dementia views you can use: National Institutes of Health

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Monday, December 17, 2018

Best sleep tips

SOURCe
National Institute of Aging, U.S. National Institutes of Health

Poor sleep aggravates dementia and increases Alzheimer's risk. Sleeping well restores and refreshes the brain. Learn to get a good night's sleep to prevent and treat dementia. Check out these tips.

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep to Prevent and Treat Alzheimer's

There are many things you can do to help you get a good night’s sleep. Here are some ideas.

Sleep Essentials

Follow a regular schedule. Go to sleep and get up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Napping in the late afternoon or evening may keep you awake at night.
Develop a bedtime routine. About 30-45 minutes before bedtime each night, do the same things so your body will know that it’s time to sleep. Some people watch television, read a book, listen to soothing music, or soak in a warm bath.
Your bedroom should be dark, not too hot or too cold, and as quiet as possible.
Be sure you have a comfortable mattress, a pillow you like, and enough blankets for the season.
Exercise at regular times each day but not within 3 hours of your bedtime.
Make an effort to get outside in the sunlight each day.
Be careful about when and how much you eat. Large meals close to bedtime may keep you awake, but a light snack in the evening can help you get a good night’s sleep.
Stay away from caffeine late in the day. Caffeine (found in coffee, tea, cola, and hot chocolate) is a stimulant that can keep you awake.
Drink less liquid in the evening. Waking up to go to the bathroom and turning on a bright light breaks up your sleep.
Remember that alcohol won’t help you sleep. Even small amounts make it harder to stay asleep.
Use your bedroom only for sleeping. After turning off the light give yourself about 15 minutes to fall asleep. If you’re still awake and not drowsy, get out of bed. When you feel sleepy, go back to bed.

Safe Sleeping

Try to set up a safe and restful place to sleep. Make sure there are smoke alarms on each floor and lock up the house before going to bed. Other ideas for a safe night’s sleep are:

Keep a telephone with emergency phone numbers by your bed.
Have a good lamp that turns on easily within reach.
Put a glass of water next to the bed.
Use nightlights in the bathroom and hall.
Don’t smoke, especially in bed.
Remove area rugs so you won’t trip if you get out of bed in the middle of the night.
Don’t fall asleep with a heating pad on; it may burn.

Sleep & Dementia — A Special Problem

Alzheimer’s and other dementias often change a person’s sleeping habits. For example, some people with Alzheimer’s disease sleep too much; others don’t sleep enough. Some people wake up many times during the night; others wander or yell at night. The person with Alzheimer’s disease isn’t the only one who loses sleep. Caregivers may have sleepless nights, leaving them tired and out of sorts.

If you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, there are steps you can take to protect his or her nighttime safety. Try the following:

Put a gate across the stairs.
Make sure the floor is clear of objects.
Lock up any medicines.
Put grab bars in the bathroom.
Put a portable toilet in the bedroom.

Sweet Dreams

There are some tricks to help you fall asleep. You don’t really have to count sheep—just try counting slowly to 100. Some people find that playing mental games makes them sleepy—tell yourself it’s 5 minutes before you have to get up and you’re just trying to get a few extra winks. Other people find that relaxing their body puts them to sleep. You might start with your toes, and tell yourself that your toes are relaxed and sleepy. Work your way up the rest of the body saying the same words. You may drift off to sleep before getting to the top of your head.

If you feel tired and unable to do the things you usually do for more than 2-3 weeks, see a doctor. Sleep problems can cause you to feel bad, but there are changes you can make to get a better night’s sleep.

Saturday, October 6, 2018

Outings and Alzheimer's

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

National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health

ACTIVITIES: People with mild Alzheimer’s often enjoy the same places they enjoyed in the past - a favorite restaurant, park, shopping mall, swimming pool, museum, or theater. It is good to keep going and it is smart to plan ahead. Learn how.

Plan Ahead for Outings

Here are some tips to make outings fun:

Plan outings for the time of day when the person with Alzheimer’s is at his or her best.
Keep outings from becoming too long. Take note of how tired the person gets after a certain amount of time. Bring the person home before he or she becomes overtired.

Use a business-size card to tell others about the person’s disease. Sharing this information with store clerks or restaurant staff can make outings more comfortable for everyone. My family member has Alzheimer’s disease. He might say or do things that are unexpected. Thank you for your understanding.

Eating Out

Going out to eat can be a welcome change, but it can also be challenging. Planning can help. Before choosing a restaurant, think about its layout, menu, noise level, waiting times, and the helpfulness of the staff. Ask yourself:

Does the person with Alzheimer’s disease know the restaurant well?
Is it quiet or noisy most of the time?
Are tables easy to get to? Do you need to wait before being seated?
Is the service quick enough to keep the person from getting restless?
Does the restroom meet the person’s needs?
Are foods the person with Alzheimer’s likes on the menu?
Is the staff understanding and helpful?

Before going to the restaurant, decide if it is a good day to go. If it is, think about the best time to go. Earlier in the day may be best, so the person with Alzheimer’s is not too tired. Also, the restaurant may be less crowded, and service may be quicker. If you decide to go later, try to get the person to take a nap first.

Before you leave home, gather what you need. Helpful items may include utensils, a towel, wipes, or bathroom items.

At the Restaurant

Tell the waiter or waitress about any special needs, such as extra spoons, bowls, or napkins.
Ask for a table near the restroom and in a quiet area. Seat the person with his or her back to busy areas.
Help the person choose a meal, if needed. Suggest food you know the person likes. Read parts of the menu or show the person pictures of the food. Limit the number of choices.
Ask the server to fill glasses half full or leave the drinks for you to serve.
Order finger food or snacks to hold the attention of the person with Alzheimer’s.
Go with the person to the restroom. Go into the stall if the person needs help. For more caregiving tips and other resources:

The Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center is a service of the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health. The Center offers information and publications for families, caregivers, and professionals about Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive changes.

SOURCE:

National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Make cognitive ability better

National Institutes of Health, by Tianna Hicklin, Ph.D

NEW RESEARCH:

Improving brain vessel-drainage in the lab enhanced cognitive abilities. Disrupting it increased buildup of Alzheimer’s proteins. Learn why researchers see this as a potentially good way to combat the cognitive decline seen in aging and Alzheimer's.

At a Glance

Researchers found that the waste clearing vessels in the brain don’t work as well as mice age, leading to waste buildup.
Improving vessel drainage in older mice enhanced their cognitive abilities, while disrupting these vessels increased buildup of Alzheimer’s disease-related proteins.
These results suggests a possible way to combat the cognitive decline seen in aging and age-related diseases.

The body clears waste and fluid from tissues through a system called the lymphatic system. Lymph is the colorless fluid in specialized vessels that carries immune cells and waste like toxic compounds and cellular debris. Waste is filtered out of lymph as it passes through lymph nodes. The lymph then goes back into the bloodstream.

It was long thought that the brain didn't have a lymphatic system and instead relied solely on waste slowly diffusing from brain tissue into the cerebral spinal fluid. This system, managed by brain support cells called glial cells, is called the glymphatic system.

Recently, researchers found conventional lymphatic vessels in the meninges, the tissue that covers the brain. These vessels surround blood vessels in the meninges, allowing waste products from the cerebral spinal fluid to drain out.

Previous studies have shown that aging can lead to protein buildup in the brain. Buildup of a protein called amyloid-beta is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. A team lead by Drs. Sandro Da Mesquita and Jonathan Kipnis at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville set out to investigate the role of the brain’s lymphatic system in the buildup of proteins in the brain. Their research was supported by NIH’s National Institute of Aging (NIA). Results were published in Nature on August 9, 2018.

Disrupting Garbage Disposal Impairs Learning & Memory

Obstructing lymphatic vessels (green) in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease significantly increased buildup of harmful amyloid-beta (red) in the brain. Left panels, control mouse; right, after disruption of lymphatic vessels. Top panels, meninges; bottom, hippocampus region.Kipnis lab

The team studied disrupted lymph vessels in the meninges of young mice using three different methods. Each led to decreased drainage of large molecules from the cerebral spinal fluid into lymph nodes. Mice with impaired lymphatic vessels also had reduced movement of large molecules from the cerebral spinal fluid into certain areas of the brain involved in learning and memory. Notably, mice whose meningeal lymph vessels were disrupted showed reduced spatial learning and memory abilities compared with healthy mice.

The researchers then compared the brain waste systems of older mice with younger mice. They found that the lymphatic vessels were narrower in the older mice and that molecules did not drain out of the cerebral spinal fluid into the lymph nodes as well.

Giving Lymphatic Vessels a Boost

The researchers boosted lymphatic function in both the younger and older mice with methods that increased the diameter of the lymphatic vessels and increased cerebral spinal fluid drainage. However, only the older mice showed improved cognitive function.

Impairing brain lymphatic vessels in two different young mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease led to higher levels of amyloid-beta deposits in the meninges. This suggested that impaired lymphatic vessels might be a previously unappreciated factor in development of Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the researchers performed a postmortem analysis on the brains of nine people who’d had Alzheimer’s disease and eight without the disease. They found amyloid-beta deposits in the meninges of the Alzheimer’s patients, similar to what was seen in the mice with impaired lymphatic vessels.

Maintain High Brain Functionality

“It may be very difficult to reverse Alzheimer’s, but maybe we would be able to maintain a very high functionality of this lymphatic vasculature to delay its onset to a very old age,” Kipnis says.

More research is needed to determine whether altering lymphatic vessels in people would have any benefit.

SOURCE:

National Institutes of Health, by Tianna Hicklin, Ph.D

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Dementia and hyperthermia risk

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

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

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

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

National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Overheating and dementia are a tricky combination. In dementia, be careful with the danger of hyperthermia (a kind of overheating) almost any summer day. Learn how to avoid the heat and get quick relief.

Now that Li Ming is retired, she likes to work in her garden—even in hot weather. Then last summer, an unusual heat wave hit her area. The temperature was over 100°F, and the humidity was at least 90%. By the third day, her daughter Kim came over because Li Ming sounded confused on the phone. Kim found her mom passed out on the kitchen floor. Li Ming's large fan wasn't enough to fight the effect of heat and humidity. She had heat stroke, the most serious form of hyperthermia.

How to Respond

Almost every summer, there is a deadly heat wave in some part of the country. Too much heat is not safe for anyone. It is even riskier for older people and especially for those with a dementia such as Alzheimer's. It is important to get relief from the heat quickly. If not, one may begin feeling confused or faint. The heart could become stressed and maybe stop beating.

If you suspect someone is suffering from a heat-related illness:

Get the person out of the heat and into a shady, air-conditioned or other cool place. Urge the person to lie down.
If you suspect heat stroke, call 911.
Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists, neck, armpits and/or groin. These are places where blood passes close to the surface of the skin, and the cold cloths can help cool the blood.
Help the individual to bathe or sponge off with cool water.
If the person can swallow safely, offer fluids such as water or fruit and vegetable juices, but avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Warning Signs

Fainting
Change in behavior—confusion, being grouchy, acting strangely, or staggering
Dry flushed skin and a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse
Body temperature over 104°F
Not sweating even if it is hot, acting agitated

How Can I Lower My Risk?

Things you can do to lower your risk of heat-related illness:

Drink plenty of liquids—water, fruit, or vegetable juices. Aim for eight glasses every day. Heat tends to make you lose fluids, so it is very important to remember to keep drinking liquids when it's hot. Try to stay away from drinks containing alcohol or caffeine. If your doctor has told you to limit your liquids, ask what you should do when it is very hot.
If you live in a home or apartment without fans or air conditioning, try to keep your house as cool as possible.
Limit your use of the oven. Cover windows with shades, blinds, or curtains during the hottest part of the day. Open your windows at night.
If your house is hot, try to spend at least 2 hours during mid-day some place that has air conditioning—for example, go to the shopping mall, movies, library, senior center, or a friend's house.
If you need help getting to a cool place, ask a friend or relative. Some Area Agencies on Aging, religious groups, or senior centers provide this service. If necessary, take a taxi or call for senior transportation. Don't stand outside in the heat waiting for a bus.
If you have an air conditioner but can't afford the electric bills, there may be some local resources that can help. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is one possible resource.

Dress for the weather. Some people find natural fabrics such as cotton to be cooler than synthetic fibers. Light-colored clothes feel cooler. Don't try to exercise or do a lot of activities when it's hot.
Avoid crowded places when it's hot outside. Plan trips during non-rush hour times.

Listen To Weather Reports

If the temperature or humidity is going up or an air pollution alert is in effect, you are at an increased risk for a heat-related illness. Play it safe by checking the weather report before going outside.

What Should I Remember?

Headache, confusion, dizziness, or nausea could be a sign of a heat-related illness. Go to the doctor or an emergency room to find out if you need treatment.

Older people can have a tough time dealing with heat and humidity. The temperature inside or outside does not have to reach 100°F to put them at risk for a heat-related illness.

To keep heat-related illnesses from becoming a dangerous heat stroke, remember to:

Get out of the sun and into a cool place—air-conditioning is best.
Drink fluids, but avoid alcohol and caffeine. Water, fruit, or vegetable juices are good choices.
Shower, bathe, or at least sponge off with cool water.
Lie down and rest in a cool place.
Visit your doctor or an emergency room if you don't cool down quickly.

A Senior Watch

During hot weather, think about making daily visits to older relatives and neighbors. Remind them to drink lots of water or juice. If there is a heat wave, offer to help them go some place cool, such as air-conditioned malls, libraries, or senior centers.

Additional Resources:

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) within the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services helps eligible households pay for home cooling and heating costs. People interested in applying for assistance should contact their local or state LIHEAP agency or go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap.

For a free copy of the NIA’s AgePage on hyperthermia in English or in Spanish, contact the NIA Information Center at 1-800-222-2225 or go to:

SOURCE:
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Aphasia in Alzheimer's

Aphasia affects a person's ability to communicate. It affects language functions, such as speaking, understanding what others say, and naming common objects. Learn its causes, types and a few tips.

What is Aphasia

Aphasia (ah-FA-ze-ah) is a language disorder that affects the ability to communicate. "Aphasia" is a general term used to refer to deficits in language functions, such as speaking, understanding what others are saying, and naming common objects. It is caused by damage to the portions of the brain that are responsible for language. Aphasia is not a disease, but a symptom of brain damage. The type and severity of language dysfunction in Alzheimer's is somewhat random, as it depends on the precise location and extent of the damaged brain tissue.

Alzheimer's & Aphasia

Alzheimer's symptoms fall into two categories:

Cognitive (Intellectual) Symptoms
Psychiatric Symptoms

The cognitive symptoms include "The 4 Cognitive 'A's of Alzheimer's". These are:

Aphasia
Apraxia
Agnosia
Amnesia

4 Types of Aphasia

Generally, aphasia can be divided into four broad categories:

Expressive aphasia involves difficulty in conveying thoughts through speech or writing. The patient knows what he wants to say, but cannot find the words he needs.Expressive aphasia may be non-fluent, in which case a person has trouble:
- Finding the right words
- Saying more than one word or phrase at a time
- Speaking overall
Another kind of expressive aphasia is fluent aphasia. People who have fluent aphasia may be able to put many words together. But what they say may not make sense. They are often unaware that they are not making sense.
Receptive aphasia involves difficulty understanding spoken or written language. The patient hears the voice or sees the print but cannot make sense of the words.
Anomic or amnesia aphasia is the least severe form of aphasia. In this type of aphasia, people have difficulty in using the correct names for particular objects, people, places, or events.
Global aphasia results from severe and extensive damage to the language areas of the brain. Patients lose almost all language function, both comprehension and expression. They cannot speak or understand speech, nor can they read or write.

Therapy

Language therapy can help and should be tailored to the individual needs of the patient. Rehabilitation with a speech pathologist involves extensive exercises in which patients read, write, follow directions, and repeat what they hear. Computer-aided therapy may supplement standard language therapy.

Care Tips

There are simple ways to keep distractions and noise down, such as:

Turn off background music, news or TV.
Move to a quieter room.

Always assume that the person with aphasia is listening and understanding. Talk in adult language, never make them feel like children. Do not pretend to understand them if you do not.

If they cannot understand you, do not shout. Unless the person also has a hearing problem, shouting will not help. Make eye contact when talking to the person.

When asking questions:

Ask yes/no questions.
Give clear choices for possible answers. Do not offer too many choices.
Visual cues help.

When giving instructions:

Break them down into small, simple steps.
Allow time for the person to understand. Sometimes this can be a lot longer than you expect.
If frustrated, consider switching activities.

Encourage a person with aphasia to communicate in other ways, such as:

Pictures
Pointing
Hand gestures

It may help everyone to have a book of pictures or words about common topics or people. This can make communication a lot easier.

Generally, it is a good idea to keep them involved in conversations. Check to make sure they understand, without pushing too hard or causing more frustration.

Do not correct when they remember a thing incorrectly.

When leaving anyone with speech problems by themselves, make sure they have ID with:

Contact info of family members or caregivers
An exlanation of their speech problem and basics on communicating.

Questions for your Doctor or Nurse

Take a few minutes to write your own questions for the next time you see your healthcare provider:

How long will I need therapy?
Will my aphasia go away?
How can I find a stroke or aphasia support group?

Care Tips

How can family, friends and caregivers help?

A person with aphasia and family members will need the help and support of a doctor, counselor and speech pathologist. It's a good idea for family and friends to:

Be open about the problem so people can understand.
Set up a daily routine for the person with aphasia that includes rest and time to practice skills.
Use sentences that are short and to the point.
Stand where the person with aphasia can see you.
Treat the patient as an adult, keeping him or her involved in all possible routines. No one likes to be ignored. Include the patient in your conversation.
Help the person with aphasia cope with feelings of frustration and depression.
Be patient with the person with aphasia. Give them the time they need to try to speak and get their point across to you. This respects their dignity.
Talk to your doctor, nurse or other healthcare professionals.

MORE INFORMATION:

10 Types of Dementia

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Bedroom design for those with dementia

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

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

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

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

National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health

Use this safety checklist for living at home with dementia. It can alert you to potential hazards.

Your home is a personal and precious environment. As you go through this checklist, make adaptations that modify and simplify without severely disrupting the home. You may want to consider setting aside a special area for yourself, a space off-limits to anyone else and arranged exactly as you like. Everyone needs private, quiet time.

A safe home can be a less stressful home for a person with a dementia such as Alzheimer's, the caregiver, and family members. You don't have to make these changes alone. You may want to enlist the help of a friend, professional, or community service such as the Alzheimer's Association.

Bedroom

Anticipate the reasons a person with Alzheimer's disease might get out of bed, such as hunger, thirst, going to the bathroom, restlessness, and pain. Try to meet these needs by offering food and fluids and scheduling ample toileting.
Use a night-light.
Use a monitoring device to alert you to any sounds indicating a fall or other need for help. (Also effective for bathrooms.)
Remove scatter rugs and throw rugs.
Remove portable space heaters.
If you use portable fans, be sure objects cannot be placed in the blades.
Be cautious when using electric mattress pads, electric blankets, electric sheets, and heating pads, all of which can cause burns and fires. Keep controls out of reach.
If the person with Alzheimer's disease is at risk of falling out of bed, place fall mats next to the bed, as long as they do not create a greater risk of accident.
Use transfer or mobility aids.
A soothing-vapor waterless vaporizer can reduce agitation and create a sense of calm.
Consider adding an adjustable bed-rail or a mini-bed-rail. If you are considering using a hospital-type bed with rails and wheels, read the Food and Drug Administration's up-to-date safety information online.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Keeping those with dementia cool this summer

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

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

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

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

SOURCE:
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

SUMMERTIME ALERT:

Summer and dementia are a tricky combination. In dementia, be careful with the danger of hyperthermia (a kind of overheating) almost any summer day. Learn how to avoid the heat and get quick relief.