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Cece55, I found there is a lot of excellent information in articles presented by AgingCare. Go to the top of the page and click on RESOURCES... now click on "Caregiving Topics". Now you will see store house of articles.
One thing I found on my own with my Dad when he started to show signs of dementia, that any note I had left him as a reminder needs to moved to a new location every few days. If the note is left in the same location for a length of time, the mind will eventually no longer see it.... that happens to anyone with or without dementia.
I recommend 2 books. Understanding the Dementia Experience by Jennifer Ghent-Fuller available on Amazon. And The 36 Hour Day which is more of a reference book to use when you have a question about a behavior.
There are typically 5 stages of dementia. You can get more information from your local department of aging, your physician or family practitioner, or the national institute of health if you are looking for online resources.
Exercise is very important for giving the amyloid plaques and tau tangles blood flow. Walking, (if possible) swimming, and even chair or bed exercises all help. A good diet high in fruits and veggies, provide the antioxidants that are very beneficial too. A spoonful of olive oil each night helps with extra antioxidants as well as assisting with any constipation issues. Reading, conversations, puzzles, anything to use the brain is extremely helpful as well. There really is a lot that can be done to slow the progression of many dementias. I
Hi CeCe - I'm assuming you mean someone else you care for or care about. And unfortunately, the answer isn't simple. All stages of dementia can present with a wide variety of symptoms, the stages aren't necessarily sequential, and the person can be in more than one stage or move back and forth between them.
So, there are probably dozens or even a hundred tips someone could give for early-stage dementia, but here are five from my experience:
1) Resist the urge to challenge, dispute, or question the person's memory unless it represents a risk to themselves or others. There's no fixing it, and it can only lead to frustration, confusion, defensiveness, and anger on their part. If it needs to be done for some reason (non-emergency), then do so gently with a sense of doubt about it yourself. "Dad, I think we went to the bank on Wednesday, not yesterday, but I might be wrong." At that point it's been said, and the person can reconcile it in their mind (if they can) or just pass it off as perhaps your memory is wrong.
2) Symptoms can vary a lot from day to day, week to week, month to month. Underlying general health (diet, sleep, exercise, medications) are extremely important for the person to be more stable. Otherwise, something as simple as a cold can dramatically amplify their dementia symptoms.
3) Hydration is incredibly important for older people, and doubly so for those with dementia. Due to the brain's existing dysfunction, dehydration can easily lead to a delusional episode complete with hallucinations. We're not talking minor inconvenience here; we're talking 911 medical emergency. The person can potentially fall off a balcony, set the house on fire, fall down the stairs, drink bleach, cut themselves, you name it. And we won't even talk about getting into their car and going for a drive. So encourage the water and make it easy for them to have handy. We also learned from the doctor that older people get much more of their water from food than younger people, so a healthy diet is important (aside from other reasons).
4) Mental stimulation is extremely important for delaying the progression of dementia as well as their quality of life. Encourage puzzles, games, creativity, music, and reading fiction (involves more of the brain than non-fiction). If they aren't very social, then these are even more critical.
5) If the person has hearing or vision problems, get these addressed. Sensory reduction of any kind is bad for dementia because that part of the brain will effectively diminish, compounding the dementia. If the person can't hear conversations well, then their cognitive abilities will decline because they aren't being used to process the conversations – the person just tunes out. As a result, following conversations gets worse cognitively, on top of the hearing problem. It's a downward spiral. And of course, you can imagine likewise for vision loss. The bottom line is, a person with dementia should be engaged in all of their senses as much as possible to keep reinforcing neural pathways. Use them or lose them.
Bonus tip: When things get frustrating (and they will), keep your sympathy up. The person is losing function of their brain and largely can't help what they're doing, how they're acting, and what they're saying. And at the early stages this is particularly difficult on them because they're still functioning overall, but something's not quite right. It's been frequently described as scary, which anyone should be able to understand if you imagine losing your ability to think, reason, and remember. It's no different than a loved one confined to a wheelchair; you'd never expect them to join you climbing stairs. So don't expect your loved one with early-stage dementia to be fully capable cognitively. Remember, as hard as it is on you, it's much harder on them.
Keep sentences short, to the point as uncomplicated as possible. I am trying my hardest to not use the word remember in any context. You never know what is or isn’t remembered in dementia. My husband has started to string unrelated words together. I don’t say anything, have no idea what he’s talking about. Reminds me of toddlers who blurt out random words, start laughing like they’re telling the best joke. Husband doesn’t laugh, it seems like there was an attempt to discuss something.
I see you have been on this site since 2019. From skimming through your posts I get the impression that your mom with dementia may have now passed. Is this info for your dad? Is he still living at home?
You have given very good answers in the past so I’m wondering if someone else is using your account? That’s fine of course but when a question with no details is asked, I hopefully give more relevant information if I go back and read what’s been discussed before. Perhaps you are just wanting a refresher. And I know dealing with one elder living alone is much different from when you had both at home.
My Mom passed away 14 months ago while in hospice care. My new posts are due to a friends new diagnosis. No one other than me is using my account my father is 94 and still has his mental faculties but lots of physical/ortho issues thank you for asking and for all of the advice from you guys
I would add; as the person becomes confused, be prepared to guide them verbally, and with actions, through every small step of everyday tasks, one step at a time. For instance: transferring my husband: "hold on. Lean forward and push up. turn. now sit down." If they are not eating, you may help by sitting down and eating with them. They will copy what you are doing. Brushing your teeth, so they can see how it's done. If they are struggling, it can help for you to show them the behavior, and how it's done.
Check out this website: https://www.prevention.com/health/memory/a36399678/early-warning-signs-of-dementia/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_pre_md_pmx_prog_org_us_20739785489&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20733447543&gbraid=0AAAAADA2LlIlh7DZNN_2tRRtRaVD9Qhd6&gclid=CjwKCAiAtq_NBhA_EiwA78nNWDX0GPthMV-xy4Y9pQnmnEKBxIRKuZ1CoO_2-0IEBUhTSsAwpgXYfBoC2jMQAvD_BwE
In part, it says:
What are the early signs of dementia?
Forgetting things you just learned_________________ We all forget a random bit of trivia now and then, but with dementia, you have trouble retaining new information to a point where it impacts your life, says Caccappolo. Many friends and relatives notice this when a loved one starts to ask the same question over and over in the same conversation, or they are unable to remember the details of a TV show they just watched. It also becomes increasingly more difficult to learn new tasks, such as using a cell phone or a new computer program, even if the steps are clearly written down for them.
Problems managing money____________________ paying your bills on time? paid any bills twice? making errors when you’re balancing your checkbook? People with dementia often have trouble with abstract thinking, like math, and are unable to follow the steps to do a task like paying a bill. They may also make poor judgments about spending money or even giving it away.
Getting lost in familiar places________________________ Memory loss and visual and spatial difficulties can lead to disorientation, causing people with dementia to get lost easily, even when walking or driving to places they have been to hundreds of times.
Confusion about time and day__________________________ When you eat breakfast, but then realize it’s dinner time, or you can’t remember the day of the week without looking at a calendar, that can be a sign of cognitive impairment. Patients who have more advanced dementia may get up in the middle of the night and get dressed. It may also become increasingly difficult to know what season or even what year it is.
Visuospatial issues___________________________ Atrophy in the part of the brain that processes visual information can lead to difficulties with visual perception, causing falls, difficulty driving safely, and problems judging distances and colors. This is different from visual problems due to changes in the health of the eyes, so always be sure to check in with your ophthalmologist as well.
Forgetting common words____________________________ In addition to forgetting names and being unable to retain new information, people with dementia may find themselves unable to come up with the word for a familiar object, like a watch or refrigerator; they also may stop in the middle of a sentence or not be able to carry on a conversation.
Constantly losing things_____________________________ When a person without dementia misplaces their keys or the remote control, they can typically retrace their steps or think of all the logical places the object might be. But for a person with dementia, it can be difficult to take those deductive steps, leading to frustration, and frequently suspicion that the items were “stolen.”
A lack of interest in reading______________________ ‘Are you reading as much as you always did?’” People who used to love reading books find they can’t follow the story or remember what came in the previous pages. “A lot of people will say they can only read short articles now—it’s especially noticeable with people who were really avid readers.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
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APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
One thing I found on my own with my Dad when he started to show signs of dementia, that any note I had left him as a reminder needs to moved to a new location every few days. If the note is left in the same location for a length of time, the mind will eventually no longer see it.... that happens to anyone with or without dementia.
Best of luck to you.
Walking, (if possible) swimming, and even chair or bed exercises all help. A good diet high in fruits and veggies, provide the antioxidants that are very beneficial too.
A spoonful of olive oil each night helps with extra antioxidants as well as assisting with any constipation issues. Reading, conversations, puzzles, anything to use the brain is extremely helpful as well. There really is a lot that can be done to slow the progression of many dementias. I
Best of luck for the tips for early dementia
🙏❤️☘️
So, there are probably dozens or even a hundred tips someone could give for early-stage dementia, but here are five from my experience:
1) Resist the urge to challenge, dispute, or question the person's memory unless it represents a risk to themselves or others. There's no fixing it, and it can only lead to frustration, confusion, defensiveness, and anger on their part. If it needs to be done for some reason (non-emergency), then do so gently with a sense of doubt about it yourself. "Dad, I think we went to the bank on Wednesday, not yesterday, but I might be wrong." At that point it's been said, and the person can reconcile it in their mind (if they can) or just pass it off as perhaps your memory is wrong.
2) Symptoms can vary a lot from day to day, week to week, month to month. Underlying general health (diet, sleep, exercise, medications) are extremely important for the person to be more stable. Otherwise, something as simple as a cold can dramatically amplify their dementia symptoms.
3) Hydration is incredibly important for older people, and doubly so for those with dementia. Due to the brain's existing dysfunction, dehydration can easily lead to a delusional episode complete with hallucinations. We're not talking minor inconvenience here; we're talking 911 medical emergency. The person can potentially fall off a balcony, set the house on fire, fall down the stairs, drink bleach, cut themselves, you name it. And we won't even talk about getting into their car and going for a drive. So encourage the water and make it easy for them to have handy. We also learned from the doctor that older people get much more of their water from food than younger people, so a healthy diet is important (aside from other reasons).
4) Mental stimulation is extremely important for delaying the progression of dementia as well as their quality of life. Encourage puzzles, games, creativity, music, and reading fiction (involves more of the brain than non-fiction). If they aren't very social, then these are even more critical.
5) If the person has hearing or vision problems, get these addressed. Sensory reduction of any kind is bad for dementia because that part of the brain will effectively diminish, compounding the dementia. If the person can't hear conversations well, then their cognitive abilities will decline because they aren't being used to process the conversations – the person just tunes out. As a result, following conversations gets worse cognitively, on top of the hearing problem. It's a downward spiral. And of course, you can imagine likewise for vision loss. The bottom line is, a person with dementia should be engaged in all of their senses as much as possible to keep reinforcing neural pathways. Use them or lose them.
Bonus tip: When things get frustrating (and they will), keep your sympathy up. The person is losing function of their brain and largely can't help what they're doing, how they're acting, and what they're saying. And at the early stages this is particularly difficult on them because they're still functioning overall, but something's not quite right. It's been frequently described as scary, which anyone should be able to understand if you imagine losing your ability to think, reason, and remember. It's no different than a loved one confined to a wheelchair; you'd never expect them to join you climbing stairs. So don't expect your loved one with early-stage dementia to be fully capable cognitively. Remember, as hard as it is on you, it's much harder on them.
How are you doing?
I see you have been on this site since 2019.
From skimming through your posts I get the impression that your mom with dementia may have now passed. Is this info for your dad? Is he still living at home?
You have given very good answers in the past so I’m wondering if someone else is using your account? That’s fine of course but when a question with no details is asked, I hopefully give more relevant information if I go back and read what’s been discussed before. Perhaps you are just wanting a refresher. And I know dealing with one elder living alone is much different from when you had both at home.
I hope you are well. 💐
thank you for asking and for all of the advice from you guys
I would add; as the person becomes confused, be prepared to guide them verbally, and with actions, through every small step of everyday tasks, one step at a time.
For instance: transferring my husband: "hold on. Lean forward and push up. turn. now sit down."
If they are not eating, you may help by sitting down and eating with them. They will copy what you are doing. Brushing your teeth, so they can see how it's done. If they are struggling, it can help for you to show them the behavior, and how it's done.
https://www.prevention.com/health/memory/a36399678/early-warning-signs-of-dementia/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_pre_md_pmx_prog_org_us_20739785489&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20733447543&gbraid=0AAAAADA2LlIlh7DZNN_2tRRtRaVD9Qhd6&gclid=CjwKCAiAtq_NBhA_EiwA78nNWDX0GPthMV-xy4Y9pQnmnEKBxIRKuZ1CoO_2-0IEBUhTSsAwpgXYfBoC2jMQAvD_BwE
In part, it says:
What are the early signs of dementia?
Forgetting things you just learned_________________
We all forget a random bit of trivia now and then, but with dementia, you have trouble retaining new information to a point where it impacts your life, says Caccappolo. Many friends and relatives notice this when a loved one starts to ask the same question over and over in the same conversation, or they are unable to remember the details of a TV show they just watched. It also becomes increasingly more difficult to learn new tasks, such as using a cell phone or a new computer program, even if the steps are clearly written down for them.
Problems managing money____________________
paying your bills on time? paid any bills twice? making errors when you’re balancing your checkbook? People with dementia often have trouble with abstract thinking, like math, and are unable to follow the steps to do a task like paying a bill. They may also make poor judgments about spending money or even giving it away.
Getting lost in familiar places________________________
Memory loss and visual and spatial difficulties can lead to disorientation, causing people with dementia to get lost easily, even when walking or driving to places they have been to hundreds of times.
Confusion about time and day__________________________
When you eat breakfast, but then realize it’s dinner time, or you can’t remember the day of the week without looking at a calendar, that can be a sign of cognitive impairment. Patients who have more advanced dementia may get up in the middle of the night and get dressed. It may also become increasingly difficult to know what season or even what year it is.
Visuospatial issues___________________________
Atrophy in the part of the brain that processes visual information can lead to difficulties with visual perception, causing falls, difficulty driving safely, and problems judging distances and colors. This is different from visual problems due to changes in the health of the eyes, so always be sure to check in with your ophthalmologist as well.
Forgetting common words____________________________
In addition to forgetting names and being unable to retain new information, people with dementia may find themselves unable to come up with the word for a familiar object, like a watch or refrigerator; they also may stop in the middle of a sentence or not be able to carry on a conversation.
Constantly losing things_____________________________
When a person without dementia misplaces their keys or the remote control, they can typically retrace their steps or think of all the logical places the object might be. But for a person with dementia, it can be difficult to take those deductive steps, leading to frustration, and frequently suspicion that the items were “stolen.”
A lack of interest in reading______________________
‘Are you reading as much as you always did?’” People who used to love reading books find they can’t follow the story or remember what came in the previous pages. “A lot of people will say they can only read short articles now—it’s especially noticeable with people who were really avid readers.
Gena / Touch Matters