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Diseases without Cures

Does the term, "incurable diseases," conjure up the frightening image of your doctor telling you or a loved one that you have only a few years or months to live? There are actually several different outcomes for those who are diagnosed with a disease without a cure. While it is true that many incurable diseases are often terminal, that is not true of all of them. There are many incurable conditions that the patient will live with for their entire life but will still allow them to enjoy the longevity of healthy individuals. Here's what you need to know about the distinctions between terminal and incurable diseases, as well as the treatment protocol for each. Terminal Illnesses As mentioned above, terminal illnesses cannot be cured. In most cases, they are likely to result in death within…

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San Diego Memory Care and the Seven Stages of Dementia

Understanding the symptoms associated with the various stages of dementia will help you make the decision about the right time to seek San Diego memory care for your loved one. Early on, it is easy to miss the signs of dementia, especially when the person lives alone. People often refer to the “early stages of dementia” or, later on, to more “advanced stages,” during which symptoms become more apparent. In fact, there are seven distinct stages, which are based on the symptoms experienced at any point in the progression of the disease. Doctors often use the Reisberg Scale, often called the GDS, to separate the seven stages of the disease. Although this scale includes multiple stages within the categories of “No Dementia” and “Mid-Stage Dementia”, it further separates the symptoms for a more accurate diagnosis. This…

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Nine Top Risk Factors for Dementia

Dementia is a broad term that refers to overall cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's disease. There are many risk factors that can increase a person's likelihood of developing the condition later in life. It is important to note that risk factors are not causes; just because you have one or more risk factors does not necessarily mean that you will develop dementia. It merely means that your chances of developing the condition are higher than those of someone who doesn't exhibit any risk factors. Some risk factors are within your control, while others are not.  Nine Top Risk Factors for Dementia Age  Age is the strongest risk factor for dementia. Although it is possible to develop dementia at a younger age, the vast majority of cases occur in individuals aged 65 or over. In fact, once you…

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Memory Care or Assisted Living? Making the Best Choice for Mom or Dad

Senior care facilities come in many types, such as memory care and assisted living, and choosing the best community for your mother or father can be confusing. Rule of thumb is that the right place will help keep your parent safe, while also maximizing his or her independence. To make this decision, you need to know details about your parent’s condition and needs, as well as understand the definitions of the types of care facilities available. Let’s break down these issues with a basic Q & A.  What is Assisted Living? The primary definition of assisted living is a long-term senior care option that offers supportive aid, health services, and housing. Essential services often include transportation, medical management, and 24-hour emergency care. Mom or Dad will be able to ask the staff for assistance with daily…

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AMATE ART PLACEMATS

November is Native American Heritage month and in the art class we made “Amate” paintings. Amate is paper that is handmade by the Otomi Indians of Mexico out of natural tree bark. However, in lieu of the real thing, we made ours out of up-cycled brown paper bags. We then used patterns similar to those found in Mexican folk art. They came out so nice, Johanna, the manager, suggested using them as place mats so names were added. Johanna’s son, grandkids, and grandnieces joined in on the fun! For residents who needed more help, a young person paired up with them and they painted together. Others mostly just needed encouragement A sampling of their finished art on one of the tables where they have their meals. Looking good! Thanks for reading. At Lakeside Manor we are committed…

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Alzheimer’s Dementia Care | 5 important Safety Precautions

Alzheimer’s is a complex disease that demands, among other things, dramatic changes in a patient’s surroundings. Alzheimer's dementia care involves important safety precautions that should be addressed right away. Before we can give attention to treatments and therapies, we initially want to be sure that our loved ones are safe. It can be difficult to create a dementia-proof living situation at home. The cost, time and knowledge required to incorporate necessary safety precautions in the face of Alzheimer’s are overwhelming. Most homes, as well as homes’ surroundings, simply have too many pitfalls. Even the biggest budgets, hired design experts and best of intentions can fall short. In many cases, dementia’s safety requirements can best be met by the attention of a dedicated, alert, full-time, around the clock staff, along with a tenet of tried and true procedures…

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Is it Alzeihmer’s or Dementia?

Actually it's called Dementia of the Alzheimer's type. 'Dementia' is an umbrella term,  Alzheimer's being the most prevalent type of dementia.  The two most common types of dementia are Alzheimer's Disease (apprx. 65%) and vascular dementia or those incidents caused by loss of blood to or in the brain - more commonly called strokes.  There are also TIA's - trans ischemic attacks or mini-strokes. Dementias are characterized by loss of memory especially short-term, loss of thinking skills including reasoning and judgement, confusion regarding time and place orientation, inability to conduct task sequencing such as cooking and a demise of feeling good about one's self or well-being.  There may also be aphasia;  a loss of the comprehension and expression of language caused by dysfunction in the brain. Next we'll get in to some more of the terminology…

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Memory Care – What’s it all about?

Memory Care refers to addressing the loss of memory and confusion of residents (at Lakeside Manor they are residents - not patients)  by the caregivers who are trained specifically in this type of care.  The loss of memory is frustrating and can contribute to anxiety, mistrust, fear and anger. The trained caregiver is fully aware of what is happening: - repetitive questions of the same wording; - confusion about time and place orientation - "where am I?" - requests for something has just happened - to do it again - and again; - wanting to talk to folks from their past who are no longer around; and, - with little comprehension that they have a loss of memory. The best ways to address this are: - stop what you're doing and listen to the resident; -…

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Alzehimer’s Myth

Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging. Reality: As people age, it's normal to have occasional memory problems, such as forgetting the name of a person you've recently met. However, Alzheimer's is more than occasional memory loss. It's a disease that causes brain cells to malfunction and ultimately die. When this happens, an individual may forget the name of a longtime friend or what roads to take to return to a home they've lived in for decades.

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Severe Alzheimer’s

In late-stage Alzheimer's, you may no longer be aware of where you are or remember your life history. Your physical abilities are also affected, and you may not be able to carry out simple tasks. You may: *Be unable to speak more than a half dozen words *Need help walking and later be unable to sit up, smile, or hold up your head *Have trouble controlling your bowels or bladder *Wander and get lost *Know familiar faces but have trouble remembering their names *Have more personality changes *Have habits like wringing your hands or shredding tissues

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