Safety for seniors means safety in the home, as well as outside of the home. Safety for someone with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, means keeping the environment and surroundings as predictable as possible. Falls can be prevented by foreseeing the possible hazards and conditions that could be a precursor to a trip to the hospital.
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Isabella’s father-in-law, who lives in Mission Hills, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s three years ago. When she comes to Kansas City to visit, she finds herself at a loss when visiting with him over holidays. She doesn’t want to say the wrong thing, or agitate him in any way. Instead, she finds herself avoiding him so as not to make things worse, but at the end of the day, she doesn’t feel great about that either.
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Because dementia progresses at varying rates, every day can be different. But having a daily routine can ease anxiety in the loved one with dementia, helping to keep things calm in the long term.
In Kansas City, Leawood, Johnson County and Lenexa, the experts at Thoughtful Care help create routines tailored to our loved one’s needs.
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Encouraging news for the future of Alzheimer’s research: doctors are ever closer to detecting the markers that indicate Alzheimer’s disease by using a simple blood test. Soon, blood tests could signal indicators of the disease years before symptoms arise, giving individuals who test positively for the disease time to take preventative measures and plan for the progression of the disease.
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Summer is here, fireflies are lighting up the night, barbecue grills are smoking, and kids are running barefoot in the yards of Overland Park and Kansas City. But it’s not all fun and games in the summer. Elderly people in particular are vulnerable to heat waves—this population having experienced a significant increase in cardiovascular deaths related to heat waves since 1999.
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Brain Exercises for Memory Care
For families with a loved one who has memory loss in Kansas City and Overland Park, staying sharp is a priority. Research shows that challenging the brain can slow memory loss and strengthen neurological connections. What do we at Thoughtful Care recommend for brain health?
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It was the end of a lovely day. Dorothy and her husband Herb had enjoyed a nice evening in Kansas City with their children and grandchildren. But as soon as they got to their home in Overland Park and walked into the dark kitchen, Dorothy clutched at Herb’s arm and asked how long they would be in this strange place. Herb had seen this happen before—especially in the evening when the shadows were long and the sun was setting. He brought Dorothy to her favorite chair and put on the radio, tuning into Dorothy’s favorite program. He walked through the house and turned on the lights, so that there were not so many dark shadows, and he sat next to her and assured her she was at home and everything was alright.
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Being in a relationship with a loved one who has received a diagnosis of dementia requires that the caregiver be on guard all of the time. What if he forgets to turn off the stove? Has she’s taken her medicine? Is he really safe driving to the store? What if he gets lost?
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The phone conversation with Jill’s brother was pretty typical of a family member trying to decide the next move for an elderly parent.
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A video game called Sea Hero Quest has shown that players who have certain spatial orientation deficiencies may be more likely to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
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