3D"Description:

= ;

Treatment and Support for Families Affected by Alzheimer's and other Memory Disorders

March 2011

Vol 1, Issue 10

3D"Description:

Forget-Me-Nots

= &nb= sp; = forget-me-nots

C<= /i>aregiver

N<= /i>etwork<= /span>

N<= /i>ews<= /span>

&n= bsp;

A monthly newsletter for caregivers of loved o= nes with memory loss

THIS ISN'T DEMENTIA

-- IS IT?

3D"Description:

Ruth is an active, cheerful, 79-year-old widow living = on her own. She lunches with friends, attends book club every month, emails her grandchildren, goes to church, serves on committtees, plays bridge, works in the garden, cooks her meals, and drives herself wherever she needs to go. Once a year she visi= ts her doctor, who tells her she's just fine; she takes no medications= except for an occasional mild sleeping aid. She manages her own finances, does her own grocery shopping, looks<= /span> after her own home.

And she's in= the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease.

Neither Ruth, nor her family, nor even her doctor know it.&nbs= p; On the outside, she appears to be the same as she's always been. = But it's what going on inside that's the real story. Connections = in her brain are literally disappearing. It doesn't show up on a blood test or X-ray, and nobody realizes it's happening - not even = Ruth - until she's well into the disease. It's only a matter of ti= me before these changes in her brain show up as changes in her behavior.

Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia, followed by vascular dementia, Le= wy Body Disease, Fronto-temporal Disease (FTD), Parkinson's, and others. Presently there exists no cure. However, if you know some of the common early signs to watch for, you can identify behaviors that appear to be normal signs of aging, but that might a= ctually be symptoms of early memory loss:

Di= fficulty managing a checkbook, paying bills, or counting change; paying bills twice, or not at all; giving money to telemarketers.
In= ability to use common household items, such a the<= /span> TV remote, telephone answering machine, kitchen appliances, thermostat, etc., or complaints that they're "broken"= ; or "don't work."
Ma= king more frequent telephone calls or having repetitive conversations.
Co= nfusion with appointments, calendar entries, times and dates; showing = up a day or week ahead, or making repeated calls to confirm. =
Re= luctance to engage in familiar social situations, or decline in conversation, especially in groups.
Sa= ying in restaurants, "You order for me" or "I'll have what you're having."
Ch= ange in sleeping habits, or sleeping more during the daytime. =
Ch= ange in personal hygiene; wearing the same clothes; not bathing regularly.
Di= fficulty with preparing meals or following instructions on packaged foo= ds; tendency to leave food sitting out or improperly stored (i.e., putting an uncovered plate of leftovers in the freezer); forgetting to turn off burners.
Ho= arding food; piling up supplies such as tissue, plastic bags, cosmeti= cs, etc.; accumulating packets of sugar or crackers in purses or drawers, or piles of papers and mail. =
Di= sinterest in or frustration with lifelong activities= - gardening, reading, sewing, cooking, sports, etc.&nbs= p;
Mi= splacing items frequently, such as purse, keys, TV remote, etc., or put= ting them in inappropriate places (i.e., the iron in the refrigerat= or, the purse in the pantry).
Be= coming suspicious of other people's actions, or believing that person= al items are being stolen.
Not remembering conversations, information, plans, or instructions, even when told repeatedly.

Of course, everyone f= orgets things occasionally, but if you are concerned that your loved one's memory lapses are increasing, talk to his or her physcian. &nb= sp; You can be better prepared to recognize the early stages of a memory disorder by being watchful and alert for its initial warning signs. Early detection and assessment of the disease is crucial to maintaining the best quality of life for you and your family.<= /o:p>

<= /o:p>

3D"Description:

<= /span>

VOCABULARY

LESSON

&nb= sp;

As Alzheimer's Disea= se and other forms of memory loss become more a part of our everyday lives= , we often come across words and phrases that are unfamiliar or confusing. Here's some you should know:

3D"Description:

Dementia

The umbrella term for a large group of illnesses which cause memory loss or cognitive impairment. Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia, but the te= rm also includes Lewy Body Disease, vascular dementia, and others.

<= u>Early-Onset

Describes diseases that begin in someone younger than 65. Not to be confused with Early-Stage, = which can occur at any age.

=

PWD

Person With Dementia

<= /em>

UTI=

Urinary Tract Infection. Frequent cause of increa= sed agitation or confusion in dementia patients, especially those who are incontinent.

Confabulation

Making up facts to cover up behaviors. It isn't t= he same as lying; the person actually believes what they're saying.

<= /span>

ADLs=

Activities of Daily Living, i.e., bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, etc. criteria that long-term care facilities use = to determine a person's functioning level.

Aphasia=

Loss of ability to understand= and compre-

hen= d spoken language, loss of words, and inability to express themselves. <= /span>

= CAREGIVER STORIES

THIS STORY was submitted by a care-husband from South Africa:=

We had a scary incident when we were on a picnic at a park. Before leav= ing the park, I took my wife to the Ladies' room while I went to the Men's room. I came out and 3D"Description: waited for her, and after a = long time asked a woman to please see if she was OK. She came= out and said there was nobody in there at all. Everyone began looking for her all over the camp. A concerned couple finally found her walking down the road a fair distance from the camp, where she had been talking to a huge bull elephant t= hat was standing at the side of the road. She remembered nothing about the incident afterwards, but all the people who had tried to = help were wonderful about it.

The elephant was good-nature= d, too.

The Feil Method - Breaking Through the Barrier = of Dementia

<= span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium","san= s-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:purple'>Validation Worker Certification Course<= /p>

For nurses, CNAs, social workers, long-term care facility administrators and staff, OTs and = PTs, clergy, family members, and anyone who works with older adults with memory impairment

"This is awesome!&nbs= p; Gave me techniques for communicating that I should have been using = all these years, but I didn't know how!" <= span style=3D'mso-bookmark:"LETTER\.BLOCK16"'> -C.P., Special Care Unit R.N.

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; <= em>Course Dates (all five blocks required)

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; June 13-14, 2011 &n= bsp;

3D"Description: &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; August 15-16, 2011

October 17-18, 2011

January 9-10, 2012

March 12-13, 2012

Tuition is $850.00 ($800.00 if paid prior to May = 1)

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; Enrollment limited to 20. Reservations being accepted now.&nb= sp;

IN-SERVICE INTRODUCTORY SESSIONS FOR FACILITY STAFF

ARE AVAILABLE AT NO COST THROUGH MAY 15.

For more information or to register:

Visit www.vfv= alidation.org,

or contact WNC Coordinator Mary Donnelly, CVW, network= @memorycare.org

Sponsored by:

Givens Estates MemoryCare Park Ridge Health &nbs= p; Land of Sky &nbs= p; Alzheimer's Association

= ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; Regional Council

*Validation is a tested meth= od of communication with disoriented elderly persons that helps reduce stress and enhance dignity and happiness.

CAREGIVER CALENDAR

3D"Description: &= nbsp; MEMORYCAREGIVERS NETWORK

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; SUPPORT GROUPS

           &n= bsp;            = ;            free & ope= n to the public



            = ;            &n= bsp;            = ;            &n= bsp;     FIRST TUESDAY GROUP

     1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

       Calvary Episcopal Church (in the library), Fletcher, N.C.<= /span>

           Hendersonville Road across from Fletcher Ingles<= /span>

THIRD TUESDAY GROUP

1:00 - 3:00 p.m

      New Hope Presbyterian Church

3070 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, N.C.<= /span>

  =       (across from Givens Estates)

"MEMORY= CARE CLUB"

Our Support Group for persons with early memory loss<= /span>

(Initial screening required. Please call for information)<= /span>

Meets concurrently with the Third Tuesday Group<= /span>

NEW!

THIRD TUESDAY PARK RIDGE GROUP

Duke Room of Park Ridge Hospital, Naples Road, Fletcher, N.C.<= span style=3D'mso-bookmark:"LETTER\.BLOCK10"'>

Third Tuesdays, = 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

(supper availabl= e in hospital cafeteria at 5pm)

<= /span>

&nbs= p;   &n= bsp; For more information about any of these, contact:  = <= /span>

           &n= bsp;            = ; Mary Donnelly          = ;            &n= bsp;            = ;          Pat Hilgendorf

           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp; 828.230.4143         &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p; 828.645.9189         <= /span><= /span>

<= /b>network@memorycare.org            &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;  patricia.hilgendorf@gmail.com

____________________________________________________________________= _______________

WEAVERVILLE SUPPORT GROUP <= /p>

= Weaverville's First Baptist Church is sponsoring a new support group

for caregivers of persons with Alzheimers or other memory disorders.

Led by Pat Hilgendorf and Mary Donnelly,

the group meets on the Fourth Tuesdays from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

in the church fellowship hall, 63 North Main Street, Weaverville.=

Free and open to the public.<= /p>

Call 828.645.9189 or 828.230.4143 for further information.

____________________________________________________________________= _______________

Caregiver Workshop:

THE JOURNEY - CONFRONTING THE CHALLENGE= S OF MEMORY LOSS <= /b>

A seven-part series of community education events presented by The Alzheimer's Association, MemoryCare, and other area service providers. Free and open to the public. All sessions will be held at Biltmore United Methodist Church (393 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803), &n= bsp;

from 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. on the THIRD THURSDAYS of each month beginning in March 2011.

<= /p>
<= /p>
First Session - March 17, 2011

"So You Think There May Be a Problem"<= /span>

What are the early warning signs of memory loss? What is considered "normal" and "not normal" memory loss? Wh= at steps do you take if you suspect there is a problem? <= /i>

For more information, call the Western Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association

828.230.3885 or 704.532.7390.

____________________________________________________= _______________________________

CAREGIVER COLLEGE

MemoryCare= 's 12-week education series for caregivers, consisting of six two-hour sessions.
Classes ar= e held on Tuesdays, 4-6pm<= /span>

Cost $100 (free to MemoryCare families)

Prior registration required. Call (828) 712.2219 to enroll.<= /strong>

The next series begins April 5, 2011.

  ____________________________________________________________________= _______________

<= /o:p>