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The Best guide to avoid dementia -“The Essential Guide to Avoiding Dementia”

The Best guide to avoid dementia

“The Essential Guide to: Avoiding Dementia”

Mary Jordan, whose publications include books on Caring, End of Life and GP Practice Management, in addition to articles in nursing and social care journals and magazines, answers a multitude of questions about dementia in this new book. “The Essential Guide to Avoiding Dementia.”

The information delivered in Ms Jordan’s book couldn’t come at a better time. In the next few decades hundreds of 1,000’s of baby-boomers will be facing decisions about dementia for themselves or a family member.

Although some people associate Alzheimer’s with dementia, most don’t realize that Alzheimer’s is only one of 60 different kinds of dementia. As an explanation, Ms Jordan reminds us, “It is possible to have dementia, but not have Alzheimers; but it is not possible to have Alzheimer’s and not have Dementia.”

In this book Mary Jordan explains each kind of dementia and many of it’s causes and symtoms as well as things to do to lower your own risk of dementia. She talks about personality types; which ones are more prone to dementia, and which existing traits that tend to become more pronounced if one has dementia. She talks about lifestyle choices; alcohol and smoking and the increased risk to dementia that each causes. And she examines Stress and Trauma, Psychological Trauma, mental illness and hearing loss.

I was particularly impressed with Ms Jordan’s authority on hearing loss as my own mother suffered with hearing loss for many years prior to her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Yet, I’d always felt the two were definitely related. Ms Jordan helped me to accept, they probably were, as those with severe hearing loss lose a sense of understanding their environment and that’s exactly what happened to my Mom.

She also discusses the things you can do to lower your risk of having dementia; such keeping a broad social network, staying active physically and mentally. The more you do to expand your presence and life, the more you lower the risks. Variety in a busy life seems significant. Mary Jordan provides Studies and Trials that discuss the brains plasticity and cognitive reserves that may be a factor in lowering risks of dementia. As books title states, Mary Jordan shares a plethora of ways to avoid or lower risks of dementia.

She talks about Exercise, Nutrition, Vitamins and their impact on dementia. She discusses Fats and Cholesterol and tells the reason why we need both for a healthy lifestyle.

Besides the Risk Factors, Remedies and Causes of Dementia, Ms Jordan also gives us an up close look at the brain, itself. She gives a description of the brain and tells it how it works, including an eye- opener about the brain’s elasticity and creating new links to neurons when old links have died from dementia.

I found it fascinating to learn about different behaviors by the person with dementia caused by damage in different areas of the brain. For example: In front-temporal dementia, damage is focused in the front brain. With this dementia, only personality or behavior issues occur in the beginning– memory problems don’t become obvious till much later. Each area of the brain affected, causes it’s own unique behaviors. More evidence that the person with dementia has little control of his own behavior.

Also included is a storehouse of Resources. Since Mary Jordan is from the UK, many are located in that area. She also has an Outstanding Glossary: Including all things related to dementia.

This book is a must-have for everyone because it is surely an Encyclopedia of dementia, an epidemic we all face in the coming years.

Essential Guide to Avoiding Dementia

Author: Mary Jordan works for a national dementia charity and has had considerable experience caring for elderly relatives and friends who have suffered from dementia. Previously, she worked in the NHS for 9 years. Earlier publications include books on Caring, End of Life and on GP Practice Management in addition to articles in nursing and social journals and magazines. Find her at: @HHealthBooks on Twitter.

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Finding the Sweet Moments in Alzheimer’s

01/161 Comment

Finding the sweet moments in Alzheimer’s

by Linda Austin

My mother was in a nursing home the last three and a half years, suffering the later stages of Alzheimer’s. Her mind had become too dangerous to let her live alone, but she fought the disease—and me trying to help her—with such vehemence I had to move her to a new “senior apartment with helpers.”

She had been kicked out of her real senior apartment for sending billowing smoke from the microwave into the hallway, which set off the smoke alarm causing all the elderly to evacuate the six-story building into a winter night. She told the firemen she knew nothing about any smoke coming from her room.

Looking back at photos, I see her decline was frighteningly rapid. She went from wandering the nursing home with an ankle monitor to being unable to walk to being unable to complete even half a sentence. Then she needed help eating.

She became a tiny, sleepy shadow of her normally feisty, busy-body self, and the despair I felt seeing her like that was soul-crushing. I was left feeling grateful for the smallest of things. That she usually remembered who I was had become a very big thing.

I went to see the cherry blossoms today
but their season was over.
Instead I reveled
in the blooms of crab apples

It was during my mom’s last year or so that I began writing poetry, documenting my experiences at the nursing home while hoping to prevent myself from getting Alzheimer’s by keeping my mind sharp. Poems That Come to Mind appeared on Amazon.com a few days before my mother felt ill and never recovered.

The book is a tribute to her and our new friends at the nursing home with dementia. The bittersweet poems give dignity to those lost in dementia and are reminders that despite the tragedy of Alzheimer’s there is still beauty in their lives.

Small moments, in fact, can carry an exquisite sweetness when those simple pleasures are all that is left.

pink magnolias
we both nap in the spring breeze
no thoughts needed

Accepting the situation was key to being able to see and appreciate these sweet moments with my mother. The visits where I could relax and slow down time with her let me notice and appreciate the littlest things, like feeling the quiet peace of just holding hands, listening to a dove coo on a warm afternoon, or singing an old lullaby together. Being with the other residents let me have special moments with them, too, looking at magazine photos, taking turns sniffing a flower, or simply sharing a smile hello. Many times someone would momentarily break free of the dementia clouds and come out with a funny or feisty remark that would set us all to laughing. You never know what they might say!

Even if your dear one sleeps most of the time or doesn’t know who you are, he or she can feel your touch and hear your voice and can feel comforted by your presence. Talk to her, sing to him, kiss her and tell her you love her. She is there, he is there. Watch for the little precious moments and carry them in your heart.

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Poems That Come to Mind: For Those Who Love Someone With Dementia

It’s only a game
the two of them played
entwining smiles

Author: Linda Austin enjoys poetry and encourages life writing through her blog at http://moonbridgebooks.com. Her books include her Japanese mother’s WWII memoir, Cherry Blossoms in Twilight, and Poems That Come to Mind: for those who love someone with dementia. Linda lost her mother to Alzheimer’s in November 2012.

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Are Anti-psychotic Drugs Threatening your Loved One’s Life?

09/21Leave a Comment

Anti-Psychotic Drugs

Approx. 180,000 people with dementia are thought to be prescribed anti-psychotic drugs in the UK each year with 80% of those prescriptions seen as inappropriate by critics. I feel certain these numbers are duplicated in the US.

When I asked Mom’s doctor for help with her Violent behavior, his first line of defense was anti-psychotic drugs. As soon as I saw her “drugged/lethargic appearance,” I abandoned her doctor and turned to my own family physician for better advice.

Anti-psychotic drugs are meant to be used as a last resort for short periods of time. But some doctors prescribe these medications freely for the Alzheimer’s or Dementia patient, without warning messages or concise dosage instructions.

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that some anti-psychotic medication nearly doubled the risk of death for many dementia patients when taken over a prolonged period. Long-term use of the drugs can make dementia symptoms worse, reduce the ability to talk and walk and increase the risk of stroke and even death.

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or Dementia is about more than just reducing or finding the correct anti-psychotic drug. Caring for a loved one or other person with Alzheimer’s is finding ways to give “quality care” through other means that show respect and dignity for the person with Alzheimer’s disease or Dementia.

My mom passed away four years ago, and in the short length of time since her death I’ve learned many new and better ways to cope with this illness. If you’re a caregiver, you must make a dedicated effort to learn new ways to cope with the Alzheimer’s patient, ways that bring pleasure and relief to you as well as the patient.

Sure, if your loved one has severe issues that require anti-psychotic drugs temporarily, then they must be given. But there are many ways to modify their behavior without drugs. You might even be surprised how seldom you actually need to intervene with drugs if you practice a new approach with the Alzheimer’s patient.

An article about modifying behavior “yours and theirs” can be found here: “10 Ways to Avoid Agitation and Aggression in the Defiant Alzheimers or Dementia Patient”

Either of the books below offer helpful advice for coping with Alzheimer’s symptoms and behaviors. What to do when the patient; Repeats the same story over and over, Makes false accusations against a family member, Cries to go home, Swears at you, Wanders at night, Wails into the darkness, Refuses to accept your choices and argues incessantly.

All those symptoms are common occurrences in the person with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. The brain is being affected by the disease and sometimes their behavior is out of their own control. But these and other symptoms can be managed with dignity and respect for the patient and caregiver alike.

Drug Treatment in Dementia Treating Dementia: Do We Have a Pill for It?Drug Treatments and Dementia (Bradford Dementia Group)Dementia Beyond Drugs: Changing the Culture of Care [Paperback] [2010] (Author) G. Allen Power

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A Caregiver’s Guide: “Alzheimer’s Disease – 300 Tips” : Review

06/10Leave a Comment

Review: A Caregiver’s Guide

Alzheimer’s Disease – 300 Tips

When you have a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, you are assaulted by questions. A Caregiver’s Guide is a necessity. I remember those days right after my Mom was diagnosed. All sorts of images bounce in your head, some are myths and some are behaviors that your loved one may or may not suffer through.

Even if the person you are caring for is not a family member or loved one, the list of questions you’ll have about their proper care are endless.

This book Alzheimer’s Disease – 300 TIPS fills in the gaps with answers to many of the questions you will have: Written for patients, their families, and caregivers, the practical information here will help readers understand what is physically happening to the brain so they can empower their own special skills and talents throughout the disease process.

This book has sections which follow the literal progression of Alzheimer’s and the challenges any caregiver will have while caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. So you become familiar with the book right away and the passages you need most often are super easy to find.

I loved the Question and Answer format of this book. If I was in a hurry or needed a quick answer without reading an entire chapter–this book makes it easy. Help is always at your fingertips with this Question + Answer book.

And the answers or suggestions are spot-on every time. It offers wonderful advice for an illness that can leave the caregiver totally baffled. Folks with Alzheimer’s can present odd behaviors that leave us clueless how to respond. You’ll find your way with this book and keep it at hand because you know the answer is quickly found for most all behaviors.

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Alzheimer’s -300 Tips Kisses for Elizabeth Still Alice The 36-Hour Day

Some Activities your loved one might enjoy!

Summer Puzzle 36-Piece Trains shaped Puzzle 36 Piece Signal PointPuzzle 36-Piece Crocodile 36 pc Shaped nosaur Marvel Mighty Avengers Coloring Book Disney Animal Friends Cologing Book Disney Animal Friends – Coloring Book Crayola 120ct Original Crayons