimer patients to assisting with eating and bathing, as well as incontinence issues.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Conversations with Alzheimer
Saturday December 4th, it's 8:08 AM, I awaken to my oldest daughter coming downstairs.
Oldest Daughter - "Brian, Pawpaw is awake and trying to go somewhere, he said he is waiting on you to take him. I asked him where he was going and he would not tell me, he said he will only tell you.
Brian - "OK, tell him I am on my way."
I quickly dress and go upstairs, I walk into Bill's room and he is sitting on the side of his bed with his pants halfway up to his knees, sitting in a puddle of pee.
Brian - "What's going on Bill"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Well, your Granddaughter told me that we were going somewhere, where are we supposed to be going"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "It is 8:00 o'clock in the morning, and we have no plans to go anywhere. Where did you think we were going"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Is something wrong"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Are you feeling alright? How do you feel right now"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Well, do you want to get up, shower, and get something to eat, or do you want to get cleaned up, change clothes, and go back to bed"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me. Your the brains of this outfit."
Brian- "Are you still sleepy and want to go back to bed"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Well, how about you get up, we will get you cleaned up, dressed, and we will drive into town, and get you a biscuit."
#1) I know by now that when he is set on going somewhere, we need to go somewhere.
# 2) When he is acting this way, and is lost in what I call "Al's World" that one way to bring him back into my world, is to change his environment, by getting him out of the house awhile. I do not know why this works, but anytime he gets agitated, gets lost in "Al's World", having hallucinating, or delusions, that getting him out of the house for even just 15 minutes changes his mood dramatically.
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me. Your the brains of this outfit."
Brian - "Are you hungry"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "OK, get undressed, and I will get your shower set up."
Bill - "OK, your the brains of this outfit."
I get his shower ready, and go back to his room, and he is still sitting in the same position, pants halfway on.
Brian - "Bill, what's wrong"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "I have your shower going, I need you to get undressed."
Bill now proceeds to get undressed and moves to get into the shower. About this time, my oldest daughter yells out, "Bye, I'm leaving now, love you." I respond in kind.
Bill - "Who is that"?
Brian - "Your oldest Granddaughter!"
Bill - "Where is she going, to work?"
Brian - "No, she doesn't work, she is going to go Christmas Shopping."
Bill - "How is she going to go shopping if she doesn't work"?
Brian - "Well, she is going with her boyfriend, I guess he is paying"?
Bill - "How is he paying"?
Brian - "He has a job."
Bill - "He is going to spend all his money just on a Christmas Present."?
Brian - "You got me, It's his money, It's up to him how he spends it."
Bill - "Well, I will be damned, If I will walk the streets like that for that kind of money"!
Brian - I could not respond to that, I just did not know what to say, to that statement.
We then got him showered, dressed, his room cleaned up and bed changed. We drove into town to pick up some refills for his prescriptions and grabbed some biscuits. All behavior and conversations were normal for the most part, until we were halfway home. . .
Bill - "I was saving that for my boys!"
Brian - "Saving what"?
Bill - "I was saving that ranch I got for the future of my boys. I got a 3000 acre ranch for my boys, my ole lady, and my two daughters. I got 3000 acres down in that holler right over there!" Long Pause, "You got that Boy"?
Brian - "Yes Sir, I got that." I know that Bill has never owned land other the houses he has bought and lived in since he started his family over 40 years ago.
All of this has taken place in the first hour and a half to two hours since he woke up this morning. We arrive home, and his behavior has been as normal as any behavior of a person his age without Alzheimer's. We have been home for four and a half hours now.
Recommendations and Lessons Learned
Oldest Daughter - "Brian, Pawpaw is awake and trying to go somewhere, he said he is waiting on you to take him. I asked him where he was going and he would not tell me, he said he will only tell you.
Brian - "OK, tell him I am on my way."
I quickly dress and go upstairs, I walk into Bill's room and he is sitting on the side of his bed with his pants halfway up to his knees, sitting in a puddle of pee.
Brian - "What's going on Bill"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Well, your Granddaughter told me that we were going somewhere, where are we supposed to be going"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "It is 8:00 o'clock in the morning, and we have no plans to go anywhere. Where did you think we were going"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Is something wrong"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Are you feeling alright? How do you feel right now"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Well, do you want to get up, shower, and get something to eat, or do you want to get cleaned up, change clothes, and go back to bed"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me. Your the brains of this outfit."
Brian- "Are you still sleepy and want to go back to bed"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "Well, how about you get up, we will get you cleaned up, dressed, and we will drive into town, and get you a biscuit."
#1) I know by now that when he is set on going somewhere, we need to go somewhere.
# 2) When he is acting this way, and is lost in what I call "Al's World" that one way to bring him back into my world, is to change his environment, by getting him out of the house awhile. I do not know why this works, but anytime he gets agitated, gets lost in "Al's World", having hallucinating, or delusions, that getting him out of the house for even just 15 minutes changes his mood dramatically.
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me. Your the brains of this outfit."
Brian - "Are you hungry"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "OK, get undressed, and I will get your shower set up."
Bill - "OK, your the brains of this outfit."
I get his shower ready, and go back to his room, and he is still sitting in the same position, pants halfway on.
Brian - "Bill, what's wrong"?
Bill - "I don't know, you tell me."
Brian - "I have your shower going, I need you to get undressed."
Bill now proceeds to get undressed and moves to get into the shower. About this time, my oldest daughter yells out, "Bye, I'm leaving now, love you." I respond in kind.
Bill - "Who is that"?
Brian - "Your oldest Granddaughter!"
Bill - "Where is she going, to work?"
Brian - "No, she doesn't work, she is going to go Christmas Shopping."
Bill - "How is she going to go shopping if she doesn't work"?
Brian - "Well, she is going with her boyfriend, I guess he is paying"?
Bill - "How is he paying"?
Brian - "He has a job."
Bill - "He is going to spend all his money just on a Christmas Present."?
Brian - "You got me, It's his money, It's up to him how he spends it."
Bill - "Well, I will be damned, If I will walk the streets like that for that kind of money"!
Brian - I could not respond to that, I just did not know what to say, to that statement.
We then got him showered, dressed, his room cleaned up and bed changed. We drove into town to pick up some refills for his prescriptions and grabbed some biscuits. All behavior and conversations were normal for the most part, until we were halfway home. . .
Bill - "I was saving that for my boys!"
Brian - "Saving what"?
Bill - "I was saving that ranch I got for the future of my boys. I got a 3000 acre ranch for my boys, my ole lady, and my two daughters. I got 3000 acres down in that holler right over there!" Long Pause, "You got that Boy"?
Brian - "Yes Sir, I got that." I know that Bill has never owned land other the houses he has bought and lived in since he started his family over 40 years ago.
All of this has taken place in the first hour and a half to two hours since he woke up this morning. We arrive home, and his behavior has been as normal as any behavior of a person his age without Alzheimer's. We have been home for four and a half hours now.
Recommendations and Lessons Learned
- When Bill is acting out of the normal realms of behavior, I have found that changing his environment quickly changes his mood.
- Do not argue with Alzheimer's, it can and WILL make things worst. Try your best to keep up with the conversation by agreeing with, or just "playing along" with whatever delusional behavior they are experiencing at the time.
- It is not important when he is clearly discussing unreal or untrue facts. It is only important that your there to hear them, and your there to keep them safe and secure.
- Conversations, moods, and behavior can change in the blink of an eye. For example this morning, the only responses I got out of Bill where "I don't know, you tell me." and ""I don't know, you tell me, your the Brain's of this outfit." Up until my oldest daughter yelled to us that she was leaving. Then his responses and behavior started changing.
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