Reading list:

The Mind & The Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force, by Jeffrey M. Schwartz, M.D. and Sharon Begley

Train Your Mind Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves, by Sharon Begley

Keep Your Brain Alive, by Lawrence C. Katz, Ph.D. and Manning Rubin

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Care for Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease, Related Dementing Illnesses, and Memory Loss Later in Life, by Nancy L. Mace M.A. and Peter V. Rabins M.D., M.P.H.

Visiting Mom: An Unexpected Gift (A guide for visiting elders with Alzheimer’s) by Sherry M. Bell, Ph.D.

The Alzheimer’s Sourcebook for Caregivers by Frena Gray-Davidson

New Hope for People with Alzheimer’s and Their Caregivers by Porter Shimer

Mom, Are You There? Finding a path to peace through Alzheimer’s by Kathleen Negri

Web Resources:

A WiserMind:                                               www.aWiserMind.com

Alzheimer’s Association:                            www.alz.org

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America:       www.alzfdn.org

National Parkinson Foundation:               www.parkinson.org

Parkinson Disease Foundation:                 www.pdf.org

National Multiple Sclerosis Society:         www. nationalmssociety.org

National Stroke Association:                      www.stroke.org

Disclaimer, please read:

The body of knowledge of dementia and dementia-care changes on a daily basis.  Approach all sources with an openness and awareness that there are likely alternative views available and more current research that might change views or statements contained in any publication.

The preceding is a list of resources that you may wish to review on the subjects of cognition preservation, Neuroscience, and Alzheimer’s care.  These resources have been suggested by a variety of sources and, as such, A WiserMind does not endorse any of the views or statements contained therein.  This list is not intended as a substitute for qualified medical and expert advice.  If you feel you need medical advice, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Why croquet?  Well, physical activity, social engagement and good health information are essential to stay healthy as we age.

Croquet is a great game for any age.  It can be played by the young of body and the young at heart.  Players can sit or stand, and be at just about any health level.

If you’re caring for an aging adult–or if you’re concerned about your own healthy aging–come out and play, and enjoy the opportunity to meet and connect with senior health professionals.  There’s no better way to have fun and learn about healthy aging.

Where: Walgreens at Mississippi and Peoria — 12051 E Mississippi Blvd.  Aurora CO

When: June 15th, beginning at 4:00 till we’re finished having fun.

Click the following link to access the presentation handouts: Enhancing Dementia Care-April 2010-Handouts

Our Sense of Balance

Our sense of balance comes from our ears, eyes and brains.  In youth, our inner-ears provide the dominant sense of balance.   But for many of us, as we age, our vision plays an increasing role in our overall perception of balance.  The impact of vision on balance can be seen in the dizzying sensation of vertigo that some experience in high places.  Over time, however, many of us begin to rely more and more heavily on our eyes to give us confidence about our balance and we trust and use our inner-ears less.  So it is, that changes in our vision–or poor lighting–become contributing factors in falls.

As mentioned, our chief source of balance is our ears.  It originates in three semi-circular tubes inside the ear and two other small organs.  These three structures provide information to the brain stem and cerebellum, the parts of the brain at its base and connected to the spinal cord.  These parts of the brain are not part of your conscious awareness, so you can make small changes to your posture, to your limb position and even make changes to eye movement to help manage balance without being aware of it.

When our sense of balance is thrown-off we can feel dizzy, disoriented or nausea.  There are some diseases that permanently affect our balance, but temporary balance changes can be from something as simple as a new medication, an inner-ear infection, a bad head-cold, or dehydration.

Join us next week for Part 2 Fall Factors: Our Bodies

Go to the previous post in this series: Fall Cause and Survival–Introduction

At A WiserMind, we strive to help maximize quality of life.  That’s not just limited to the brain and emotional health therapies that we specialize in, but also in all aspects of quality of life.  Helping to reduce falls and their consequences can have a huge impact on improving quality of life and overall fitness.

In this multipart post, we’ll look at the internal and external causes of falls and we’ll provide simple suggestions to reduce your chances.  In later posts we’ll provide some suggestions to help improve your chances of surviving a fall should you have the misfortune of taking a spill.

To learn more, click here to go to, Part 1, Fall Factors: Balance.

D) A star is the shape in the middle of a Scrabble board.

B) A lion is not represented on the Chinese calendar.

D) Dom Perignon was a monk.

D) Phosphorous is represented on the periodic table with the letter P.

So, how’d you do?

• What causes 40% of the mental decline in seniors.  It’s not Alzheimer’s, and in most cases it’s reversible.
• Information on resources to determine if a senior is safe living at home.
• Links to the latest statistics report by the Alzheimer’s Association.
• Event details for the April 24th Invisible Symptoms of MS seminar host by the Rocky Mountain MS Center.
• Trivia questions to challenge your brain just a little.
• and more…

Click here to open a free PDF copy of the newsletter

Happy reading!

Some of highlighted items from the report are:

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm

Location: Garden Plaza of Aurora, 14221 East Evans Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80014

This is a free event open to the public.

Refreshments will be served.

Because these events fill up quickly, RSVPs are highly suggested.  Call 303.750.0820 to reserve your seat.

This event is part of the monthly educational series presented by A WiserMind and hosted at Garden Plaza of Aurora.

R

Know What to Look For

Some changes are barely noticeable, and not all changes are reason for concern.  Once-in-a-while we all forget details or put things off, but if a pattern of depression, neglect or confusion develops and persists, it may be serious, it might even possibly indicated dementia (a decline in cognitive functions due to disease or trauma).  So, for the benefit of your loved-one–and to improve their quality of life–sharpen your observational skills, and look for patterns of consistent neglect or deterioration within the following contexts:

Basic tasks – difficulty in walking, dressing, talking, eating, cooking, climbing steps, or managing medications.

Hygiene – infrequent bathing, unusually sloppy appearance, foul body and/or mouth odor.

Dressing – seasonally inappropriate dress, mismatched clothing (shoes, socks), multiple layers of clothes

Responsibilities – mail is unopened, papers are piled up, checkbook is unreadable, bills are unpaid, bank account overdraft notices are accumulating, prescriptions are unfilled, phone calls aren’t returned, cooking pots and pans look burned, refrigerator interior has foul odor, food supply is low, home interior and/or exterior is unkempt, laundry is piling up, automobile has new dents.

Health – weight loss, changes in appetite, problems swallowing, fatigue, burns, black and blue marks (possible signs of falling), hearing loss (look for signs of lip reading and talking loudly), seems withdrawn without reason, incontinence (bed-wetting), spilling and dropping things (check carpet for stains), complaints of muscle weakness, insomnia or excessive sleeping, dehydration.

Isolation – lack of interest in outside friendships, activities, or hobbies, keeps curtains drawn day and night (if this is atypical).

Attitude – sadness, display of verbal or physical abuse, talk of being depressed and feelings of despair, abuse of alcohol or drugs, paranoia, refusal to communicate, unusual argumentativeness, a recent emotional or medical crisis.

Cognitive functions – consistent forgetfulness about where things are, getting lost while walking or driving, confusion, loss of reasoning skills, difficulty answering questions, inability to find the right word, use of repetitive words or phrases, severe personality changes, wandering, inability to recall names of familiar people or objects, inability to complete a sentence, forgetting how to use simple, ordinary things such as a can opener, forgetting to close windows, turn off the stove, and lock doors, loss of sense of time.

Open Up a Dialogue

If some of these warning signs are present, and you may begin to question your loved-one’s ability to make choices and decisions, do not scare yourself and other family members into thinking that these are the early stages of dementia.  Overreacting and jumping to conclusions create communication friction and unfounded anxiety.  Many conditions can cause the outward symptoms described above, only a qualified medical exam can determine the underlying cause.  In many instances, the causes may be simple and easily treatable.

However, if a diagnosis of dementia is received, this should not be seen as an immediate death sentence.  Each day new discoveries are made to improve the treatment and care of individuals with dementia.  With most individuals, there are years of quality life ahead for the individual and their family.  The best action is to seek help and start all forms of recommended treatment as promptly as possible.  Evidence shows that delayed treatment only serves to increase the total cost of care and to increase other life altering affects.

Based upon your observations, if you have concluded that issues demand immediate attention, it’s time to take the next step and talk about it.  But beware, you are about to enter a sensitive a realm.  Without knowing the most effective ways to initiate these very sensitive conversations with your elderly family members, the probability of them telling you to mind your own business, or telling you everything is fine when it is not, is almost guaranteed.  You may wish to seek guidance from a Geriatric Doctor, Care manager, Social Worker, or mental health provider.

There are definite signs that indicate some kind of assistance may be necessary.  Failing eyesight, memory lapses, confusion, fatigue, sadness, drug and other substance-abuse and appetite changes can account for a diminished ability to manage a home.  As spouses and family caregivers, we might want to deny the need for help and hope for the best, but when observed objectively the need for action and increased care is usually undeniable.

On the following page is a simple observational checklist.  You may wish to use it to objectively assess your loved-one’s current condition and their ability to safely function independently.  When completed, you may wish to talk to your loved-one’s Doctor, caregiver, spouse and—with help, patients, persistence and love—with your loved-one.

Observational Checklist

Inadequate Meals and Nutrition

• Does there appear to be a loss of interest in preparing well-balanced, nutritious meals?
• Are there unusual amounts of spoiled food in their refrigerator?
• Have food dates expired on staple foods such as dairy and meat?
• Are there many packages and cans of the same thing?
• Are food products stored in unsafe or unusual places (lunch meat stored outside the refrigerator or cereal boxes kept in the refrigerator)?

Unopened Mail, Unusual Mail, or Piled Up Bills

• Is mail piled up unopened?
• Are there new or usual magazine subscriptions coming to the house?
• Do some of the bills come from unrecognizable sources?

Recurring Memory Lapses

• Are they missing doctor appointments or forgetting to make them?
• Are they making mistakes with their medication?  Too much?  Forgetting to take their pills? Confusing medications in original containers with those laid out on a daily basis?  Repeat prescriptions from more than one doctor or pharmacy?
• Are foods left to burn or overcook on the stove?
• Have pots been burned?

Lack of Interest or Feeling “Sort of Down”

• Have there been many peer losses recently?
• Has there been sadness or depression present for a long time (more than two weeks) without signs of improvement?
• Have they decreased or stopped social activities outside the home?

Driving

• Have you noticed a change in their driving capabilities?
• Do they get angry when you bring up a discussion about driving?
• Have you noticed changes in their agility, reflexes and eyesight?
• Have there been recent accidents?
• Has there been new reluctance to drive to new areas or areas less frequently visited?

A Marked Change in Behavior Patterns

• Is the home as neat and spotless as it used to be?
• Have they stopped attending church services or keeping beauty or barbershop appointments?
• Are they more irritable or otherwise moody, teary, sad?
• Are there unusual levels of paranoia or unexpected accusations towards friends and loved-ones?
• Have abnormal levels of obsession with items become apparent?
  • Repeatedly organizing purses or wallet
  • Checking calendars multiple times a day
  • Fixation on missing appointments
  • Repeatedly counting money in wallet or purse

Other Observations

• Do they repeatedly bring up the same issues of concern for discussion that might be indicative of areas they need help with but are reluctant to ask for outright?
• Have neighbors or other relatives spoken to you of their observations?
• Have there been sudden or new signs of dizziness or loss of balance?
• Are they refusing to use a new prescription (cane, walker, medication)?
• When was the last time of a complete physical?  Have you talked to the doctor?

Many life-alterations may require attention and support.   An active care plan can lessen the impact and improve quality of life.  Things may seem normal on the outside, but under the surface nothing is as it should be.  The only way to truly know is to be open and honest with yourself and the clues you are seeing.  If you have concerns about your loved-one, seek help.  Talk to advisors.  Ask for assistance.  It might be scary or over-whelming, but delaying action out of fear will only delay the inevitable, and may make matters much worse.  You are not alone, there are professional and volunteer support groups to help you with information and services.

* * *

This document is not intended to diagnose any disease or condition.  Its purpose is to make the reader aware of areas of observation that may indicate a need to have further discussions with your loved-one or their medical professional.

If you are concerned about changes in memory or mental capacity, you may wish to ask your loved-one’s Doctor about Brain Activation Therapy, or ask them to visit aWiserMind.com to learn more.  Our services are based on over 100 peer-reviewed studies. They have shown success at improving quality of life, increasing confidence and slowing the long-term mental decline associated with dementia. Our services are covered by Medicare Part B for those individuals with appropriate coverage and diagnosis.