I saw three news articles this morning where authorities are searching for Alzheimer’s patients who have wondered away. Of course, this brings up the debate again - should Alzheimer’s patients be handed a microchip along with their diagnosis? I personally don’t like the thought of injecting someone who can’t rationally give consent for the procedure, but if my loved one was lost and freezing on a cold winter night, perhaps I’d feel differently.
The problem to me is that a microchip can be read by identity thieves, it can be tracked by people who are nosy or collecting information on your movements that you don’t want them collecting and it does seem a very alien idea in a country that is based on freedom. Any technology that has the potential to be misused by power hungry people makes me a bit nervous. So, to microchip or not to microchip? What do you think?
Just a reminder - adults with Alzheimer’s can be just as vulnerable as children when it comes to heat waves. If your relative with Alzheimer’s lives alone, try to stop by more frequently than normal to be sure air conditioners are running or fans are blowing. Also, be sure he or she is drinking enough and not becoming dehydrated.
If you go out in hot weather, be sure the Alzheimer’s patient wears a hat and doesn’t walk long distances without taking a break to cool down and rehydrate. Bringing along a washcloth that you can wet and place on his or her neck is a great way to keep the person you are caring for nice and cool.
I wish they would have had some of these handy health gadgets ten years ago! Having an electronic gizmo that lets you know when someone gets out of bed or leaves a chair is like having an extra set of eyes. Here are a few that I found:
Pressure Sensitive Patient Alarm System - Alarm + Bed Sized Pad - 11″ x 30″
- there’s nothing really discrete about this system and I wonder if it works all the time. Does it have to be positioned exactly under the patient? If you’ve used it, I’d love to hear some feedback.
. Wireless Wander Alarm ™
- This system sounds like it may be a better choice if you don’t want to upset a family member. It is a bit more discreet.
GPS Personal Locator (Each)
- I think one of these is a great idea every time you go on an outing. There are just too many stories of Alzheimer’s victims getting lost when they are separated from their caregivers.
Liz from Alzheimer’s Notes has put together a really nice list of resources for caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s from a distance. It can be done, but it is hard.
I have a friend who moved to the midwest and didn’t want to disturb her mom, who was settled into a nursing home on the east coast and seemed to really be doing well. It was hard for her to take care of her mom at such a distance and the rest of the family, who still lived near the nursing home, didn’t step in and help out. She flew out to check on her mom whenever there was a problem. Ultimately, I think she wished she would have moved her mom out to be nearer to her, especially when she slipped out of her room and fell down a half flight of stairs.
Does anyone have some tips to share on caring for a parent from a distance?
Laura from Writing Thoughts blogged about how she became a work at home mom and how this transition enabled her to care for her father when he developed Alzheimer’s a year later. Working from home can be a wonderful option for caregivers and the person they are caring for.
A few examples:
* If you’ve had a rough night, you can often push your work schedule back or even take the day off altogether and decide to work on the weekend instead.
* You can take your loved one to doctor’s visits without running through your sick leave. (Although the downside of working from home is that you don’t have sick leave to run through!)
* You don’t have to put in an eight hour day dealing with stressful work politics, only to come home and put in a sixteen hour night of dealing with Alzheimer’s related problems.
There are also some negatives to working from home:
* You don’t get to get out and recharge your emotional batteries by working in another location.
* If you have a high paying job, you may be sacrificing a great salary and decent benefits for the chance to work from home at a lower salary with mediocre health insurance you had to buy yourself.
Do you have a story to share about working from home while caring for an Alzheimer’s patient? I’d love to hear it.
One of the biggest concerns I hear from family members who are caregivers is that they themselves forgot where the car keys were yesterday, didn’t remember an appointment after a trying morning, etc. They are terrified that these lapses mean they now have Alzheimer’s, too. Hey, we all have forgetful moments and they don’t often mean that we are on the verge of developing Alzheimer’s. They mean we’re overwhelmed, exhausted and need some time to relax.
Remember, forgetfulness is only one sign of Alzheimer’s Disease. However, if you are so anxious about developing it that the worry is ruining your ability to enjoy your life, contact your doctor and ask for a medical opinion. Chances are, he’ll say you don’t have Alzheimer’s and you can chalk any forgetfulness up to being human.
Suddenly, mom can’t manage that complicated crochet pattern anymore. Dad can’t remember how to carve those bird sculptures. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t still enjoy creating things. Try one of these simple project ideas for Alzheimer’s patients:
- Paper Clay is fun to mess around with, is nontoxic and can be air dried. Pinch pots are easy to create, but even just playing around with the clay can be therapeutic. If you want a more advanced project, molds for chocolates or soaps can be used to make beautiful paper clay charms.
- Collage can be a great idea, especially if the supply list includes color copies of loved ones’ photos. to adhere the pieces to the collage, use ModgePodge or watered down Elmer’s glue.
- Rubber stamps, washable ink pads and cardstock combine to create beautiful and useful art.
Do you have any additional suggestions for good art materials for Alzheimer’s patients?
One of the most frustrating things to deal with is a doctor that doesn’t specialize in geriatric issues. You take your dad into the office to see the same doctor he has been seeing for years and he puts on the show of a lifetime. He’s charming, flirts with the nurse, tells the doctor a joke. You list the problems you’ve been having:
- Dad isn’t sleeping.
- He keeps saying he has a house just like the one we’re in and he wants to go home.
- He told me some guy came in with groceries and left his shoes by the door. That guy was me, five minutes before.
- He gets really angry and screams about such small things.
- And on and on.
The doctor looks at you and you can almost see him thinking, “This poor old man’s child is trying to get me to help set him up as senile so the kids can get his inheritance. Look at the way he’s acting. There’s no way he has dementia.”
Find a good doctor who specializes in geriatric care. We were lucky enough to finally find a wonderful one after making several frustrating trips to the family doctor. These doctors know that someone suffering from the first stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s can have completely lucid moments and can seem absolutely normal one moment and go out of control the next.
You’re frustrated and angry that your parent, spouse, or friend has been replaced by a bewildered child who doesn’t remember who you are. This has been one of the worst days yet and you can’t even vent to the person who used to listen to all your problems because the disease he or she is battling is the reason for your tough day. Well, actually, you can.
Grab a pen and a few sheets of paper and write a letter to your loved one. Pour out your feelings, vent your frustration, talk about how unfair it is. When you’re done, you may just feel like you’ve been able to unload just as you used to. Some people keep their letters and some destroy them when they’re done. Either way, writing to the person your loved one used to be can really be a great way to let off steam and de-stress.
Have you noticed how many times a child who gives up everything to take care of a parent with Alzheimer’s or dementia is treated with suspicion and anger, while other relatives are welcomed with open arms, even if all they want is access to this month’s Social Security check? I’ve heard so many stories that go something like this:
Mom barged into my room at 3 a.m. screaming that I took her money and her wedding ring and yelled at me to get out of the house. I finally found her money hidden in the sock drawer and picked her wedding ring up off the floor, but she kept insisting I was a thief. The next morning, my sister stopped by to “give me a break” by taking Mom shopping, but I heard her ask Mom if she brought her wallet as they were getting into the car. Sure enough, Mom came back with only a few dollars in her purse and nothing to show for the missing money. She couldn’t stop talking about how nice my sister was, although she kept forgetting who she was and called her “that sweet young girl.”
How frustrating for these caregivers to have to deal with the day in and day out frustrations of Alzheimer’s, only to see the same person who treats them with distrust and screams horrible things at them turn around and shower affection on a family member who borders on criminal.
Yes, the caregiver can take measures to be sure Mom or Dad isn’t continually victimized by other relatives, but most of those measures involve some very emotionally overwhelming activities, like having a beloved parent declared incompetent or trying to get the police involved in the situation.
I saw three news articles this morning where authorities are searching for Alzheimer’s patients who have wondered away. Of course, this brings up the debate again - should Alzheimer’s patients be handed a microchip along with their diagnosis? I personally don’t like the thought of injecting someone who can’t rationally give consent for the procedure, but if my loved one was lost and freezing on a cold winter night, perhaps I’d feel differently.
