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Memory care requires a safe and secure assisted living community that
provides specialized care, services, and activities for individuals that suffer
from Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia disorders. We can
assist you in placing your loved on in an environment where they are surrounded
by people who understand - people who are specially trained in how to care for
them.
We believe the best thing we can give the family of a loved one
suffering from Alzheimer's disease, or related memory disorders, is peace of
mind. We do that by helping you find specialized services and housing that are
tailored to the individual needs of residents with Alzheimer's disease or other
forms of dementia disorders.
We will help you find a safe environment that minimizes confusion
and agitation. An environment that is designed to help improve self-esteem,
nurture independence, and maximize quality of life.
Some features that we look for are:
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Purposefully designed environment, including safe interior
and exterior walking paths, way-finding cues and a home-like setting;
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Staff trained in handling the behaviors associated with
Alzheimer's disease and other memory impairments and they are available to
assist with unscheduled needs, night or day;
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All exterior doors alarmed and secured at all times;
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Neighborhoods designed for small groups of residents help to
regulate stimulation and create familiarity;
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Personal living spaces that include residents' own furniture and
mementos to encourage past connections and limit confusion.
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment and Care
Family Caregivers
Warning Signs
Progression
of Alzheimer's Disease
The occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not a normal
development in the aging process. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a
gradual loss of memory, decline in the ability to perform routine tasks,
disorientation, difficulty in learning, loss of language skills, impaired
judgment and ability to plan, and personality changes. Over time, these changes
become so severe that they interfere with an individual’s daily functioning,
resulting eventually in death. While the disease can last from 3 to 20 years
after the onset of symptoms, the average duration is 8 years.
Alzheimer’s disease affects as many as 4 million Americans. Most people
diagnosed with AD are older than 65. However, it is possible for the disease to
occur in people in their 40’s and 50’s. Recent research has shown links between
some genes and AD, but in about 90% of cases, there is no clear genetic link.
Symptoms
Alzheimer’s disease manifests itself slowly and subtly, with the first symptoms
often appearing to be mild forgetfulness. From time to time, we all forget where
we have put our keys, but people with early stage AD may notice that they tend
to forget things more often. They may have trouble remembering recent events,
names of familiar people or things. While these symptoms are bothersome, they
are usually not serious enough to cause alarm. As the disease advances, the
symptoms become serious enough to cause people with AD or their family members
to recognize that things are not right and that help is needed. As the disease
progresses further, people with AD eventually forget how to do simple tasks like
brushing their teeth, or combing their hair. They begin to have problems
speaking, understanding, reading or writing. Later on, people with AD may become
anxious or aggressive and may wander away from home. Eventually, patients may
need total care.
Diagnosis
Early and careful evaluation is important, because many conditions, including
some that are treatable or reversible, may cause dementia-like symptoms.
Examples of such treatable medical conditions are depression, nutritional
deficiencies, adverse drug interactions, and metabolic changes.
There is no single test to identify AD. A comprehensive exam should be conducted
by your physician including a complete health history and physical exam,
neurological and mental status assessments, as well as other lab tests (like
chest x-rays and blood tests). These will help rule out any other diseases which
may look like Alzheimer’s but are not. Physicians are now able to accurately
diagnose 80 - 90% of people who show symptoms of AD. A definitive diagnosis is
possible, however, only through the examination of brain tissue at autopsy.
Treatment & Care
While there is no known cure for AD, scientists have found a few medications
which may help control some of the symptoms. People with AD must work closely
with their doctor to determine which drugs and activities are best for them
because reaction to medications varies for each person. As researchers continue
to learn more about the disease, new possibilities arise.
Family Caregivers
Research has also created promising new approaches for working with persons who
have Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. Experience has taught families and
caregivers new behavioral approaches that encourage greater independence and
reduce disturbing behavior. Through the work of the 15 state grantees in the
Alzheimer’s Disease Demonstration Grant program now funded by the Administration
on Aging (AoA), new dementia-specific approaches to early identification,
treatment, and community-based care have been developed. These projects have
been especially successful in working with low-income, ethnic minority and rural
families.
Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease.
Warning Signs
The Alzheimer's Association has developed the following list of warning signs
that include common symptoms of AD. Individuals who exhibit several of these
symptoms should see a physician for a complete evaluation.
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Memory loss that affects job skills
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Difficulty performing familiar tasks
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Problems with language
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Disorientation to time and place
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Poor or decreased judgment
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Problems with abstract thinking
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Misplacing things
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Changes in mood or behavior
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Changes in personality
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Loss of initiative
Problems of memory, particularly recent or short-term memory, are common early
in the course of AD. For example, the individual may, on repeated occasions,
forget to turn off the iron or fail to recall which of the morning's medicines
were taken. Mild personality changes, such as less spontaneity, or a sense of
apathy and a tendency to withdraw from social interactions, may occur early in
the illness.
As the disease progresses, problems in abstract thinking or in intellectual
functioning develop. The person may begin to have trouble with figures when
working on bills, with understanding what is being read, or with organizing the
day's work. Further disturbances in behavior and appearance may also be seen at
this point, such as agitation, irritability, quarrelsomeness, and a diminishing
ability to dress appropriately.
Later in the course of the disorder, affected individuals may become confused or
disoriented about what month or year it is, be unable to describe accurately
where they live, or be capable of correctly naming a place being visited.
Eventually, patients may wander, be unable to engage in conversation, seem
inattentive and erratic in mood, appear uncooperative, and lose bladder and
bowel control. In extreme cases, persons may become totally incapable of caring
for themselves, if the final stage is reached. Death then follows, perhaps from
pneumonia or some other problem that occurs in severely deteriorated states of
health. The average course of the disease from the time it is recognized to
death is about 6 to 8 years, but it may range from under 2 to over 20 years.
Those who develop the disorder later in life may die from other illnesses (such
as heart disease), before AD reaches its final and most serious stages.
Progression of Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease advances at widely different rates. The duration of the
illness may often vary from 3 to 20 years. The areas of the brain that control
memory and thinking skills are affected first, but as the disease progresses,
cells die in other regions of the brain. Eventually, the person with Alzheimer’s
will need complete care. If the individual has no other serious illness, the
loss of brain function itself will cause death.
For additional information on Alzheimer's disease and dementia
see our resource page and visit these websites:
Alzheimer's Association
Alzheimer's Foundation
Contact Information
Telephone 520-795-1453 (Tucson)
480-626-1449 (Phoenix)
FAX 520-203-7587
Email: actnow@cox.net
Copyright © 2008 [Act Now RNs]. All rights reserved.
Revised:
07/22/10
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ACT
NOW RNs