What Type of Care Will Meet Your Needs?
Independent Senior Living Facilities and Services Senior Assisted Living Facilities Adult Foster Care Homes / Adult Care Homes Retirement Communities Dementia Home Care Services Dementia Care Facilities Alzheimer’s Care Palliative Care Memory Care Adult Day Care Services Adult Day Facilities Respite Care Services Hospice Care Our mission is to simplify your senior years journey by taking the guesswork out of finding the right home for your needs meeting various levels of senior care. We have excellent relationships with facilities offering levels of senior care. The Type of Care each placement is customized to yours or the needs of your loved one. Our continued dedication to client’s happiness and well-being brings us exceptional peer reviews within elderly care services communities. We work with you fitting your senior living needs and budget. Offering you A Graceful Transition to Senior Living for you or your loved one with supportive, compassionate service.
Assisted Living Facilities Near Me -Best Brain Health – Dementia
Senior Living Article Focus: You Best Brain Health before and after Dealing with Dementia Life Transitions Series is a group of Posted Articles which will help all of us to understand the Transitions which eventually happen to us all. We will ask and attempt to discuss What transitions do older adults face? Dealing with Dementia is simple. Dementia is a group of conditions characterized by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as judgment and memory loss. Some symptoms in a person with Dementia includes forgetfulness, limited social skills, and thinking abilities so impaired that it interferes with daily functioning. There is good news; Medications and therapies may help manage symptoms. Some causes of Dementia are reversible with care. Dealing with Dementia There are things that must be remembered when dealing with a person who has dementia. These will vary somewhat through the stages. Always remember that you are dealing with a person, an individual, who is losing their independence. This is frightening and frustrating to them; especially in the first stages. Make suggestions; do not give orders. Do not point out small failures like not turning off the stove, not flushing the toilet, not getting to the bathroom on time, just anything that should be done but is not. These are indications of their needing assistance and will give you an idea of the level of their dementia and the amount of decline. Simply go behind them and make the corrections that are needed. If they notice that you are doing this cover with everyone makes mistakes, no one is perfect and it is taken care of. As dementia progresses the person will remember less and less. They may not remember your name or what you have done for them but they will always remember how you made them feel. If you made them happy you will always be met with a smile. If you made them unhappy you will not be trusted and will be treated accordingly. Memories die but feelings remain. Remembering this will keep you on track. Typical Types of Memory Loss: 1. Amnesia we list three here: Retrograde amnesia: For reference watch Memento with Carrie-Anne Moss. Retrograde means from a time backward. People who have Retrograde amnesia may say; When did we get here?, How did we get here?, Who are you? This Retrograde amnesia is the inability to recall memories from before a specific event, such as a head injury or illness. So they may forget everyone from a section of time maybe they remember themselves as a teenager backward. Anterograde amnesia: Anterograde means from a time forward. People with this condition have trouble forming new memories after the specific event. They can maintain a conversation or even say they remember something that recently happened but they really don’t when quizzed on the specifics. Transient global amnesia: A temporary form of amnesia that lasts for a few hours to a few days. 2. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): Not severe enough to interfere with ADLs or Activities of Daily Living, yet a decline in memory and other cognitive functions is noticeable. 3. Dementia: Think of Dory from the movie Finding Nemo. A progressive decline in cognitive abilities, including memory, that significantly impairs daily functioning. Common types of dementia include Alzheimer’s disease which you may have heard of, vascular dementia relating to the vascular system, and frontotemporal dementia having to do with the front portion of a persons brain. 4. Post-Traumatic Amnesia: Think of the movie Overboard with Goldie Hawn. Or Regarding Henry with Harrison Ford. Memory loss that occurs after a head or a traumatic brain injury (TBI). 5. Psychogenic Amnesia: Trauma or stress can also cause memory loss since such events carry psychological factors. 6. Age-Related Memory Loss: A gradual decline in memory fortunately this is a normal part of aging. May we all forget we have wrinkles and forget our age. Other Causes of Memory Loss: Brain tumors, Stroke, Infections, Medication side effects, and Thyroid disorders. Remember, memory loss can be a symptom of various underlying conditions, those that are seemingly simple and complex. Should you ever experience memory problems no matter how small, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional. This article and those appearing on our website do not ever substitute for proper professional diagnosis and treatment of your personal doctor. Movies Dealing with Memory Loss Read more from LaVona: Losing a Loved One: Bereavement – Cope with Grief over the Loss of a Loved One Here are more resources to help you learn more about Dementia and this Life Transition: CDC looks at Dementia as a possible Life Transitions – What Is Dementia? Life Transitions Short Term Memory Loss Life Transitions: Immediate Memory Memory Loss (Short- and Long-Term)
Assisted Living Near Me – Best Brain Health – Memory Loss
Long Term Memory and Short Term Memory Transitions How do we make a graceful transition into elder care? The Assisted Living Near Me Collection of Articles is a group of AGT Articles which will help all of us to understand A Graceful Transition into aging. Eventually aging happens to us all. We will discuss best brain health: What kind of graceful transition options for living situations do older adults face? This may include Assisted Living Near Me, or Memory Care, Adult Care Home or Facilities. Whatever you plan for we help you every step along the way. Recognition Short term memory loss occurs along with Immediate Memory Loss and is apparent to those close to the person starting on that horrible voyage called dementia. No person goes on this journey alone and no one is left untouched. Short term memory loss occurs early in the progression of dementia. You may become aware of it by asking the person what happened in their day and they are unable to tell you. They may think it is time to eat just minutes after they have eaten. They do not remember a conversation that you have had with them just moments after it occurred. They become upset with you for withholding information that has recently been given to them. Short Term Memory Care Short term memory loss is very upsetting when you observe it. Imagine, if you would, how devastating it is to the person actually experiencing it and reminded of it at every turn. It makes them frustrated and angry at what they realize they are losing. This anger and frustration can be directed at you; the person they are closest to. What to Expect Short term memory loss makes a person unable to multitask. It makes them unable to do things that were second nature to them like make a bed and answer the phone when it rings during the process. It makes them unable to answer a question while performing a simple task. It accounts for the inability to turn off the stove when a mundane task is completed. It makes them believe that no one cares since they do not remember recent communications. In short, it makes them feel like they are losing control, which is in fact, what is happening to them. Before Assisted Living – How to Help How do we deal with short term memory and provide the graceful transition that is needed? Perhaps a calendar with any appointments that they need to be aware of and a reminder to look at that calendar until it becomes an intricate part of their daily functions. Try a journal that you keep for them recording calls or visitors that they have received. You can also record, in that journal, meals they have had and times they had them. A strict schedule of meal times seems to help and it gives them structure to their day. Do not mention any short comings, just check on them and make any adjustments that need to be made, like turning off the stove, closing the refrigerator, flushing the toilet, and seeing that they have taken their medications. Long Term Memory Care During this time their long-term memory may well be intact. You will find that they will tell you stories over and over again. Know that they do not remember that you have heard these stories numerous times. Also know that these memories are all that they have to talk about since they do not remember what happened this week, today, or 30 minutes prior to the telling. Listen, perhaps make notes of these conversations. Trust me, you will want to remember them later when the talking ends. Long term memory will end along with the frustration since they will no longer be aware of their losses. The time will come when they may need reminding to toilet, brush their teeth, bathe and they’ll be unable to fix their own meals or make decisions as to what those meals will be. The most difficult thing for those of us who live with dementia, that is not our own, is that we lose the person that we know and love long before we actually lose them. Understand that mourning their loss begins long before we mourn their death. Read more from LaVona Here are more resources to help you learn more about Short Term Memory Loss and this Life Transition: Mayo Clinic look at this Life Transitions – healthy lifestyle for aging an in depth look at memory loss Contact us about finding your ideal placement or Assisted Living Near Me
Assisted Living Facilities – Best Brain Health – Memory Care
Immediate Short Term Memory Transitions Assisted Living Transitions Series is a group of AGT Articles which will help all of us to understand the Transitions which eventually happen to us all. We explore types of care facilities for people with memory issues. This may be Dementia or Alzheimer’s. Long-term care for people with Alzheimer’s disease or other kinds of dementia can take many forms, including: Assisted living facilities. An Assisted Living Community is the type of facility that provides a balance between independent living with a range to full assistance. We all need to know what happens and where the best placements for our elders are as we all age. For some the best is nursing homes near me, for others Community Senior Living, for others we will need Assisted Living near me or Long Term Care. Here we discuss what transitions older adults face. Immediate Memory #1 Immediate Memory is a new term for me and I have dealt with different levels of dementia for years. Are you living with a person or caring for a person and you are aware of the fact that they are suffering from dementia? Are you unable to obtain support because they perform well for short periods of time? Knowledge is power! Immediate Memory is what occurs early in dementia progression. It is what those closest to a person, who spend extended periods of time with that person, recognize as dementia. They are able to carry on a conversation that makes them appear cognizant but often quickly forget that the conversation happened. A phone call or a short visit is not enough to convince anyone that they are beginning to lose their memory. A visit to the doctor does not accomplish getting a diagnosis of dementia because they are at their best during these visits. They become angry and agitated if you point out that a conversation actually happened that they don’t remember. They get defensive if you point out that they did not take their medications. They accuse you of not sharing information with them. You feel stuck and alone because of the lack of support you are getting and the additional care that you are unable to provide for your loved one. Immediate Memory #2 The ”being able to carry on a conversation” is immediate memory. Short term memory loss is when they do not remember the conversation 20 minutes later. They do not remember the conversation and will let you know that they have not heard from that person for a long period of time. The solution: Document conversations that are forgotten so that you have factual information to share with the physician and with those who are in denial. Avoid arguments with the person you are caring for. If family members refuse to believe; arrange for them to spend several days with the person so that they can see first hand and become aware and supportive. Short phone calls and short visits will not work. Share your responsibility by arranging for “enlightening” visits. You will feel better. You will gain support. Your loved one will be safe. Immediate Short Term Memory Transitions are Common life transitions. Life Transitions, for example; retirement, becoming empty-nesters, moving and, or downsizing, personal loss, health issues, as we grow older social interaction can decrease, and social status and financial upticks could also change due to rising costs. As we age, we may experience a decline in health. The death of a spouse affects men and women differently the death of a close family member or friend. We all encounter some impactful life transitions. Immediate Memory. What is an example of immediate memory? The drive from work everyday may have many details all in Immediate Memory. We put the information there until we determine its value. Then, if we need the face of the man in the crosswalk or the license plate number of the woman in front of us we have that information. Immediate Memory is temporary brain storage until we make a decision on how to use or dispose of it. Subconsciously or consciously our brain holds details for roughly 30 seconds. Read more from LaVona: Losing a Loved One: Bereavement – Cope with Grief over the Loss of a Loved One Learn about Short Term Memory Loss and this Life Transition: Mayo Clinic look at this Life Transitions – healthy lifestyle for aging an in depth look at memory loss Nelson Cowan – Progress in Brain Research – What are the differences between long-term, short-term, and working memory?
Assisted Living – Best Brain Health – Alcohol
What happens when you drink heavily? Count on Assisted Living for the future. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a serious issue for our parents who heavily imbibe now or were heavy drinkers earlier in their life. Basically Wernicke can level out but it does not completely go away. Korsakoff is the second part of a two part syndrome and it changes the gait of their walk and weakens them to the point that they are very wobbly and unstable while standing. This is when alcohol effects have really taken the body and this part rarely goes away. The syndrome together is the effect of alcohol damage to the brain and is terminal. Drinking does not cause it, however, excessive drinking over a prolonged time will be the cause. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome WKS and Korsakoff Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) is one name for 2 conditions that often happen together. Wernicke is encephalopathy and it is often accompanied by Korsakoff syndrome. It is thought to be different stages of the same disease. It typically comes on suddenly and immediate treatment is needed. Symptoms of Alcohol Symptoms include confusion, loss of muscle coordination, and trouble with vision. Korsakoff syndrome happens slowly. It is a long term, ongoing problem that damages the part of the brain that handles memory. How? A deficit of vitamin B1 or thiamine is the culprit. Thiamine or vitamin B1 helps the brain turn sugar to energy. When there is a deficit of this vitamin the brain does not function well. Alcohol use inhibits thiamine absorption, and heavy drinkers normally have poor dietary habits. It may have hereditary aspects as well but the most common presentation is a chronic alcoholic patient who is poorly nourished. WKS is typically associated with chronic alcoholism. Changes that occur may be subtle but knowing of them can help you recognize them: Lethargy Drowsiness Inattentiveness/indifference Mental confusion Vision problems Muscle weakness Muscle coordination issues, especially walking/gait Tremor Recent or short-term memory difficulties Exaggerated storytelling Agitation Compassionate Care As we age our condition does not improve as health and brain begin to decline we may need to seek proper care. Lancet Public Health has a study published suggesting that alcohol abuse addiction disorders are risk factors in the body for dementia, specifically early onset dementia. Compassionate and individualized care for individuals with Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a must. Where can you find care for your loved one or plan for yourself because of past indulgences? What will alcohol abuse look like for me 50 years from now? Typically, WKS is treated as an Alzheimer’s issue. This will mean placement in an Alzheimer equipped Adult Community, Assisted Living or a Senior Living Community with Memory Care will be in the cards. More Symptoms of Alcohol More acute symptoms that may indicate the need for more immediate medical attention include rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, low body temperature, hallucinations, delirium, or stupor. Schedule an appointment if any of these symptoms are apparent and make sure that the family member has an advocate with them. Since alcoholism is, many times, an ism that is not shared with even those closest to the person experiencing it, it is essential that the truth is provided to the physician in order for the alcoholic to receive the proper care. Honesty will, quite possibly, be the difference in whether help is received and can save the person’s life. Withholding information can only make matters worse and result in shortening that person’s life. Diagnosis Diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome requires a full medical history, including information regarding the person’s daily drinking habits, both past and present, and their dietary nutritional history. A physical examination to determine signs of malnutrition, lab work including blood count, electrolytes, and liver function tests. Test results can reflect alcoholism associated malnutrition or determine the level of thiamine. An MRI or CT scan may show enlarged ventricles and diencephalic lesions, shrunken mammillary bodies, and other changes to the brain. A referral by the psychiatrist or neurologist to a neuropsychologist is often necessary to quantify the degree of memory and other cognitive dysfunction and clarify the diagnosis. Physicians typically consult family, friends, and past medical records to get the most complete information possible on the person’s history with alcohol. Prognosis Treatment is critical and time sensitive. What happens when you drink? Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome for those who drink. If diagnosed and treated early, some or sometimes all symptoms can be reversed. Once it becomes chronic recovery is less certain. Stopping alcohol use and ensuring a nutritious diet may prevent additional brain and nerve damage. Memory function can be slow to improve and recovery is usually incomplete. In later stages, damage to the brain is more likely to be irreversible and individuals will most likely have lasting problems with memory and gait which can be presented as lack of muscle coordination and numbness or weakness in limbs. Without treatment Wernicke’s encephalopathy can be incapacitating and life-threatening causing death in 20% of patients. In 85% of survivors, it progresses to Korsakoff syndrome. If patient continues to use alcohol and follow a poor diet the condition and symptoms will worsen. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. We know everyone likes to Grok(AI) their symptoms but nothing can take the place of your personal physician for medical advice or diagnosis. Treatment Thiamine replacement therapy administered as soon as possible. Implementing consistent, good hydration and nutrition while abstaining from alcohol is the key. Resources for this article from our friends: The hero’s at ARK Behavioral Health – BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR RECOVERY WITH INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY AND COMPASSION More reading about Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome from Standard of Care!
Assisted Living – Best Brain Health – Alcohol and Aging
Alcoholism and Aging Alcoholism comes with many issues. It is wise to look at those who have traversed similar paths to us and plan accordingly for our future. In the case of Alcoholism, combined with Aging, we are honestly looking at a future in Memory Care type Assisted Living. Life Transitions regarding Alcoholism and Aging can cause senior challenges. High levels of alcohol in the body can result in headaches, severe dehydration, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and indigestion. Drinking excessively, even on a single occasion, increases a person’s risk of detrimental health effects. If threat of illness does not detour the consumption of alcohol think of what it does to your skin. Skin Alcohol dehydrates the skin, depriving it of the moisture and nutrients it needs to keep the complexion looking radiant, supple and youthful. Deprivation of moisture increases the appearance of wrinkles, dryness and sagging skin. Alcohol is a diuretic which means it actively draws water away from the body, significantly lowering the body’s water level causing dehydration. Dehydrated skin can look dry and unhealthy both in color and texture. It causes increased redness or flushing of the skin, acne, blotchiness, puffiness and rosacea. Women and Alcohol Women are more vulnerable than men to many of the medical consequences of alcohol use. Alcoholic women develop cirrhosis, alcohol induced damage of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) and nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy) after fewer years of heavy drinking than do alcoholic men. Brain shrinkage is related to heavy drinking in both men and women. Alcohol Health Threats If the drinker is not worried about appearance and the fact that dementia is a real threat due to drinking; let’s delve into the other problems that it causes. To begin with drinking too much can weaken the immune system, making the body a much easier target for disease. Serious Over Drinkers: Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than those who do not drink too much. Occasional Over Drinkers: Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows the body’s ability to ward off infections – even up to 24 hours after getting drunk. Continuous Drinkers: Sustained over drinking is known to affect the brain, heart, liver, and pancreas. Extended use of excessive alcohol is known to cause certain types of cancer. Let’s look at this per organ and then we will talk about cancer. Brain: Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination. Heart: Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including: Cardiomyopathy – stretching and drooping of heart muscle Arrhythmias – irregular heart beat Stroke High blood pressure Liver: Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including: Steatosis, or fatty liver Alcoholic hepatitis Fibrosis Cirrhosis Pancreas: Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion. I said that we would get to cancer; so here we are. Evidence indicates that the more alcohol a person drinks – particularly regularly over time- the higher his or her risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. Even those who have no more than one drink per day and people who binge drink (those who consume 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men in one sitting: have a modestly increased risk of some cancers. Based on data from 2009, an estimated 3/5% of cancer deaths in the U.S. (about 19,500 deaths were alcohol related. Types of cancer cited: Head and neck cancer, including oral cavity, pharynx and larynx cancers. Esophageal cancer, particularly esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, people who inherit a deficiency in an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol have been found to have substantially increased risks of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma if they consume alcohol. Liver cancer. Breast cancer: Studies have consistently found an increased risk of breast cancer in women with increasing alcohol intake. Women who consume about 1 drink per day have a 5 to 9 percent higher chance of developing breast cancer than women wo do not drink at all. Colorectal cancer. Drinkers Big Future: A real threat to the Alcoholic is something called Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) or referred to casually as “wet brain” is a severe, life-threatening brain disorder that is caused by excessive alcohol consumption. 57,000 people were studied with early-onset dementia in a database of hospital admissions by Translational Health Economics Network in France. Their data shows 39% of the 57K showed their early-onset dementia was directly caused by an alcohol abuse disorder. In addition to this statistic, 18% had a diagnosis of alcohol addiction alongside that type of dementia. So how do we plan? With dementia on the horizon, planning is necessary. We need to count on being in an Assisted Living Facility. Here are more resources to help you learn more regarding Life Transitions Alcoholism and Aging: National Library of Medicine (NLM) study of Alcoholism and Aging Life Transitions – Effects of age and life transitions on alcohol and drug treatment outcome over nine years National Library of Medicine (NLM) Facts on Seniors Aging with Alcoholism If this article raised concerns for you about This article is strictly for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis we will always suggest you talk to your professional personal care provider.
