Try: Make arrangements with the pharmacy to have cr’s medications filled in bottles with non-child proof lids this will allow cr to open the bottles without applying pressure and twisting this may also help reduce pain assist with medication compliance and prevent complications associated with not taking medications make arrangements with the pharmacy for the medications to be filled in foil packets a k a bubble packs that cr could open with one finger if cr is living in a senior housing community talk to the nursing staff about whether the medications can be bubble packed

Materials: n/a

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Medical Physical, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, So-So Verbal Comm, Poor Verbal Comm, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

Information: Many senior housing communities use an exclusive wholesale pharmacy for resident medications the mediations are delivered to the communities on a regular basis and passed on to the residents by the nursing staff this eliminates the need for each cr to deal with the pharmacy on an individual basis which has the potential to be very problematic keeping all the medications straight taking them as directed prescription renewals phone calls to doctors and so on can be very challenging for many crs

References: n/a

Keywords: Medication management medication compliance pill bottles weakness in hands wrist and fingers manual dexterity

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Try to break more complicated tasks into a few basic steps that are easy to do put the steps in writing and place where it can be easily seen by cr the simpler the better attach a sticky note on each knob or button with the number that corresponds with the proper sequence for example the first button to be pushed would be numbered 1 and so on this way cr can simple follow the numbers to do the laundry in the proper sequence walk through the steps with the cr several times until learned and as often as needed thereafter this same approach can be used with other tasks such as turning on the television changing the channels adjusting the volume using the dvd player listening to music on the boom box and so on

Materials: Sticky notes black sharpie marker

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Maintenance, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Difficulty using home appliances

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: To help alleviate the cr’s stress of not being able to remember what day of the week it is stick one side of the velcro strip to the door of the cr’s bedroom kitchen or some other prominent location put a velcro strip on the back of each laminated day of the week replace the previous day’s sign with the current day’s sign start the cycle for the cr and then work with him or her until it becomes a daily chore and habit the laminated cards with the days of the week can be kept in a file box next to the area where they are displayed encourage the cr to keep the cards in order based on the days of the week the previous day’s card can be placed at the back of the file box and the current day’s card can be pulled from the front

Materials: Velcro strips laminated cards for each day of the week filing box

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Poor memory forgetful cognitive impairment disoriented disorientation reality orientation

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Open up a particular cupboard or drawer to see what items are in it write a description of the items on the large index cards for example glasses plates tupperware and so on tape each index card to the corresponding cupboard or drawer repeat this process until everything in the kitchen is identified and labeled

Materials: Index cards large size black sharpie marker scotch tape

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Maintenance, Medical Physical, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Cooking disoriented confused poor memory

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: On the first page of the photo album type or write my family and friends on the second page left hand side place a picture of a family member or close friend on the third page right hand side type or write who the person is and what his or her relationship is to the cr make sure that you are typing or writing large enough so the cr can read the print continue with this process until you have all of the cr’s family and friends in the photo album you along with other family members and caregivers should encourage cr to look at the photo album several times a day

Materials: Photo album pictures of family members paper

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Poor memory cognitive impairment

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Write reminders on post-it notes and place in high traffic areas to serve as reminders for the cr for example put a post-it note on the bathroom mirror with the cr’s morning routine put a post-it note by the phone with important phone numbers put a post-it note by the alarm clock with the cr’s daily schedule put a post-it note by the television with instructions on how to use it and the remote control

Materials: Post-it notes marker or pen

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Poor memory cognitive impairment scatter brained

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Provide cr with a simple task that he or she can easily do after completion cr may feel good about accomplishing the task praise cr for a job well done when the task has been completed for example fill a dish washer or drainer with dishes ask cr to remove one dish at a time stack with like dishes ask cr to match plastic lids to plastic containers give cr a basket of unsorted socks and ask him or her to pair them up

Materials: Dish washer or dish drainer filled with dishes

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Mad angry lack of focus short attention span

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Try writing things down whenever you have conversations with the cr take notes to create a written record of what you discuss when you visit the cr may then be able to review your notes from previous visits and remember what you discussed encourage the cr cr’s friends and family to send cards and letters rather than call the cr may be able to remember the message when looking at the cards and letters that have been received from friends and family

Materials: Pen and notebook

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Social, Somewhat Aware, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from www care com caring for seniors with alzheimer alzheimer’s disease by staff writer no date

Keywords: Conversations communication memory loss

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Call it a seniors club rather than a day care center avoid making it sound child-like explain to the cr that going to the center will provide both of you with a break from each other explain to the cr that going to the center will provide him or her with an opportunity to be around other people and have fun things to do explain to the cr that the activities at the center may help delay the progression of his or her memory loss suggest that the cr try it out for a few hours a day or a week if the cr likes it you can increase the hours if the cr doesn’t like it try to find out why and see if some changes can be made at the center if not perhaps you can try another center that won’t have the particular issues that cr objects to

Materials: n/a

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Social, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from www care com caring for seniors with alzheimer alzheimer’s disease by staff writer no date

Keywords: Adult day care resistant memory loss respite

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Using the lanyard or wristband will help assure that the keys are always visible and available to the cr encourage the cr to keep keys clipped to a belt or purse encourage the cr to attach the keys to a wristband the noise of the keys and their visibility may help reduce the number of times that they are lost or misplaced put brightly colored key head covers on the cr cr’s keys this will increase their visibility among other objects and make it easier for the cr to see the colored key covers will also help the cr keep multiple keys straight for example green is the house key blue is the car key and so on encourage the cr to use a central location to store the keys when they are not in use for example near the entry door would be convenient and also help remind the cr to drop off the keys there when arriving at home the cr may want to consider putting the keys in a bowl or hang them on a key storage rack near the front door so that they can be easily located

Materials: Lanyard or wrist band brightly colored key head covers

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Maintenance, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, So-So Vision, Poor Vision, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Losing keys misplacing keys unorganized can’t find things can’t remember things memory impairment poor cognitive function

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed