Lyme is a bacterial disease carried by ticks, transmitted to people through infected blood. With the arrival of summer, we always see more in the news about Lyme disease. Recently, I have heard a lot of speculation about whether Lyme – or tick bites – might be one of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease.

Grief is a natural response to a loss of any kind. Most commonly, people associate grief with the death of a loved one. But we can experience grief at many other times in our lives, and for different kinds of loss, both great and small.

Since my husband Albert died of dementia in 2010, we have seen remarkable changes in how our society understands and responds to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a term that describes a wide range of symptoms caused by a number of diseases. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. However, others, including Parkinson’s disease, can result in dementia. So can non-disease events, such as traumatic brain injury.

Caring for a loved one with dementia is more art than science. What works one day does not the next. There are some basic rules of engagement, but most of the time it seems we must be flexible and creative in dealing with a person who is in a frequent state of change.

It is a common belief that individuals living with dementia are, or will become delusional. Delusions are beliefs that are contradicted by reality or rational argument, and they are often associated with a mental disorder.

As January arrives, we often think of what we might do differently in the coming year, and sometimes we make resolutions, hoping for better results. Caregivers for loved ones living with dementia know that the stress and the demands on our time will probably not change in the coming year. For some, it may become …

Continue reading “Resolving to become a less-stressed caregiver!”

Daily, we are surrounded by danger. There is that throw rug with the corner turned up; that low foot stool or extension cord we might trip over. How about those power tools, solvents, and insecticides in the garage? There are sharp knives in the kitchen, and under the kitchen sink are toxic cleaning agents.

With the holidays come large gatherings with lots of activities. For a person living with Alzheimer’s Disease, stress levels will soar with increased anxiety and life is no longer“normal.” This environment of stress affects both the care partner and the individual living with dementia. But for them it is worse because they will also feed …

Continue reading “Managing holiday or large gatherings for a loved one with dementia”

My primary training is in The Positive Approach to Care, developed by Teepa Snow. Teepa’s slogan is, “Until there’s a cure, there’s care.” This trips nicely off the tongue and seems too obvious to be profound, but there is so much more meaning in this statement than we might see at first glance.I had this …

Continue reading “Until there’s a cure . . .There is only Care!”