Dementia and Alzheimer's: A Series

In senior care, one of the most frequent conditions we encounter is dementia, in one of its 1000+ forms.  The most "famous" is Alzheimer's, but in any form it is very serious, for the individual and his or her family.

Over the next few weeks, we will be talking about this issue from a number of perspectives: the client / patient, family members, including family caregivers, professional caregivers at home and the facilities who serve people with dementia, including those that provide memory care.  We will talk about the dignity of those suffering and the immense respect we have for them, as well as for those helping.

One of the topics we will be spending time on is the many resources that are available to us on the topic of dementia.  Thankfully, this is a condition that we take very seriously as a society, and there is a great deal of study going on and helpful material that has been published.  We will just mention a few of the "biggest" in this first article:

1. One of the most significant sources is the National Institutes of Health's  National Institute on Aging.  This site has many helpful sections.  One of the most important is their Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center.  The Center has many publications and links to tools and services that can be very helpful to everyone affected by or supporting someone with Alzheimer's.  The site is updated frequently and well maintained.
2. Also part of the National Institutes of Health is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.  They have an excellent section called Dementia: Hope Through Research.  That Institute has a separate "page" called Dementia Information that is also very useful.
3. The third resource we will mention today, as we get started, is one all of us concerned about this topic should be aware of and with which we should be involved.  That is the Alzheimer's Association.  They have great information, but, even more than that, they are at the heart of the fight.

In future articles, we will include other resources, including some you might tell us about.  We will also have some stories from our own collective experience.  If you have a story to share, let us know.  Thank you.

Carol Kinsel, Senior Care Solutions

Bert Cave, Support For Home

"Five Wishes"

If you are not familiar with the "Five Wishes" document, you want to find out about it.  There is an excellent discussion of it in Wikipedia.  Basically, Five Wishes is a living will that allows you to address not just your medical wishes for care if you are seriously ill, but also your emotional and spiritual needs.

The Five Wishes involve:

• The Person You Want to Make Care Decisions for Me When You Can't
• The Kind of Medical Treatment You Want or Don't Want
• How Comfortable You Want to Be
• How You Want People to Treat Me
• What You Want Your Loved Ones to Know

Five Wishes is accepted in 42 states, including California, as well as the District of Columbia.  We are starting to see more Five Wishes documents with our home care clients at Support For Home.  Your financial wishes are not covered, of course, so you will probably still want a good trust attorney.

Five Wishes is also not a substitute for a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, for those folks who do not wish to received CPR. 

Check it out.  It's simple, clear and can save a lot of anguish later.

Best wishes.  Bert