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Our newsletter is filled with information on some of the wonderful programs and services we offer to caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other memory impairment.
As always, our team is here to help ~ whenever you are ready to reach-out!
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Happy Valentine's Day!
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Valentine's Day is one holiday that has been around for a very long time. Although it is based on religious origins, the holiday itself has evolved.
Today we see Valentine's Day as a celebration of love and affection, and tradition dictates that we participate in an exchange of flowers, cards and chocolates. Valentine's Day is mostly focused on romantic love, but does not exclude the affection shared between family and friends. For this reason, it can be difficult for elderly loved ones to maintain a cheery outlook on this holiday, especially if they have lost their spouse or other loved ones and feel like they are alone. It's up to you to remind them that they are loved and supported!
Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to bring people together! Making cards together is a great activity that can involve the entire family. Try assembling a variety of materials ahead of time. Your loved one's motor skills may not be too strong, so having a selection of pre-cut shapes like hearts and stars can reduce a great deal of frustration.
Even if your loved one cannot participate in making any Valentine's Day crafts, they will still be sure to appreciate any Valentines made by children or other family members, so keep them in mind! If your loved one is in a medical facility or a nursing home, a bouquet of flowers can be a very thoughtful touch and brighten up the room and the mood, as your loved one can appreciate the gift for weeks and show it off to staff, visitors, and the other residents. Sending Valentines on behalf of your loved one is another great way to help them participate.
Instead of purchasing overpriced chocolate, one popular Valentine's Day tradition is to to make homemade treats, which is another great family activity. This can be a great opportunity for an elder to shine by contributing an old recipe and teaching younger family members. Perhaps there's a secret banana bread recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation, that you need to try! Whatever the case may be, always include your aging loved one in activities and celebrations. They'll feel the love and eventually give it back!
Love is not as simple as candles and roses.
Love is day-to-day living, taking time, making time to be there,
with open arms and a giving heart. Love is the special moments
in life we share that will be with you always.
Happy Valentine's Day Caregivers!
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| Ways to Show Love to the Person You Care For |
 Taking care of someone with Alzheimer's disease is a full time job, one that can cause a large amount of stress. However, loving someone with Alzheimer's can bring joy into your life and be extremely rewarding if you remember a few simple things.
In honor of Valentine's Day, here are 10 ways to show your loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia how much you love them:
1. Pay Attention
It's the simplest, easiest way to show someone you actually care. Take note of their likes and dislikes and try to remember the little details.
2. Take a Sincere Interest in the Things They Care About
If someone really matters to you, than so should whatever they are passionate about.
3. Give Little Gifts or Tokens of Affection
Instead of flowers, maybe pick up their favorite snack or treat, maybe a movie or cup of coffee they like. Maybe you could make them a personalized CD or music playlist. Just something small that shows you've been thinking about them.
4. Include Them in Your Future Plans
You don't have to do everything together but you should respect and care about them enough to keep them up-to-date and involved with your life.
5. Respect Their Need for Space
This can be tricky because the person you care for relies on you to always be there but space is a key component to any healthy and lasting relationship. Find ways to give each other a couple minutes of space each day or week. Ask a family member to help with care or consider hiring a caregiver to give you some respite.
6. Spend Time with Their Friends
This shows that you care enough about someone to deal with their entire package, friends and all. Maybe you'll learn something about your loved one from their experience with old friends.
7. Master the Art of Being Lazy Together
Find joy in pajama days together. On rainy days, have movie marathons. Even on sunny days, find time to relax, cuddle or take a nap together.
8. Be Willing to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone for Them
As their disease progresses, you will need to learn new techniques and perform new tasks related to caring for your loved one. Don't be scared to step out of your comfort zone to better help your loved one.
9. Anticipate Their Wants and Needs
If you know your loved one is running out of milk at home, then pick up a gallon for them before you head home. Or, maybe they've been wanting to see a new movie - rent it for them and watch it together. Surprising them with something they want or need will let them know that you've been paying attention and that you care.
10. Tell Them You Care Often
Actually tell them you care - and do so frequently. Confess your love! Tell him/her that they are the best thing in the world. Never underestimate a meaningful and sincere expression of your love for someone. If they love you back, it never gets old to hear!
"A true relationship is two unperfect people refusing
to give up on each other" ~Unknown
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FREE Family Caregiver Workshop
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Making Moments Matter
FREE Family Caregiver Workshop
Living in the Past: A Guide to Alzheimer's Care at Home
Most family caregivers want to keep their loved one at home, but caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or other form of dementia can be a real challenge. This workshop will help family caregivers by providing them with information, tips and tools that have helped thousands of families to keep the person they love at home. All attendees will receive a free copy of our 34-page booklet
"Living in the Past: A Guide to Alzheimer's Care at Home"
Workshop Date:
February 28, 2017
from 10:30am-12:00pm
at the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center
2328 10th Ave N #600,
Lake Worth, FL 33461
Topics will include:
~ Understanding Dementia ~ How Memory Works ~ What People with Dementia Need Most ~ 4 of the Most Common Things People with Dementia Ask For ~ Best Tips for Providing Care at Home
Light Lunch Will be Served. Space is Limited, RSVP (561) 588-4545.
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Tips for Late Stage Dementia Caregivers
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| Click on the Image to Play the Video |
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Support Us When Shopping for Valentine's Day
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A
mazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Alzheimer's Care Resource Center
whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from nearly one million organizations to support, but we certainly hope that you will support the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center.
If you have questions or would like more
i
nformation,
contact the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center,
f
eel free to call us at (561) 588-4545. Thank you!!
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How Alzheimer's Disease Affects the 5 Senses
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 As the caregiver, it is important that you keep in mind that the disease affects the brain directly and the body indirectly. A person who suffers from Alzheimer's may be physically healthy otherwise, but due to the deterioration of certain parts of the brain, the body doesn't respond as it should.
Here are some guidelines and safety tips in regards to the degeneration of the five senses and how it will affect the person with Alzheimer's disease.
1. Sight
There may be nothing physically wrong with the eyes of your loved one; however the brains ability to interpret the images may be decreased. This can cause confusion, disorientation and the inability to recognize familiar people or places. A few tips to manage this decline would be to:
* Create color contrast between floors and walls to create visual "depth"
* Mark the edges of steps and stairs with brightly colored strips of tape
* Place brightly colored signs or simple pictures on doors for easier identification
2. Smell
It is very common for smell to be the first sense affected by Alzheimer's disease. In most cases, it is noticed before the diagnosis of Alzheimer's has been made. It is important to keep refrigerators clear of spoiled food.
3. Taste
If you've ever noticed that when you nose is stuffy due to a cold or infection, your sense of taste is greatly decreased. The loss of smell plus the added decrease in taste bud sensitivity, can really affect the way your loved one tastes things. There is also the danger of confusion, leading them to place hazardous items in their mouths. Some simple recommendations would be to lock up cleaning supplies and consider learning the Heimlich maneuver in case of an emergency.
4. Hearing
As in the case of the eyes, a person could test as having perfect hearing, but not be able to process sounds. This can lead to agitation, confusion or over stimulation. You should avoid excessive noise in the home and avoid large gatherings of people.
5. Touch
As with all of the others senses, sensitivity in touch decreases. Depending on how severe the loss is, a person with Alzheimer's disease may not be able to recognize being cold or hot or even being in pain. Many of the steps recommended are similar to childproofing your house. Things to consider:
* Color code water faucet handles
* Place warning signs on the oven and other appliances that get hot
* Cover corners of furniture with padding
If you have questions or would like more
i
nformation,
contact the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center,
f
eel free to call us at (561) 588-4545.
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How to Deal with Problems of
Hoarding in Memory Loss
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ello and welcome to Wednesday Workshop. One of the definitions at Dictionary.com for the term "hoarding," is as a verb, meaning "to accumulate for preservation." For most hoarders, their intent is to preserve their things for their lifetime!
Maybe it has been a while since you visited your aging father at his home and things just aren't quite as you remembered. He has stacks of National Geographic Magazines in one room, his garage is spilling over with every tool, and loads of laundry are lying around waiting to be cleaned. Why has he been keeping so many things and how does he not notice the clutter and disorganization?
Elderly people can easily develop hoarding habits because of the long years of accumulation and the lack of discarding old items. Typically a strong attachment has been made with their belongings and letting go creates anxiety and a feeling of loss. These feeling cause items with little to no value to become highly important, adding to the already cluttered home. The mental and emotional characteristics of hoarding may also be diluted with memory loss and confusion.
Submit Your Questions to info@alzheimerscareresourcecenter.com
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We Need Your Old iPods
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The Alzheimer's Care Resource Center is proud to be a MUSIC & MEMORY Certified Organization. Our goal is to bring music to everyone who chooses to participate in the MUSIC & MEMORY program, but we're going to need some help.
Do you have a gently used iPod that you no longer need? Help us spread the music and find your iPod a good home for someone living with dementia.
Your
iPod donation will go to a person with Alzheimer's disease or dementia to help improve their quality of life. Personalized music on an iPod revitalizes a person and restores a deep sense of self to those suffering from Alzheimer's. Please help us make a difference in the life of a loved one!
To send us an old iPod, please mail or bring it in to this address:
2328 10th Ave North #600
Lake Worth, FL 33461
Thank you for taking the time to consider supporting
us and the families we serve!
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6 Facts About a Person with Dementia
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For more great posts like this, follow the
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| Paint for Fun Class for Caregivers & Loved Ones |
The Alzheimer's Care Resource Center will host
Two monthly Paint for Fun™ classes on
February 10, 2017 & February 17, 2017
from 10:00am - 12:00pm.
There is no charge to attend!
Working step by step, with our instructor, you will create your very own masterpiece. During the painting class, participants will enjoy upbeat music, snacks, and refreshments in a fun and cheerful environment.
When complete, all participants can keep their painting as a souvenir. Come join the fun!
No experience needed! Space is limited.
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| Become a Comforting Companion |
Would you like a rewarding job as a caregiver where you can make a difference in someone's life? Do you know someone who enjoys working with the elderly?
We are currently looking for caring, kind, dependable and personable individuals who desire to provide non-medical, in-home care to the elderly. Tasks typically include:
- Companionship and conversation
- Meal preparation and planning
- Light housekeeping
- General assistance
If you're a warm, enthusiastic and compassionate person with a heart for working with seniors, then the Alzheimer's Care Resource Center could be perfect for you. We offer competitive pay and a personally rewarding work environment where you can truly feel good about what you are doing.
Call Today to Learn How to Get Started! (561) 588-4545
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February 2017 Calendar of Events
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| Click on the Calendar to Enlarge or Print |
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| Click on the Calendar to Enlarge or Print |
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About Us
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The Alzheimer's Care Resource Center, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization,
is the only non-profit organization in Palm Beach, Broward, Martin and St. Lucie county focused strictly on meeting the needs of Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers. We are so excited that we can bring these wonderful programs and services to the community and further our mission of helping caregivers to relax, renew and reach-out to help meet their own unique self-care needs.
You can reach us at
(561) 588-4545
or
Sincerely,
Alzheimer's Care Resource Center |
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