15/12/2009 ·
What is depression?
When
doctors talk about depression, they mean the medical illness called
major depression. Someone who has major depression has symptoms like
those listed in the box below nearly every day, all day, for 2 weeks or
longer. There is also a minor form of depression that causes less
severe symptoms. Both have the same causes and treatment.
If
you're depressed, you may also have headaches, other aches and pains,
digestive problems and problems with sex. An older person who has
depression may feel confused or have trouble understanding simple
requests.
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer's
disease is the most common type of dementia. Dementia is a brain
disorder caused by damage of the brain cells that makes it hard for
people to remember, learn and communicate. These changes eventually
make it hard for people to care for themselves. Alzheimer's disease may
also cause changes in mood and personality.
Do people who have Alzheimer's disease become depressed?
Yes.
Depression is very common among people who have Alzheimer's disease. In
many cases, they become depressed when they realize that their memory
and ability to function are getting worse.
Unfortunately,
depression may make it even harder for a person who has Alzheimer's
disease to function, to remember things and to enjoy life.
How can I tell if my family member who has Alzheimer's disease is depressed?
It
may be difficult for you to know if your family member is depressed.
You can look for some of the typical signs of depression, which include
the following:
- Not wanting to move or do things (called apathy)
- Expressing feelings of worthlessness and sadness
- Unintended weight loss or gain
- Sleeping too much or having problems sleeping
Other
signs of depression include crying and being unusually emotional, being
angry or agitated, and being confused. Your family member who has
Alzheimer's disease may refuse to help with his or her own personal
care (for example, getting dressed or taking medicines). He or she may
wander away from home more often.
Alzheimer's disease and
depression have many symptoms that are alike. It can be hard to tell
the difference between them. If you think that depression is a problem
for your relative who has Alzheimer's disease, talk to his or her
family doctor.
How can the doctor help?
The
doctor will talk with your relative. The doctor will also ask you and
other family members and caregivers whether the person has any new or
changed behaviors. The doctor will check your relative and may wish to
do some tests to rule out other medical problems. He or she may suggest
medicines to help your family member feel better. The doctor may also
have some advice for you and other family members and caregivers on how
to cope. He or she may recommend support groups that can help you.
Yorum (yok)
Yorum yaz!
14/12/2009 ·
November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, initiated by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America in 2003.
One of the events is National Memory Screening Day, Nov. 17. Some of
you may have noticed various screening day campaigns in your area.
Screenings often take place on senior campuses, long term care
facilities or local retail businesses. To check screening sites in your
area go to http://www.afascreenings.org/.
Regardless of whether you were to pursue a screening this week or
another time, consider a few things. While screenings can be a good
thing, widespread screenings for anyone who is not showing symptoms are
not unanimously endorsed. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
issued a statement in 2003 that there was insufficient evidence for or
against the screening of older adults.
The American Academy of Neurology recommends screening only when
dementia is suspected. One of the main reasons against screening for
everyone is that they result in a lot of false positives. In addition,
many sources indicate that when a screening indicates a concern, many
people never take the information to their doctor for further
evaluation.
Yet, a community-wide memory screening can be a helpful first step for
families if they are seeing signs of memory problems. The screening is
relatively simple, accessible, and takes little time. It may help
persons with memory concerns or their partners learn more about
dementia and can be a good first step toward early diagnosis.
In general, we can all decide for ourselves if we want to participate
in a community based memory screening given our own circumstances. If
physicians and patients have a long standing relationship, memory
problems usually get noticed in the office. The most important thing if
you suspect memory changes is to see your doctor early and discuss your
specific concerns.
Yorum (yok)
Yorum yaz!
14/12/2009 ·
It's the holiday season and if you're like many who are caring for a loved one with dementia, the season may not feel so merry.
Memories of better times may surface as reminders of what you've lost
or what has changed. Often it's a time when you believe you should be
happy, yet increased stress, disappointment, and sadness are the
prevailing emotions.
At the same time, you may think that you should live up to
expectations of family traditions and how things ought to be. As a
caregiver, it isn't realistic to think that you will have the time or
the energy to participate in all of the holiday activities as you once
did.
And for the person with dementia, the holidays can disrupt the
sanctuary of the calm and structured routine that suits them best. I
have two general themes for caregivers and families to follow during
the holidays:
- Adjust your expectations.
- Simplify the season.
Pick and choose which traditions are most important to you and which
you can live without. Think about ways you can modify traditions that
will still provide meaning to you and your family. Here are some ideas:
- Attend church services that will be less crowded or create a
quiet ceremony at home that includes traditional readings, stories and
hymns.
- Minimize holiday baking.
- Think about alternatives to writing and sending out lots of holiday cards.
- Simplify
decorating, which is not only time consuming but can be confusing
(blinking lights) and sometimes unsafe (wires, cords, candles) for the
person with dementia. Instead, you might plan on outing to look at
holiday lights and decorations.
- Think about holiday shopping
with your loved one during evenings and weekends or opt for respite
care for your loved one while you shop (maybe avoid stores all
together).
- Also, recognize that the person with dementia may
feel the discomfort of not knowing all family and friends and feel
overwhelmed by the increased pressure and stimulation. Consider more
intimate gatherings spread out over several days versus a large family
get-together.
By adjusting your expectations and modifying some traditions you just
might find the real joy in the season comes from simply being and
reminiscing with the ones we love.
Yorum (yok)
Yorum yaz!
24/4/2009 ·
I thought I'd share a quick tip that has been circulating through our caregiver support groups. I believe the idea originally came from a caregiver and wife, Lela Knox Shanks, in her book "Your Name is Hughes Hannibal Shanks." This is now a strategy brought up routinely in our support groups.
Here is a situation that may arise for caregivers at some point: You want to take your loved one out to a restaurant, grocery store, family reunion, etc., but you are reluctant because you think that your loved one may say something or act in a way that is embarrassing to you, or may put others in an uncomfortable situation.
These are real and valid concerns. Keep in mind, persons with Alzheimer's experience a decline in judgment and language as well as other symptoms that can include disinhibition, irritability, delusions, compulsive and repetitive behaviors — all of which can be challenging to the caregiver especially when in a public place.
So, the strategy is to carry a supply of business sized cards with a saying similar to the following:
"Please excuse my (husband, wife, father, mother), they have a diagnosis of a memory impairment (or you can say Alzheimer's disease, brain impairment) and may say or do things that are inappropriate. If this is the case, please accept my apology on his/her behalf. Preserving his/her dignity is my overall goal. Thank you for understanding."
These cards can be given out discretely anytime you feel it would be helpful. The caregivers I have spoken with find that once a card is handed to someone, a potentially awkward situation is alleviated. In most cases when people understand the circumstances behind the behavior they are genuinely accepting, and often kind and accommodating. By telling others, you are emphasizing that the behaviors are part of the disease and not who the person is. In my mind, this is a way of offering the person with Alzheimer's the respect and dignity they deserve.
Yorum (1)
Yorum yaz!
24/4/2009 ·
Last week at the support group I co-facilitate, three women shared difficult news — they had each lost their loved one with dementia within the past few weeks.
They expressed a variety of emotions including relief, guilt (guilt for feeling relief, guilt for wondering if they did enough), and profound sadness. They spoke about the void they are grappling with now.
Just weeks ago, their days were filled with orchestrating care, medications, doctor's visits, baths, and sometimes challenging behaviors. They had been spending their days worrying, grieving, and feeling overwhelmed.
Now, life is dramatically different, not necessarily better or worse, just different. Important to all of us around the table that evening was the discussion of "lessons learned" from these seasoned caregivers.
During the group they each spoke eloquently about the precious time they spent caring for their loved one, and while they would not say that this time was blissful, it was indeed special and precious. The women spoke about how they had learned to live in the 'moment' and not force their loved one to remember or anticipate anything beyond the now. And if their loved one insisted that they were their mother instead of their wife, well then, for that moment they were the mother.
Elinor Fuchs, a professor at the Yale School of Drama wrote in her book "Making an Exit:" "Actors are taught — Stay in the moment. No point in going behind (my) Mother with a little cognitive vacuum cleaner to straighten up meanings, or running ahead with plans for the day. On the stage it is always now (for someone with Alzheimer's disease)."
The women spoke about the later stages of the disease. It was at this time they learned not to dwell on their loved ones failure to "know" them through names or roles (i.e. husband, wife, son, daughter). However, these caregivers were certain their loved one still "knew" them as a special person in their life who provided a sense of belonging, reassurance, and love.
For these three women, completing a caregiving journey has brought profound life lessons, and in some (maybe peculiar) way, their lives have been enriched. More than anything, I know the wisdom and life lessons they have gained will be passed on to the caregivers sitting next to them and across the table. In the group last week, one of these women held the hand of a woman attending for the first time as she cried about her declining mother. This is the life of a support group come full circle.
Yorum (yok)
Yorum yaz!
« Önceki ::
