Alzheimers Care For Your Aging Parent
Editors Note: While this article, written by a nurse named Lisa Barrett, isn’t directly related to fitness, I know many of us are getting to the age where we will need to care for our aging parents so I thought it might be helpful.
Caring For Alzheimer’s Patients
The majority of my 16 year career as an LPN has been spent working in long-term care facilities taking
care of Alzheimer’s residents, and I have learned some very effective ways to assist them in their
daily lives.
If you listen closely, they will give you clues as to who they were before the dementia. They can often
remember who they were and what they did when they were younger. They can tell you what they did for a
living, whether they liked their job or not, about the day they were married, how may children they
had, hobbies they enjoyed, music they listened to, etc.
As an effective, therapeutic communicator you can take these offered bits and start to get a good
picture of who this person was before Alzheimer’s. You can then structure a care plan to focus on these
bits of information. Family members will also help you round out the picture you have of the resident.
The care you provide should not only include their physical needs but their emotional needs as well.
Some activities you can use effectively to maintain or even improve their quality of life include but
are not limited to; word puzzles or questions to jog their memory, small jigsaw puzzles, card games,
coloring pictures and the like.
Any activity offered should be tailored to things the resident liked to do in the past then broken down into small tasks with uncomplicated instructions and encouragement or assistance given as needed. Offer choices and small snacks during the activity or make the snacks the activity itself.
The setting you create for the activity should be as quiet and distraction free as possible. If you plan the activity for immediately after a meal then the resident will probably be the most relaxed and at ease. Increase their comfort level by taking the resident to the toilet before they begin the activity. This will enable them to focus longer on the activity and decrease any incidence of anxiety or frustration due to unmet needs.
Activities can be offered on a one-on-one basis or small groups with individual attention given to each member of the group throughout the duration of the activity.Remember, rules are, there aren’t any rules when it comes to taking care of Alzheimer’s patients and changes to your activity will have to be made if challenges arise.
Some Alzheimer’s patients may decline to participate in a planned activity out of fear or not believing they can complete the task or they may quit the activity due to frustration regarding their perception that they cannot do what
is asked of them. Should any of these behaviors occur, the caregiver must show patience and offer understanding and flexibility.
A little TLC may bring them back to the planned activity or you may have to attempt to redirect them with something new, like physical activity. For example, after finding someone to take over your planned activity, if it was for a group, take your frustrated patient for a walk around the facility or, if it’s a nice day, a walk outside. Or, in another area away from the original planned activity to keep distractions minimized, play some music they can sing and/or dance to.
There are many effective ways to entertain someone with Alzheimer’s Disease to help maintain or improve their quality of life. Be creative, keep it simple and Have FUN!
7 Tips To Safely Exercise To Lose Weight In The Summer Heat
If you’ve been chomping at the bit to move your exercise routine outside there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Exercising outside can be a great way to change up your routine and enjoy the wonderful sights and smells of summer but there are dangers too. The heat and humidity of summer can take a toll on your body, no matter how fit you are.
In order to avoid these pitfalls and safely exercise to lose weight follow these simple tips;
1) Take Time To Acclimate Yourself To The Heat.
It can take your body up to two full weeks to get used to the heat and humidity of summer. Don’t expect to run out and do your regular routine the very first time you head outdoors.
2) Wear The Proper Workout Clothes.
Light colored, lightweight workout clothes that wick moisture away from your body helping you feel cooler. And don’t forget sunglasses, sunscreen and a lightweight brimmed hat.
3) Stay Hydrated
Make sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Sports drinks are also a good option since they help replenish your electrolytes. If your urine is a dark yellow color it means you are dehydrated.
4) Consult Your Doctor
Beyond the obvious need for a doctors supervision when starting an exercise plan, it is doubly important when working out in the heat since many prescription and over the counter medications can increase your risk of dehydration and compound the effects of heat on your body.
Your doctor can look over all the medications you are taking and let you know if any will increase your risk factors for heat related medical issues.
5) Exercise Early In The Morning Or Late In The Day
Don’t exercise in the hottest part of the day. Early morning or evening
is usually much cooler. And don’t forget about humidity. Humidity can be just as tough on your body as the heat and often humidity levels don’t drop off that much even in the morning or evening.
6) Pick Your Route Carefully
When exercising outside in the heat give your body all the help you can. Find a route that has plenty of shade. Try to avoid hills or other obstacles that will make your workout tougher than normal. Working out in the heat is not the time to amp up your workout, save that for the gym or cooler weather.
7) Use Your Head
Common sense can go a long way to helping you get a good workout without having any potentially life threatening problems. Keep on the lookout for some of the most common signs that your body is in trouble, headaches, dizziness, nausea, lightheartedness, extreme fatigue.
If you have any of these symptoms seek medical attention immediately.
Follow these simple guidelines and enjoy the wonderful summer time weather while you can. It can really add a nice change to your workout routine!
Trans Fat Labeling…Can You Trust It?
Many of us are trying to eat more healthy. We understand the importance of watching our fat intake, particularly trans fat.
A recent Harvard study found that just 4g of trans fat a day could double your risk of having a heart attack. So it’s very important to read the labels on the products you buy. But how reliable is the information on the labels? Is trans fat labeling accurate? Not very.
The FDA has mandated that a product can actually have up to 0.5g of trans fat and still be labeled zero grams trans fat! That means that the ‘fat free” product you are buying and eating can actually contain up to 0.5g of fat.
Take that zero trans fat product and multiply that by the number of times a day you eat it. If you stick to the serving size and have say a margarine spread that is labeled zero fat at every meal you could be ingesting 1.5g of trans fat.
The American Heart Association recommends just 2g a day to maintain a healthy heart. So your ‘zero grams of fat” product is almost equal to your daily limit!
So it’s still important to read your labels, just take this information into account when you are planning your daily meals. It’s virtually impossible to remove all trans fat from your diet, but you do need to limit the amount you consume.
