Behavioral Interventions When Caring for Someone with Dementia This webinar incorporates the most current research about dementia care, effective practical strategies, and useful resources in identifying causes of common behavioral symptoms and effective interventions. This program, initiated as part of a grant awarded to the greater Toledo area by the U.S. Department of Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), Alzheimer’s and Dementia Program Initiative incorporates curriculum from the state of Minnesota, Act on Alzheimer’s, and we are now excited to present this as a part of the new ACL project to expand dementia capable communities in Cuyahoga, Washington, and Athens counties. Read more
Becoming a Caregiver: My Role Has Changed, Now Who Am I? We all have roles in life that we are used to and comfortable with. Some roles that come to mind easily are mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, partner, friend, aunt, uncle and grandparent. These are very common roles that are socially accepted, defined and supported. We know how to be a parent, sibling, friend etc., because people teach us by serving as an example. What happens when these roles start to change, however? These scenarios happen every day, and the shift that it can create in a relationship paradigm can have a ripple effect of feelings, emotions and struggles. Read more
Helping an Older Loved One Living Alone with Dementia Many assume that older adults who live alone inevitably transition into assisted living when diagnosed with dementia, but this is not the case. Around one third of people with dementia live on their own, in their own homes. While it does not pose as many concerns in the early-stages of dementia, this arrangement may become increasingly risky in the middle- and late-stages. As a caregiver, you may feel pressure to move in with your loved one or vice versa, or else find them an assisted living arrangement, even if your loved one does not want to leave their home. Read more
Recognizing the Risks and Red Flags of Elder Abuse Those who are assisting older loved ones likely try to do everything they can to keep that loved one safe, such as making sure they have a list of emergency contacts or assessing whether they can still safely operate a vehicle. However, sometimes the greatest threats to a loved one can be a person, whether family members, fellow caregivers, medical staff, complete strangers or even themselves. According to the National Council on Aging, approximately one in ten Americans aged 60 or older have experienced some form of elder abuse. Read more
Exercise Your Brain as an Older Adult with These 20 Memory Boosting Activities There are a variety of techniques and strategies older adults can use to maintain and even improve memories. These memory boosters are mentally challenging and often fun, and they don’t involve medications that may have side effects that could potentially exhaust mental focus. Read more
Caring for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Dementia This webinar will overview common signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, available cognitive assessments, medical and community-based resources, and provide information about a free evidence-based care-coaching program, BRI Care Consultation™, for family and friend caregivers or supporters. Read more
Has Work Become Your Respite? The Reality of Working Caregivers In 2019, approximately 73 percent of employees are responsible for some type of caregiving, and one in six workers are caregivers for an older adult. This role is fulfilled not just by middle-aged Americans: 6.2 million millennials make up 24 percent of unpaid caregivers, and one study shows that 14 percent of them have left the paid workforce completely, unable to balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Read more
My Mother’s Caregiver: Treading Water Writer and photographer Mark A. Lee joins us yet again for a guest blog, highlighting challenges caregiving for his mother during the COVID-19 pandemic and excerpting his upcoming book on his past experiences caregiving for his father, "Raising Dad" Read more
Five Social and Emotional Benefits of an Early Dementia Diagnosis Early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and dementia is a sticky subject. According to a recent study, nearly 90 percent of Americans said that if they were exhibiting confusion and memory loss, they would want to know if they had Alzheimer’s disease. Yet, over half of the people aged 45 and older with subjective cognitive decline indicated they had not talked with a healthcare provider about their questions and concerns. Read more
5 Tips to Prepare for a Conversation with Your Doctor About Dementia Suspecting that you are suffering from memory loss can feel terrifying. When there’s a chance the answer to your symptoms may be “dementia,” it may seem tempting to avoid even asking the question. However, a missed or delayed opportunity to diagnosis dementia can have long-term consequences. Though confronting the possibility of dementia can be hard, an early diagnosis can make preparing for the future easier both on you and your loved one. Read more
