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Caregiving Tips
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks
the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms of
Alzheimer’s disease can include:
- A gradual memory
loss
- Decline in
ability to perform routine tasks
- Disorientation
to time and space
- Impairment
of judgement
- Difficulty
in learning
- Loss of language
and communication skills
- Changes in
personality including inappropriate behavior, loss of interest,
and changes in mood
- Hallucinations
and delusions/false beliefs
How
does your physician know if it is Alzheimer’s disease?
There is no single test that can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.
However, trained physicians are 80%-90% accurate. Your physician
needs to do a full assessment
that includes:
- An accurate medical and psychiatric
history
- A neurological/physical exam
- Lab tests to rule out anemia,
vitamin deficiencies, and other conditions
- An
evaluation of the person’s
ability to do common daily activities such as managing finances and medications
- A
mental status exam to evaluate the person’s thinking and memory
- A caregiver interview
Your physician may also request a brain scan, psychological testing, and additional
lab work if he/she needs additional information.
You can be prepared for the appointment by bringing a list of medications, a
log of symptoms or behavior changes and a list of questions or concerns. It is
also helpful to provide an accurate history of the person’s medical conditions
and any previous psychiatric treatment.
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, there are ways to treat
some of the symptoms of the disease. Your physician may suggest:
- Use of medications to treat
cognitive decline and memory loss
- Referral to appropriate activities
such as exercise, recreation and adult day care services
- Appropriate treatment of
medical or psychological conditions that may contribute to cognitive changes
or decline
At times, a person with a dementing illness may display behavior problems such
as wandering, paranoia, suspiciousness, combativeness or resistance to maintaining
personal hygiene. These behavioral problems can seem overwhelming to the caregiver.
The physician may suggest various strategies to assist in daily caregiving tasks
such as:
- Enrollment
in the Alzheimer's Association’s Safe Return Program, an identification
program for memory impaired adults
- Modifying
the person’s
environment in order to reduce confusion caused by overstimulation such
as reducing noise and glare from windows
- Explaining
a task before you do it such as saying, “I am going to help you
put on your shirt.”
- Providing a predictable routine
at home with structured times for meals, bathing, exercise, and bedtime.
- Providing reassurance to
the confused patient without challenging their accusations or misperceptions
and by redirecting their attention
If it seems that suggested strategies aren’t helpful in managing the person’s
behavior, the physician may want to use medications to manage symptoms of depression,
restlessness, hallucinations, hostility and agitation. Be prepared to provide
the physician with accurate information regarding the behavior problem such as the
onset of the behavior, the frequency of the behavior, the time of day the behavior
occurs, and the strategies you have tried.
How can your
physician help you plan for the future?
The physician may suggest you start planning for health care needs now by completing
an advance directive.
An advance directive is a legal document that a patient signs while capable of
making sound decisions. It directs how healthcare treatment will be made in the
event of future incapacity. There are two types of advance directives:
- Living Will which
conveys the person’s desire to die a natural death and not be kept
alive by artificial means.
- Durable Power of Attorney
for Health Care and / or Finances designates an individual
who can make health care / financial decisions on behalf of the impaired
person if he or she is not able to give consent.
How
can your
physician support you?
Alzheimer’s Association
1-800-660-1993
www.alz.org (Off
Site)
Caregiver Resource Centers
1-800-445-8106
www.caregiver.org (Off
Site)
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