Life-changing

Dementia And Alzheimer’s Care

Maintaining a safe environment for the client, engaging the client in activities that can stimulate the senses and supporting the family through the changing behaviors often seen with dementia, our caregivers can assist you from several hours a week to 10-12 hours a day.

Caring for your loved one

Life-Changing

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can be debilitating and life-changing not only for the client afflicted with the disease, but to those family members involved in that loved one’s care. Our trained caregivers with dementia experience can help you share the responsibility of caring for your loved one.

Because we care

We Are
Committed To:

Through the many trials and tribulations…your loved one asking the same questions repeatedly; your loved one putting toothpaste in their hair instead of shampoo; putting the ice cream back in the oven instead of the freezer; your anxiety about what the future holds especially if something happens to you first; we want you to know that we are here to help; offer hope and give you peace of mind.

Dementia And Alzheimer’s Tips For
Symptoms And Behaviors

Some things need to be experienced to be fully understood…to name a few – childbirth, marriage, losing a loved one, hearing the words you have cancer AND DEMENTIA. Until you have experienced dementia first-hand, you really don’t know how this disease will affect you, your loved one and family members.

 

Your loved one is scared, confused, forgetful, lost, anxious, agitated, frustrated and more. Your job is to reassure, redirect and equip them in a world that is slowly slipping away from them.

By learning to control their environment and influence their emotions, it is possible to encourage better behaviors which can result in more peaceful days for both of you.

 

While the disease is challenging and debilitating, there are many things you can do to not only push through another day but to enjoy time with your loved one with dementia, celebrate small successes and make lasting memories.

Your Next Steps:

Our intention and hope is that you will walk away with more practical strategies and tools for your toolbox caring for your love one with dementia.

Download and Complete the
DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SYMPTOMS & BEHAVIORS

IMPAIRED MEMORY – FAMILIARIZATION TO PEOPLE, PLACE OR TIME
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Confused with time or place (doesn’t know what day of the week it is)
Forgets appointments, conversations or recent events
Forgets to take meds or overmedicates
Forgets to eat or forgets that they just ate a meal and wants to eat again
Doesn’t retain information
Doesn’t remember their date of birth, home address or phone number
Misplaces, hides and loses objects
Forgets to turn off appliances (leaves the stove burner on)
Doesn’t recognize objects and their purpose anymore (fork, toothbrush, shampoo)
Gets lost in memories (thinks they are in another time and place)
Can’t find anything in the house
Gets lost in the house (cannot find the bathroom)
Gets lost driving outside of the neighborhood
Doesn’t recognize familiar people
Doesn’t recognize spouse; sometimes can be frightened of this strange man in the house

IMPAIRED JUDGMENT, REASONING AND THINKING
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Finds it hard to concentrate and takes longer to do things
Increasing trouble with planning and organizing (keeping track of monthly bills)
Increasing difficulty working with numbers (pay the grocer, make change, or tip a server)
Can’t follow directions
Struggles to take initiative to start a task; difficulty recognizing when a task is done
Stops taking care of themselves (not showering, wearing soiled clothing, not eating)
Has trouble dressing (puts on unnecessary layers; clothes on backwards; inappropriate clothing for the season)
Lack of ability to make sound decisions and judgment calls (victim of scam artists or giving the local handyman their credit card; letting strangers in the house who could rob or take advantage of them)
Impaired understanding of the sequence of events in past or present time (they fell, went to the hospital, rehab and now home and forgot about it all)
Lack of physical/verbal impulse control
Social inappropriateness – no filter (“She’s really fat!”)
Puts things in unusual places (ice cream in the oven)

IMPAIRED COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE DUE TO MEMORY LOSS
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Struggles with word retrieval (finding words)
Calls things or people by the wrong name
Uses the same word all the time when they can’t think of a word
Starts to use curse words
Reduced vocabulary; jumbles words; invents nonsensical words
Challenged to keep a conversation going, cannot follow the conversation
Doesn’t understand the meaning of words
Withdraws socially from activities, sports, hobbies, social groups
Rambles on or sounds like gibberish
Reverts to native language
Difficulty writing
Forgets material they just read
Can read but don’t understand the words they’re reading (reading and comprehension are two different skills)
Cannot read anymore

AGGRESSION
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Easily angered
Combative – physically strikes out – hits, pushes, bites, kicks
Verbally abusive
Reacting catastrophically (overreacting, outbursts)
Experiencing physical pain and unable to articulate or identify the cause of discomfort
Overstimulated by loud noises and an overactive environment
Develops anxiety, anger and/or stress due to a mirror or photograph on the wall

AGITATION/ANXIETY
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Has a general feeling of anxiety, doesn’t really know what they are worried about
Easily frustrated and impatient
Restless and unsettled
Anxious about upcoming appointments
Difficulty adapting to new situations and settings
Makes many phone calls, especially calls late at night

DEPRESSION
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Napping frequently throughout the day
Sleeping poorly at night
Has poor appetite
Feelings of worthlessness
Suicidal thoughts, talks about dying

HALLUCINATIONS
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and/or feeling something that isn’t real
Fearful of hallucination
Not bothered by hallucination
Misinterpretation of what is seen or heard

PARANOIA/DELUSIONS
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and/or feeling something that isn’t real
Fearful of hallucination
Not bothered by hallucination
Misinterpretation of what is seen or heard

REFUSALS
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Refuses to shower, change clothing
Refuses to use the toilet
Refuses to eat
Refuses to take meds
Refuses to attend Adult Day Care or allow a caregiver to come into the house

REPETITIONS
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Repetitious questions like: “What time is it?”
Repetitious questions like: “Where is my mother?”
Repetitious statements like: “I want to go home.”
Repetitious stories (shares the same stories over and over again)
Repetitious actions (fiddle; pace; pull at their clothes; checking their bills over and over; going through their pocketbook multiple times)

SEXUAL INAPPROPRIATENESS
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Makes inappropriate rude comments, gestures, sexual jokes or unwanted physical sexual advances
Develops a crush or falls in love with their caregiver and makes sexual advances
Handling/fondling genital area
Undoes clothing – opens zipper and trousers or lifts their dress

SHADOWING
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Follows you around the house no matter what you are doing – cleaning, cooking or even when you want to go to the bathroom!

WANDERING
NEVER
RARELY
SOMETIMES
ALWAYS
N/A
Wants to go to work
Wants to “go home” when they are home
Gets lost running errands
Tries to leave the house

Please take the time to scroll to see them all and remember to have fun!

Please know we are here to partner with you on this journey together navigating the different stages of the disease. Our intention and hope is that you will walk away with more practical strategies and tools for your toolbox caring for your loved one.

You are not alone. We are here to offer help, hope and peace of mind during this very difficult time in your life. We pray God will give you the patience, strength and grace needed to help your loved one.

Alzheimer’s Request Poem

Do not ask me to remember; don’t try to make me understand. Let me rest and know you’re with me, kiss my cheek and hold my hand.

I’m confused beyond your concept, I’m sad and sick and lost.  All I know is that I need you to be with me at all cost.

Do not lose your patience with me; do not scold or curse or cry.  I can’t help the way I’m acting; I can’t be different though I try.

Just remember that I need you, that the best of me is gone. Please don’t fail to stand beside me, love me ’til my life is gone.

To guard and guide by your side…

always care, always there

ALWAYS AN ANGEL® HOMECARE works very closely with our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association putting a team together to participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s each year.

Follow this link to join or sponsor our team!

 

Alzheimer’s Association Support Groups

Alzheimer’s Association’s Caregiver Support Groups are designed to provide emotional, educational and social support for you the caregiver. They can help you develop methods and skills to solve problems, maintain your own personal, physical and emotional health and optimally, care for the person with dementia. Caregiving doesn’t have to be a journey you do alone. Reach out to a group near you by visiting Alzheimer’s Association of the Hudson Valley.