Six in 10 people with dementia will wander. A person with Alzheimer's may not remember his or her name or address, and can become disoriented, even in familiar places. Wandering among people with dementia is dangerous, but there are strategies and services to help prevent it.
Who is at risk of wandering?
Anyone who has memory problems and is able to walk is at risk for wandering. Even in the early stages of dementia, a person can become disoriented or confused for a period of time. It's important to plan ahead for this type of situation. Be on the lookout for the following warning signs:
- Returns from a regular walk or drive later than usual
- Forgets how to get to familiar places.
- Talks about fulfilling former obligations, such as going to work
- Tries or wants to "go home," even when at home
- Is restless, paces or makes repetitive movements
- Has difficulty locating familiar places like the bathroom, bedroom or dining room
- Asks the whereabouts of past friends and family
- Acts as if doing a hobby or chore, but nothing gets done (e.g., moves around pots and dirt without actually planting anything)
- Acts nervous or anxious in crowded areas, such as shopping malls or restaurants.
Tips to prevent wandering
Wandering can happen, even if you are the most diligent of caregivers. Use the following strategies to help lower the chances:
- Carry out daily activities. Having a routine can provide structure.
- Identify the most likely times of day that wandering may occur. Plan activities at that time. Activities and exercise can reduce anxiety, agitation and restlessness.
- Reassure the person if he or she feels lost, abandoned or disoriented. If the person with dementia wants to leave to "go home" or "go to work," use communication focused on exploration and validation. Refrain from correcting the person. For example, "We are staying here tonight. We are safe and I'll be with you. We can go home in the morning after a good night's rest."
- Ensure all basic needs are met. Has the person gone to the bathroom? Is he or she thirsty or hungry?
- Avoid busy places that are confusing and can cause disorientation. This could be a shopping malls, grocery stores or other busy venues.
- Place locks out of the line of sight. Install either high or low on exterior doors, and consider placing slide bolts at the top or bottom.
- Use devices that signal when a door or window is opened. This can be as simple as a bell placed above a door or as sophisticated as an electronic home alarm.
- Provide supervision. Do not leave someone with dementia unsupervised in new or changed surroundings. Never lock a person in at home or leave him or her in a car alone.
- Keep car keys out of sight. If the person is no longer driving, remove access to car keys — a person with dementia may not just wander by foot. The person may forget that he or she can no longer drive. If the person is still able to drive, consider using a GPS device to help if they get lost.
Make a plan
When someone with dementia is missing
Begin search-and-rescue efforts immediately. Ninety-four percent of people who wander are found within 1.5 miles of where they disappeared.
The stress experienced by families and caregivers when a person with dementia wanders and becomes lost is significant. Have a plan in place beforehand, so you know what to do in case of an emergency:
- Keep a list of people to call on for help. Have telephone numbers easily accessible.
- Ask neighbors, friends and family to call if they see the person alone.
- Keep a recent, close-up photo and updated medical information on hand to give to police.
- Know your neighborhood. Pinpoint dangerous areas near the home, such as bodies of water, open stairwells, dense foliage, tunnels, bus stops and roads with heavy traffic.
- Is the individual right or left-handed? Wandering generally follows the direction of the dominant hand.
- Keep a list of places where the person may wander. This could include past jobs, former homes, places of worship or a restaurant.
- If the person does wander, search the immediate area for no more than 15 minutes. If the person is not found within 15 minutes, call 911 to file a missing person’s report. Inform the authorities that the person has dementia.
Credits: Alzheimer Association.
Seniors Helping Seniors® in home services agrees with the following by Scottie Andrews of CNN of how to occupy our time throughout the mandated quarantine brought on by CO-VID19.
Here are some ideas of how to make the most of your time:
Read everything. You always say you'll find the time to read more. Now is that time. You may not feel comfortable visiting libraries and bookstores, so download a bunch of e-books and audiobooks instead. Drag your friends into your literary abyss and create a virtual book club and video call each other to discuss.
Take a virtual museum tour. Miss the echoing halls and self-guided audio tours? Many museums offer a similar experience on your smart phone.
The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim Museum are only two of the diverse bunch that host online tours. Want to explore overseas? Google Arts & Culture has a collection of virtual walk-throughs for dozens of international museums, from Paris to New Delhi.
Pursue amateur film critisism.
Social media was made for shouting your raw opinions into the void. Now that we're all stuck in that void, maybe someone will hear you. Write a blistering review of the latest Netflix teen romp. Catch up recent Oscar winners and snubbed gems and share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter. To exchange recommenda-tions with your fellow cinephiles, join a site like Letterboxd, a social networking service for film geeks.
Learn a language – or just the basics. Learning a few phrases in another tongue will make you feel smart. Or inteligente. Or スマート. Or erevu. Don't know Spanish, Japanese or Swahili yet? Get to studying.Bolster your vocabulary. Remember when reading the dictionary was a form of punishment? No longer. Flip through a thesaurus or take online quizzes to test your vocabulary, and gradually intumesce your personal lexicon and chevvy your kin with your verbosity.
Surprise! Social distancing doesn't require you to become a shut-in.
Be in nature. It's your best bet of getting out of the house and keeping 6 feet of distance from other people. Find an area where you won't encounter crowds. Breathe fresh air. Notice things about the world around you that you didn't see before.
Start birdwatching. Coronavirus hasn't bothered the birds. Find out what species nest near you, dust off your binoculars if you've got 'em and download a birdwatching map. Sit in your backyard or near a window. You'll be surprised by how many you notice when you really look.
Go on a secluded run/walk. Yep, you can still exercise – as long as you keep your distance from others. Keep your immune system strong and clear your mind.
You need not give up your love for all things gourmet. The best prevention against the coronavirus is still washing your hands. The graphic above shows how to.
Get takeout. A lot of independent restaurants are hurting right now. Support them by eating their food. Many restaurants are switching to takeout to keep their businesses afloat. Just make sure you limit your contact with the delivery driver (though be polite) and wash your hands.
Make that recipe. It's been sitting among your bookmarked web pages – and in the hungry corner of your brain – for weeks. It's a challenge. It'll test you. But it'll taste damn good. It's time to make that difficult dessert or that day-long roast. You have all weekend to master and devour it.
Find new recipes. Read your cookbooks and pore over every culinary site on the internet. You've got the time, after all.
Your mental health is precious, especially during periods of social isolation. Take care of yourself and connect with your loved ones.
Video chat A lot. If you are alone, you don't need to feel alone. Juice your cellular data for all it's worth and video call the people you love.
Meditate. Life is slowing down for a bit. Emptying your mind and centering your awareness no longer feels impossible – and it may help you relax.
Nap. Why not?
You're sick of pacing up and down your home or watching the wallpaper. Keep your hands and brain busy.
Bring out the board games. Clue. The Game of Life. Scrabble. The classics are just as fun as you remember. Bask in the nostalgia. Get competitive.
Tackle a ginormous puzzle. It's gotta be challenging enough to keep you occupied, but not so challenging that it threatens to drive you mad.
Make art. Whether it's a page out of a coloring book or paint-by-numbers masterpiece, a knitted scarf or a piece of pottery, creating will ease your mind and keep your fingers nimble.
Do the tough stuff. If you've been putting off your taxes or completing that dreaded report, do it now and get it over with. Sorry.
Get handy. If something needs fixing around the house, whip out your toolkit and get to work. There's something about building that fills you with purpose.
No sports – now what? The season suspensions are tough, especially because they extend to nearly every televised and live sporting event under the sun.
Become an expert. Read up on your sport so that when your team starts playing again, you'll have even greater insight into the game.
Show your team some love. Your favorite players are likely as disappointed as you are that their season is on hold. Tweet them a positive message or send them a photo of you wearing team gear in solidarity. Better yet, support a charity that your favorite player loves -- that may mean more to them than anything.
Revisit an old game. You know the one – the game you watched from your dad's shoulders years ago when the crowd felt electric. The game you watched on pins and needles until your team pulled a last-minute victory. The game that made you fall in love with the sport. If you have a subscription to a sport-specific streaming service, check if they have your favorite game. If not, YouTube has clips of a surprisingly large collection of games.
Watch sports docs. Sports documentaries provide helpful context about games of the past and present – and more often than not, they're more emotionally challenging than a Pixar film. Grab the tissues and turn one on.
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Perhaps most important: Don't panic. Protect your health and continue connecting with family and friends virtually if necessary. Life may look different for a while. We will get through this together.
Can we be of assistance to a Senior whom you know?
For services and more information:
Greater Fort Lauderdale: 954-870-1229 www.seniorcareftlauderdale.com
Boca Raton: 561-757-1020 www.seniorcarebocaraton.com
Broward #233955 • Palm Beach #231388
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Infection with Coronavirus 19 (Covid-19) has been overtaking the news outlets with predictions of a pandemic approaching us here in South Florida. Paul and Ed, Directors of Seniors Helping Seniors® in home services of Greater Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton are concerned about the health of our entire extended family, be they the seniors we care for or our workers who provide the services. Please rest assured that we will strive to maintain service to you or your loved ones. We hope to minimize any possible disruptions and maximize our continued care and service to you, our valued customers. We will be here for you ‘til the end of this situation; we will not abandon you. We recommend reading the following The Coronavirus infection began in late 2019 when an animal pathogen (virus) moved from an animal species and began to infect humans. The Coronavirus transmission is from person to person direct contact from sneezes and infected respiratory droplets. Currently, there is no vaccine nor effective antiviral treatment for the infection. The development of an effective Covid-19 vaccine is at least 12 to 18 months into the future. Infection with the Coronavirus produces several symptoms the most prominent of which are:
What we currently understand is that the Coronavirus infection is community spread. However, approximately 82% of the infection cases are mild, 15-16% are severe, and 2% are critical or life threatening in individuals with pre-existing conditions. Do the following to prepare:
DO consider taking extra precautions and staying out of public places if you are over 60 years old, or have a condition, as you have a higher risk of developing the disease. We need to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at 954-870-1229 or 561-751-1020 ed.seniorcare@comcast.net.
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We’ve asked our Seniors here at Seniors Helping Seniors® in home services and have come up with the following suggestions for everyone to enjoy on St. Paddy’s Day.
LEPRECHAUN = MEANING
Bag of Taytos = Potato Chips
Banjaxed = Broken useless
Bloody = Very
Cheesed Off = Annoyed
Dodder = Waste time
Gobsmacked = Very surprised
Hooley Party = Celebration
Ice lolly = Popsicle
I will in me ring = I will not!
Jammy = Lucky
Lashing = Raining heavily
Nappy = Diaper
Pull your socks up = Work, get busy
Shenanigans = Events and happenings
Throwing shapes = Showing off
Up to Ninety Had enough = Ready to explode
Watch an Irish Movie. From watching “Finnegan’s Rainbow” to “Hunger” to “My Left Foot” to “The Quiet Man” will make even the most non-Irish person have a twinkle in their eye. For that matter, watching any movie starring Maureen O’Hara will make you an honorary Irishman or woman for the day.
Start off with one of the most basic of St. Patrick’s Day traditions by finding or creating something green to wear for everyone’s wardrobe. For those who are lacking in any emerald or jade hued shirts, pants, or jewelry, perhaps a St. Patrick’s Day pin or boutonniere can be found to wear. St. Patrick’s Day is all about the color green. It’s the perfect chance to go all out and get really festive. Now, you can sport the neon green hair and sparkly headband that you’ve always wanted.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are not just for the Irish or for the young. Traditional activities for St. Patrick’s Day tend to involve lots of bar hopping, and if the bar hopping days are over, a reliable Irishman or Irish wannabe can still bring the bar to them. Instead of drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages, Seniors can host a Shamrock smoothie tasting. Invite close friends and grandchildren over to make fun Shamrock smoothies. Make the activity more festive by using beer mugs and shot glasses to hold the green smoothies... but for those who still want to give it a kick why not; the best part about being a Senior is being able to make adult beverages. Wondering what alcohol goes best with your Shamrock Smoothie? How about a little Bailey’s Irish Cream? Enjoy.
Keep the green theme going by fueling up on those healthy leafy vegetables. Think kale, spinach, and Swiss chard. After all, you’re going to need those vitamins to keep you going after all the green beer and Shamrock smoothies.
Patrick was born in 385 AD. His real name was Maewyn Succat, but his precise birthplace is not really known. It’s been speculated that he was born in Italy, since his parents were believed to have been Roman aristocrats. However, it’s more likely he was born in England, Scotland or Wales, where the Roman Empire controlled that part of the world.
Can we be of assistance to a Senior whom you know?
For services and more information:
Greater Fort Lauderdale: 954-870-1229 www.seniorcareftlauderdale.com
Boca Raton: 561-757-1020 www.seniorcarebocaraton.com
Broward #233955 • Palm Beach #231388
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
|
Infection with Coronavirus 19 (Covid-19) has been overtaking the news outlets with predictions of a pandemic approaching us here in South Florida. Paul and Ed, Directors of Seniors Helping Seniors® in home services of Greater Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton are concerned about the health of our entire extended family, be they the seniors we care for or our workers who provide the services. Please rest assured that we will strive to maintain service to you or your loved ones. We hope to minimize any possible disruptions and maximize our continued care and service to you, our valued customers. We will be here for you ‘til the end of this situation; we will not abandon you. We recommend reading the following The Coronavirus infection began in late 2019 when an animal pathogen (virus) moved from an animal species and began to infect humans. The Coronavirus transmission is from person to person direct contact from sneezes and infected respiratory droplets. Currently, there is no vaccine nor effective antiviral treatment for the infection. The development of an effective Covid-19 vaccine is at least 12 to 18 months into the future. Infection with the Coronavirus produces several symptoms the most prominent of which are:
What we currently understand is that the Coronavirus infection is community spread. However, approximately 82% of the infection cases are mild, 15-16% are severe, and 2% are critical or life threatening in individuals with pre-existing conditions. Do the following to prepare:
DO consider taking extra precautions and staying out of public places if you are over 60 years old, or have a condition, as you have a higher risk of developing the disease. We need to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at 954-870-1229 or 561-751-1020 ed.seniorcare@comcast.net.
Love Advice from Seniors: Our Valentine’s Gift to You! We’ve asked our Seniors here at Seniors Helping Seniors® in home services their advice on love and relationships and came up with the following:
Choose carefully. Marriage is perhaps the biggest decision any of us make. Our Seniors' view: many people are simply not careful enough. Don’t fall or drift into marriage without waiting until you know one another and you understand your reasons for getting married. Avoid making a commitment based on passion, panic at being left single, or inertia.
Don’t keep score. Marriage is a give and take proposition and sometimes circumstances will call for one partner to give more than the other. Happy couples don’t expect the give and take to balance out every day (or month, or year), but understand that at times you may be giving 90% and receiving 10% back, and other times your partner is in that role.
Talk to each other. Communication is absolutely the key to keeping a marriage on the right track. Our Seniors say that the “strong silent type” may be attractive and mysterious, but if he or she stays clammed up about important issues, the relationship is probably doomed.
Find a partner who is a lot like you. Although we often say that opposites attract, over time fundamental differences can wear on a marriage. Our Seniors say that you can have differences in backgrounds, but truly necessary are shared values. Check early on if your values on core issues (think money, sex, kids, religion, and work) are closely aligned.
They won’t change (much). What about taking a leap of faith and assuming you can change your partner after you are married? Many people do just that, and our Seniors basically think those people are idiots. Senior wisdom says that getting into a marriage with the goal of changing one’s partner is a fool’s errand, one that will doom the relationship before it really gets started. So if she’s always late or if he drinks a little too much, be sure you can accept it for a lifetime.
Don’t go to bed angry. It may be the biggest cliché around, but long-married people swear by it. Arguments should not be carried into the intimate space of the bed, and they are much more hurtful if they roll over to another day. Wrap it up, agree to disagree, or decide on another time to fight again. And even if anger is still there, they suggest you make some caring gesture before going to sleep that conveys: “I may not like you much right now, but I still love you.” Can we be of assistance to a Senior whom you know? For services and more information: Greater Fort Lauderdale: 954-870-1229 www.seniorcareftlauderdale.com Boca Raton: 561-757-1020 www.seniorcarebocaraton.com Broward #233955 • Palm Beach #231388 |
Tips for Nutrition
- Serve only one dish at a time
- Provide only one utensil at a time
- Consider using a "spork" (combination spoon-fork)
- Serve finger foods such as fried chicken, chicken strips, pizza in
bite-size pieces, fish sticks, sandwiches - Serve soup in a mug
- Remove any hot items or items that should not be eaten
- Cut up foods before serving
- Sit next to the person at their level
- Use hand-over-hand feeding technique to guide self-feeding
- Demonstrate eating motions that the person can imitate
- Use verbal cueing and prompting (e.g. take a bite, chew, swallow)
- Use gentle tone of voice, and avoid scolding or demeaning remarks
- Provide verbal encouragement to participate in eating by talking
about food taste and smell - Offer small amounts of fluid between bites
- Help person focus on the meal at hand; turn off background
noise, remove clutter from the table - Avoid patterned dishes or table coverings
- Use red plates/glasses/cups (research shows that food intake
increased when food was served using high-contrast tableware) - Use unbreakable dishes that won't slide around (or get plate gripper mats)
- Serve smaller more frequent meals rather than expecting the
person to complete a big meal - Have food available around the clock
Bathing without a battle
- Explain all actions before doing
- Do not push or force people who are resistant
- Provide positive feedback
- Stay calm and pleasant
- Pay attention to body posture, facial expressions
- Demonstrate the action you want the person to do
- Use one-step directions
- Allow appropriate time for the person to respond
- Follow person's lifetime bathing routines and preferences
- Provide care only when receptive
- Respect refusals to participate in care
- A bath is not an essential intervention
- Encourage self-care to the extent possible
- Make bathroom and shower areas warm and comfortable and safe. Consider bath chairs, hand-held shower nozzles
- Be attentive to pain and discomfort
- Towel bathing, bath in a bag supplies, "bird" baths at the sink
Tips for Eating Out
- Choose a familiar restaurant
- Go when it is least crowded
- Sit in a quieter area with a minimum of distractions
- Limit choices (discuss what you will order before you get there or even order ahead)
- Order something that is fairly easy to eat and can ask the server to bring the meat cut if possible
- Sit next to your partner and gently guide them
- Try to have just one food item or plate at a time (e.g. salad first with just a fork, then dinner, desert)
- Dine with friends/family who will enjoy being with you and understand your experience
- Don't expect a 5 star 5 course formal dining experience -shorter is better and will lead to less frustration for all involved
- Consider providing a 5 star 5 course experience in the comfort of your home with close friends and family (Order In)
The best thing we can do is to treat everything the person says, however jumbled it may seem, as important and an attempt to tell us something
The person with cognitive impairment cannot change his or her communication; we must change ours
- Give one-step directions
- Speak slowly
- Allow time for response
- Reduce distractions
- Don't have a lot of people talking
- Give clues and cues (gestures, pantomime)
- Speak as if to an equal
- Search for meaning
- Limit corrections
- Recognize feelings and respond
- Don't argue
- Don't try to bring the person to the present. Go to where the person is and enjoy the conversation
- Don't treat like a child
- Stay pleasant and relaxed
- Pay attention to non verbal (body posture, facial expressions)
- Remember it's the quality, not the content or quantity, of the interaction that makes good communication