dementia views you can use: February 2019

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Dementia safety tips

For more caregiving tips and other resources:

Visit http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/topics/caregiving
Call the ADEAR Center toll-free:
1-800-438-4380

SOURCE: The Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center, a service of the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Here are 20 ways to make your home a safer place for a loved one with dementia.

While some Alzheimer's behaviors can be managed medically, many, such as wandering and agitation, cannot. It is more effective to change the person's surroundings—for example, to remove dangerous items—than to try to change behaviors. Changing the home environment can give the person more freedom to move around independently and safely.

Minimize Danger

People with Alzheimer's disease may not see, smell, touch, hear, and/or taste things as they used to. You can do things around the house to make life safer and easier for the person. For example:

Check all rooms for adequate lighting. Use nightlights in bathrooms, bedrooms, and hallways.
Be careful about small pets. The person may not see the pet and trip over it.
Reset the water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns.
Label hot-water faucets red and cold-water faucets blue, or write the words "hot" and "cold" near them.
Install grab bars in the tub/shower and beside the toilet.
Put signs near the oven, toaster, and other things that get hot. The sign could say, "Stop!" or "Don't Touch—Very Hot!"

You can also try these tips:

Check foods in the refrigerator often. Throw out any that have gone bad.
Put away or lock up things like toothpaste, lotions, shampoos, rubbing alcohol, soap, or perfume. They may look and smell like food to a person with Alzheimer's.
If the person wears a hearing aid, check the batteries and settings often.

Basic Safety for Every Room

Add the following items to the person's home if they are not already in place:

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in or near the kitchen and in all bedrooms
Emergency phone numbers and the person's address near all phones
Safety knobs and an automatic shut-off switch on the stove
Childproof plugs for unused electrical outlets and childproof latches on cabinet doors

You can buy home safety products at stores carrying hardware, electronics, medical supplies, and children's items.

Lock up or remove these potentially dangerous items from the home:

Medicines
Alcohol
Cleaning and household products, such as paint thinner and matches
Poisonous plants—contact the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or www.poison.org to find out which houseplants are poisonous.
Guns and other weapons, scissors, knives, power tools, and machinery
Gasoline cans and other dangerous items in the garage

Moving Around the House

Try these tips to prevent falls and injuries:

Simplify the home. Too much furniture can make it hard to move around freely.
Get rid of clutter, such as piles of newspapers and magazines.
Have a sturdy handrail on stairways.
Put carpet on stairs, or mark the edges of steps with brightly colored tape so the person can see them more easily.
Put a gate across the stairs if the person has balance problems.
Remove small throw rugs. Use rugs with nonskid backing instead.
Make sure cords to electrical outlets are out of the way or tacked to baseboards.
Clean up spills right away.

Make sure the person with Alzheimer's has good floor traction for walking. To make floors less slippery, leave floors unpolished or install nonskid strips. Shoes and slippers with good traction also help the person move around safely.

You may want to re-evaluate the safety of the person's home as behavior and abilities change.

For more home safety tips, see the NIH / National Institute on Aging's checklist:

Home Safety Checklist for Alzheimer's Disease

For more caregiving tips and other resources:

Visit http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/topics/caregiving
Call the ADEAR Center toll-free:
1-800-438-4380

SOURCE: The Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center, a service of the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Saturday, February 23, 2019

Positive trends in Alzheimer's research

Gatesnotes (The blog of Bill Gates), What I Learned At Work This Year

Bill Gates donated $100,000,000 to Alzheimer's research. Here is an excerpt from his recent post, "What I Learned at Work This Year," on positive trends in Alzheimer’s research.

EXCERPT: I saw two positive trends in Alzheimer’s research in 2018.

One is that researchers focused on a new set of ideas about how to stop Alzheimer’s.
The first generation of theories, which dominated the field for years, emphasized two proteins called amyloid and tau. These proteins cause plaques and tangles in the brain, clogging up and killing brain cells. The idea was to stop the plaques and tangles from forming. I hope these approaches pay off, but we have not seen much evidence that they will.

In the past year, researchers have doubled down on a second generation of hypotheses. One theory is that a patient’s brain cells break down because their energy producers (called mitochondria) wear out. Another is that brain cells break down because part of the immune system gets overactivated and attacks them.

This is a great example of how improving our understanding of biology will reduce both medical costs and human suffering.

The other trend this year is that the Alzheimer’s community focused on getting more and better access to data. We’re working with researchers to make it easier for them to share information from their studies broadly so that we can better understand questions like how the disease progresses.

Over the past few years, the U.S. government has dramatically stepped up funding for Alzheimer’s research, from $400 million a year to over $2 billion a year. There is also a big push to create better diagnostics.

The only problem where I don’t yet see a clear path forward yet is how to develop more efficient ways to recruit patients for clinical trials. Without a simple and reliable diagnostic for Alzheimer’s, it’s hard to find eligible people early enough in the disease’s progression who can participate in trials. It can take years to enroll enough patients. If we could find a way to pre-screen participants, we could start new trials more quickly.

But there is so much momentum in other areas—scientific tools, better diagnostics, improved access to data—that as long as we can solve the recruitment problem, I am confident that we will make substantial progress in the next decade or two.

SOURCE - READ THE COMPLETE BLOG POST AT:

Gatesnotes (The blog of Bill Gates), What I Learned At Work This Year

Thursday, February 21, 2019

How to improve cognitive decline and stop brain shrinkage

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

ADNI (The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative) is one of the world's largest Alzheimer's research projects. ADNI researchers examined how fish oil supplements relates to improvements in cognitive decline and brain atrophy. What they found is worth knowing.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Rhode Island Hospital researchers have completed a study that found regular use of fish oil supplements (FOS) was associated with a significant reduction in cognitive decline and brain atrophy in older adults. The study examined the relationship between FOS use during the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and indicators of cognitive decline. The findings are published in the journal, Alzheimer's & Dementia.

"At least one person is diagnosed every minute with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and despite best efforts, we have not yet found a cure for this pervasive and debilitating disease," said principal investigator Lori Daiello, PharmD, of the Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center at Rhode Island Hospital. "The field is currently engaged in numerous studies to find better treatments for people suffering with AD; however, researching ways to prevent AD or slow cognitive decline in normal aging is of utmost importance."

Cognitive Decline & Fish Oil

In this retrospective study, older adults involved in the ADNI study were assessed with neuropsychological tests and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every six months. The group included 229 older adults who were cognitively normal; 397 who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment; and 193 with AD.

The study found that fish oil supplement use during the study was associated with significantly lower rates of cognitive decline as measured by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog), and the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE), but this benefit was observed only for the group of participants without dementia at the time of enrollment.

Less Brain Shrinkage

"Additionally, serial brain imaging conducted during this study showed that the participants with normal cognition who reported taking fish oil supplements demonstrated less brain shrinkage in key neurological areas, compared to those who did not use the supplements," Daiello said. "Also, the positive findings on cognitive testing and brain MRI were only observed in persons who did not carry the best-studied genetic risk factor for AD, APOE-4. More research is needed, but these findings are promising and highlight the need for future studies to expand the current knowledge of the effects of FOS use on cognitive aging and AD."

This research was funded by from the Agency for HealthCare Research and Quality (AHRQ) (K08 HS017735); National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (R00AA020235, P01AA019072, and R01NS080655); National Cancer Institute (R03 CA153942, R01 CA155381); National Institute of Nursing Research (R01 NR011295); National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (R01HL109116, R01 CA159954, 5T32HL076134, R01 HL064342); National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (R01AT006948); National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01 DA021729, R34 DA031057); National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Disorders (R18 DK075371); National Institutes of Health (R01 HL089311, U01 CA1503878; R34 DA031057-02, P01 AA019072, R01 NS036524, R01 HL084178, R01 DA020725, R56 DK075119, and R01 MH074368); and support from Pfizer; Janssen; Baxter, Eli Lilly and Avid pharmaceutical companies. Daiello's principal affiliation is Rhode Island Hospital, and she also holds academic appointments in the department of neurology (research) at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Health Services, Policy & Practice in the Brown University School of Public Health. Other current and former Lifespan researchers involved in the study are Brian Ott, M.D (Rhode Island Hospital; Shira Dunsiger, Ph.D, of The Miriam Hospital, Assawin Gongvatana, Ph.D (University of California San Diego), and Ronald A. Cohen, Ph.D., (University of Florida).

About Rhode Island Hospital

Founded in 1863, Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, R.I., is a private, not-for-profit hospital and is the principal teaching hospital of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. A major trauma center for southeastern New England, the hospital is dedicated to being on the cutting edge of medicine and research. Last year, Rhode Island Hospital received more than $55 million in external research funding. It is also home to Hasbro Children's Hospital, the state's only facility dedicated to pediatric care. For more information on Rhode Island Hospital, visit http://www.rhodeislandhospital.org, follow us on Twitter @RIHospital or like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/rhodeislandhospitalpage.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Unique way to stop dementia night time wandering

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Alzheimers and Dementia

Find out how late-night munchies solved the wandering and behavior challenges of a highly dedicated nurse.

On the Move

Like many nursing homes, the Parker Jewish Institute in New Hyde Park, N.Y., was having problems with some of its dementia patients wandering at night. The staff worried about falls, but they didn't want to hand out more psychotropic medicines to make the patients sleepy. The medications often had harsh side-effects and actually increased the risk of falling.

At the same time, of the 42 residents, 8 to 10 were constantly moving.

But one night, a certified nursing assistant accidentally stumbled on a solution.

"Off We Go..."

Her boss, Aura Gordon, an RN manager, told the story this week at the Aging in America conference in Chicago. A patient, "a lovely man," got out of bed around 2 a.m., as was his custom, picked up his newspaper and headed down the hall. He was preparing to "go to the market," which had been his pattern when he was working. The nurse saw him and figured if he thought he was going to work, he should eat a little something. She gave him a slice of cake and a cup of coffee. He ate the cake, drank the coffee, and then went back to bed.

Thus began the midnight snack program at 8 South, a unit at Parker. Within weeks, Gordon has persuaded the home to provide snacks for the nighttime wanderers: cake, sandwiches, cookies, pudding, Jell-O, juices, coffee. They added bananas when they discovered that one very agitated woman -- who didn't want to eat the nursing home food because she thought it was poisoned -- immediately calmed down when she had a banana. They don't know why, but now they always have bananas on hand. And they make sure some of the snacks are sugar-free, for their diabetic patients.

Munchies Mean Fewer Sores, Falls and Injuries

Gordon says patients with dementia often don't know what time it is, which causes some to get up at all hours, ready to go. They get confused, and sometimes even violent, when they are urged back into their rooms and to bed. She reported that, since the snack program began, they saw falls and related injuries decrease by 50 percent. And, they also saw a decrease in pressure sores (also known as bed sores, or nosocomial ulcers). Now, she says, there are no sores in all of 8 South.

It's not rigorous scientific research, but 8 South is much calmer now, 24 hours a day.

Sunday, February 17, 2019

Dementia dangers of some drugs

Group Health Research Institute

See how Benadryl and dozens of anticholinergic drugs show a strong link to Alzheimer's and dementia risk. Learn about alternatives. Take advantage of "The Anticholinergic Pocket Reference Card" for the elderly and people with dementia.

A large study links a significantly increased risk for developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, to taking commonly used medications with anticholinergic effects at higher doses or for a longer time. Many older people take these medications, which include nonprescription diphenhydramine (Benadryl).

JAMA Internal Medicine published the report, called "Cumulative Use of Strong Anticholinergic Medications and Incident Dementia."

If You Have Dementia, Take Additional Care with Common Anticholinergic Drugs

Acetylcholine activates the brain cells we use for memory and thinking. Alzheimer's drugs boost acetylcholine. Common anti-cholinergic drugs lower acetylecholine, which could mean trouble for people with dementia. Learn which drugs to avoid and what to look out for.

The study used more rigorous methods, longer follow-up (more than seven years), and better assessment of medication use via pharmacy records (including substantial nonprescription use) to confirm this previously reported link.

First Study

It is the first study to show a dose response: linking more risk for developing dementia to higher use of anticholinergic medications. And it is also the first to suggest that dementia risk linked to anticholinergic medications may persist -- and may not be reversible even years after people stop taking these drugs.

"Older adults should be aware that many medications -- including some available without a prescription, such as over-the-counter sleep aids -- have strong anticholinergic effects," said Shelly Gray, PharmD, MS, the first author of the report, which tracks nearly 3,500 Group Health seniors participating in the long-running Adult Changes in Thought (ACT), a joint Group Health-University of Washington (UW) study funded by the National Institute on Aging. "And they should tell their health care providers about all their over-the-counter use," she added.

"But of course, no one should stop taking any therapy without consulting their health care provider," said Dr. Gray, who is a professor, the vice chair of curriculum and instruction, and director of the geriatric pharmacy program at the UW School of Pharmacy. "Health care providers should regularly review their older patients' drug regimens -- including over-the-counter medications -- to look for chances to use fewer anticholinergic medications at lower doses."
For instance, the most commonly used medications in the study were

Tricyclic antidepressants like doxepin (Sinequan)
First-generation antihistamines like chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)
Antimuscarinics for bladder control like oxybutynin (Ditropan)

The study estimated that people taking at least 10 mg/day of doxepin, 4 mg/day of chlorpheniramine, or 5 mg/day of oxybutynin for more than three years would be at greater risk for developing dementia. Dr. Gray said substitutes are available for the first two:

A selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) like citalopram (Celexa) or fluoxitene (Prozac) for depression
A second-generation antihistamine like loratadine (Claritin) for allergies

It's harder to find alternative medications for urinary incontinence, but some behavioral changes can reduce this problem.

"If providers need to prescribe a medication with anticholinergic effects because it is the best therapy for their patient," Dr. Gray said, "they should use the lowest effective dose, monitor the therapy regularly to ensure it's working, and stop the therapy if it's ineffective." Anticholinergic effects happen because some medications block the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine in the brain and body, she explained. That can cause many side effects, including drowsiness, constipation, retaining urine, and dry mouth and eyes.

"With detailed information on thousands of patients for many years, the ACT study is a living laboratory for exploring risk factors for conditions like dementia," said Dr. Gray's coauthor Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH. "This latest study is a prime example of that work and has important implications for people taking medications -- and for those prescribing medications for older patients." Dr. Larson is the ACT principal investigator, vice president for research at Group Health, and executive director of Group Health Research Institute (GHRI). He is also a clinical professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine and of health services at the UW School of Public Health.

Some ACT participants agree to have their brains autopsied after they die. That will make it possible to follow up this research by examining whether participants who took anticholinergic medications have more Alzheimer's-related pathology in their brains

Source:

Group Health Research Institute

Journal Reference:

Shelly L. Gray, Melissa L. Anderson, Sascha Dublin, Joseph T. Hanlon, Rebecca Hubbard, Rod Walker, Onchee Yu, Paul K. Crane, Eric B. Larson. Cumulative Use of Strong Anticholinergics and Incident Dementia. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015; DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.7663

Friday, February 15, 2019

President Trump Signs $100 Million Alzheimer's Act

President Trump's New Year signing of "The BOLD ALZHEIMER'S ACT" allocates $100 million to combat Alzheimer’s and preserve brain health. This adds to October's extra $425 million for Alzheimer's research.

Washington, D.C. -- On New Year's Eve, the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act was signed into law by President Trump. For the first time, this legislation will create a public health infrastructure across the country to combat Alzheimer’s disease and preserve brain health. It is in addition to his October $425 million Alzheimer's research boost.

Inspiring Support

The BOLD Act was an inspiring example of great people working together with bipartisan cooperation. It was authored by U.S. Senators :

Susan Collins (Republican - Maine)
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat - Nevada)
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican - West Virginia)
Tim Kaine (Democrat - Virginia).

It was cosponsored by a total of 58 Senators and passed the Senate unanimously. In Congress' House of Representatives, a companion bill was introduced by U.S. Representatives :

Paul Tonko (Democrat - NY)
Brett Guthrie (Republican - Kentucky)

In the House of Representatives, the BOLD ACT was cosponsored by 254 members and passed the House by a vote of 361-3. It was further supported by 181 organizations and individuals, including:

Alzheimer’s Association
CaringKind
Lewy Body Dementia Association
Pat Summit Foundation
Second Wind Dreams - Virtual Dementia Tour
The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society
The Jewish Federations of North America
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
VeteransAgainstAlzheimer's
WomenAgainstAlzheimer's

Under-Recognized Threat. A Brighter Day.

“Alzheimer’s disease is one of the greatest and most under-recognized public health threats of our time. Millions of Americans and thousands of Mainers are living with the disease, and that number is soaring as our overall population grows older and lives longer,” said Senator Collins, a founder and Senate co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. “After decades of increasing investments in biomedical research for Alzheimer’s, we are ready for the next step: to translate research into practice. The BOLD Act takes a multi-pronged public health approach that will create a modern infrastructure for the prevention, treatment, and care of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. I am proud of the overwhelming bipartisan support our legislation received in Congress and in communities across the nation. BOLD brings us to the brink of a brighter day for Alzheimer’s.”

Fierce Champion for Ending Alzheimer's

“The BOLD Act is the first step in addressing the ongoing public health crisis that is currently affecting more than five million Americans. I’m proud this bipartisan legislation has been signed into law by President Trump to improve early detection and diagnosis, support caregivers and educate the public on Alzheimer’s disease and brain health,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This important legislation will support Nevadans struggling with Alzheimer’s and their families. I will continue to be a fierce champion for ending Alzheimer’s before it claims more lives.”

Tackle Alzheimer's on All Fronts

“To prevent millions of more Americans and their families from being devastated by Alzheimer’s, we have to tackle this disease on all fronts. With the BOLD Act, we can empower our federal and state public health infrastructure to play an expanded role and better understand the true scope of this disease,” Senator Capito said. “This legislation — now law — is a great step for those living with Alzheimer’s, as well as all those who care for and love them.”

Much-Needed Relief

“I am thrilled that our bipartisan bill to strengthen our country’s response to Alzheimer’s was officially signed into law,” Senator Kaine said. “Too many families know what it’s like to have a loved one with Alzheimer’s, and I hope that our efforts will start to provide much-needed relief to those affected.”

The Problem

5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer's costs the United States more than $277 billion per year, including $186 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid.
Without further action, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s is expected to triple to as many as 14 million by 2050, costing the nation more than $1.1 trillion per year.

What "THE BOLD ACT" Does

This legislation applies a public health approach to:

Reduce risk
Detect early symptoms
Advance care
Improve data
Ultimately change the trajectory of this devastating disease.

Headed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it authorizes $20 million annually over the next five years to establish:

Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Public Health Centers of Excellence dedicated to promoting effective Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving interventions as well as educating the public on Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, and brain health. The centers will implement the CDC’s Healthy Aging Public Health Road Map, and will take key steps to support health and social services professionals as well as families and communities.
Cooperative Agreements with the CDC that will be awarded to State Health Departments to help them meet local needs in promoting brain health, reducing risk of cognitive decline, improving care for those with Alzheimer’s, and other key public health activities.
Data Grants to improve the analysis and timely reporting of data on
* Alzheimer’s
* Cognitive decline
* Caregiving
* Health disparities at the state and national levels.

Read the original BOLD ACT from Congress here.

SOURCES:

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Those with dementia-Best ways to talk with them

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Alzheimer's Association.

In Alzheimer's, talking to a loved one can be very frustrating. Here are 3 tips that can help.

For someone with Alzheimer’s disease, another dementia or memory loss, simply communicating with loved ones can be a challenge. For family members of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementia, these speech and communication issues can be very frustrating.

The best way to deal with these issues is to try to put ourselves in their shoes to see what we can do to improve communication with someone who has Alzheimer’s or a related dementia.

Make sure you have their attention

You can reduce the frustration and confusion by simply ensuring that you have their attention before communicating with them. Making eye contact with a person with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia is a critical first step to begin communication with them.

Don’t assume that just because you’re in front of someone with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia that they are paying attention to you. Alzheimer’s robs people of their peripheral vision, so if you are even standing just a little bit off to someone’s side, they might not see you.
Another challenge for people living with Alzheimer’s disease is difficulty concentrating, so to be sure that the person you are trying to communicate with is paying attention to you. An easy way to address them by name and wait for them to respond before continuing your communication.

Use simple sentences and slow down.

Once you’ve established a connection and have a person with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia’s attention, the worst thing you can do is try to communicate too much, too quickly.

For example: Instead of asking – “We’d like to take you out to dinner. Would you like to go for steak, seafood, pizza or a buffet?” – it would be much better to break those questions into separate parts. In that scenario, you just threw too much at a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia. There is the question of whether they want to go out to dinner; then you have offered three choices. This makes communication very difficult for someone with Alzheimer’s disease.

Since they are two separate decisions, first see if they are up for going out to dinner, and then determine where they go.

While it may seem loving, caring and considerate to offer flexibility and choices, a person with Alzheimer’s disease, another dementia or memory loss can easily feel overwhelmed by too many options. It’s usually better to just offer two choices or your communication will be hindered. If you don’t understand the speech and communication challenges facing a person with Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias or memory loss, it is easy to become frustrated as well.
Finally, don’t put anyone on the spot.

All too often, well-meaning relatives and friends unwittingly create anxiety for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s by asking things like “you remember John, don’t you?” or “what did you have for breakfast?”

To someone with dementia, this can feel like a pop quiz that they do not know the answers to. What if they don’t remember John or what they had for breakfast? You could be setting them up to feel embarrassed or ashamed.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia do not make people forget how to feel these emotions, so while these are well-meaning questions, it would be much better to simply phrase them a little differently. Saying “Hey mom, John from our old neighborhood is here to see you,” or “How was breakfast today?” is much less likely to create anxiety or confusion, which significantly increases the likelihood of a positive experience for the person with dementia.

Again, a person with Alzheimer’s disease, another dementia or memory loss will be frustrated if they are forced to keep dealing with all that they cannot remember and the difficulty they have with speech. The frustrations with speech and communication, unfortunately, are a common struggle for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and can be exacerbated by loved ones who don’t appreciate the speech and communication challenges that someone with dementia faces.

There is a lot to know about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, specifically about speech and communication.

You can get more information about communicating with people living with dementia by calling the Alzheimer's Association. They have a nationwide, 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 for help with speech and communication issues, whether the diagnosis is Alzheimer’s or another dementia.They are available day and night with information, emotional support, caregiving tools and referrals to healthcare, financial and legal resources with translation services available in more than 200 languages.