Alzheimer's & Dementia Care

Eligibility for the PCAFC has been expanded to veterans of all eras, which means that more caregivers may be able to receive benefits like counseling, respite, and VA stipends for providing care.

When seniors struggle to swallow their pills or refuse to take medicine at all, it’s sometimes necessary to get creative. In geriatric medicine, masking medication may be justified—especially for caregivers dealing with dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease usually affects seniors age 65 and older, but there is an uncommon form called early-onset Alzheimer’s that strikes people in their 30s, 40s and 50s. When dementia symptoms appear this early in life, the consequences are dire.

We’ve compiled experienced dementia caregivers’ insights on dealing with sundowning behaviors that occur at other times of day, also known as “sunrising.”

The AgingCare.com forum is filled with people coming together to share valuable information. We’ve compiled experienced caregivers’ best tips for keeping a dementia patient calm and engaged.

The AgingCare.com forum is filled with people coming together to share valuable information. We’ve compiled experienced caregivers’ best suggestions for devices and programs to help locate and identify dementia patients who wander.

The AgingCare.com forum is filled with people coming together to share valuable information. We’ve compiled experienced caregivers’ best tips for medications that may help minimize dementia behaviors like wandering.

Even though Mum didn’t remember the details of our picture-perfect day together, she was very happy. With dementia, the memories may not stick anymore, but the feelings and emotions attached to them still linger.

Christmas has come and gone, but in Mum’s mind the planning has just begun. When her anxiety returns and her questions become repetitive, white lies are what alleviate her worries.

As a dementia patient, I see how much my wife handles on a daily basis. Caregivers like her are far from invincible, though, and it’s important for the entire family to recognize this and make respite time a regular occurrence.

As Mum’s memory fades, the realities of her everyday life seem to go as well. It’s like acting in a strange play with half of the cues missing.

Dementia-related behaviors can wear on even the most level-headed caregiver. Instead of feeling guilty after lashing out, be gentle and honest with yourself and do whatever it takes to prevent future burnout.

For the last ten years, Mum and I have been navigating a different kind of relationship. Things turn into a kind of dance with dementia, and sometimes it’s awfully hard.

Telling another family member when a loved one passes away is always difficult, but dementia can make the task even more challenging.

Driving is a privilege, not a right. Many patients can and do drive in the early stages of dementia, however it is a progressive disease. It is imperative that caregivers watch for signs that clearly show their loved ones should no longer be driving.

Both dementia patients and their caregivers experience an ever-changing roller coaster of emotions. The key is being able to appreciate the good times and helping to guide each other through the bad.

Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are unlike any other conditions. Instead of straightforward symptoms like physical pain, the discomfort that patients experience is mental and emotional.

Alzheimer's and dementia affect more than just a person's memory. The brain also begins having trouble receiving and processing sensory information. Changes in vision and perception can be scary and disorienting for the patient and complicate caregiving.

After researching the “ethics” of blogging, I realized what had been bothering me. I hadn’t been honest with Mum and it was time to tell her the truth.

Caregivers are often at a loss as to what they can do to help improve a dementia patient's quality of life. Fostering a sense of safety, being attentive to pain or discomfort, and helping them stay content are three of the best gifts a caregiver can give.