Try: As a caregiver it is important to know potential symptoms of a seizure in the Care recipient (cr) the end to a seizure represents a transition from the seizure back to the cr’s normal state this period signifies the recovery period for the brain it may last from seconds to minutes to hours depending on several factors including which part s of the brain were affected by the seizure and whether the cr was on anti-seizure medication possible symptoms that you may observe in the cr after a seizure cognitive symptoms thinking memory loss writing difficulty emotional symptoms confusion depression and sadness fear frustration shame embarrassment physical symptoms bruising difficulty talking injuries sleeping exhaustion headache nausea pain thirst weakness urge to urinate defecate information references adapted from www epilepsy com

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Seizure epilepsy

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

Try: As a caregiver it is important to know potential symptoms of a seizure in the Care recipient (cr) the middle of the seizure may take several different forms for crs who have warnings the aura may simply continue or it may turn into a complex partial seizure or a convulsion for those who do not have a warning the seizure may continue as a complex partial seizure or it may evolve into a convulsion mid-seizure symptoms sensory thought symptoms black out confusion deafness sounds electric shock feeling loss of consciousness loss of smell spacing out out-of-body experience visual loss or blurring emotional symptoms fear panic physical symptoms chewing movements convulsion difficulty talking drooling eyelid fluttering eyes rolling up falling down foot stomping hand waving inability to move incontinence lip smacking making sounds shaking staring stiffening swallowing sweating teeth clenching grinding tongue biting tremors twitching movements breathing difficulty heart racing information references adapted from www epilepsy com

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Seizure epilepsy

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

Try: As a caregiver (cg) it is important to know potential symptoms of a seizure in the Care recipient (cr) a seizure is usually defined as a sudden alteration of behavior due to a temporary change in the electrical functioning of the brain in particular the outside rim of the brain called the cortex the list of symptoms below is designed to help crs and caregivers know and communicate about seizures please note that this is s only a partial list some crs may experience other symptoms not on this list also it is not implied that every cr with seizures will experience every symptom listed below seizures can take on many different forms and seizures affect different people in different ways early seizure symptoms warnings sensory thought symptoms racing thoughts strange feelings thoughts of deja vu emotional symptoms fear panic pleasant feelings physical symptoms impaired sense of smell impaired sense of taste can’t hear very well visual loss or blurring upset stomach tingling feeling dizziness headache lightheadedness nausea numbness information references adapted from www epilepsy com

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Seizure epilepsy

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

Try: Sleep apnea is a medical issue facing some care recipient’s cr during sleep sleep apnea affects the way the cr’s breathes during sleep breathing is briefly interrupted or becomes very shallow during sleep these breathing pauses typically last between 10 to 20 seconds and can occur repeatedly during the night untreated sleep apnea prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep also it can be quite scary for someone else hearing the cr’s labored or irregular breathing when breathing is paused the cr is thrown out of the natural sleep rhythm the causes the cr to spend more time in light sleep and less time in the deep restorative sleep needed for good health chronic sleep deprivation results in daytime sleepiness slow reflexes and poor concentration sleep apnea in a cr can also lead to serious health problems over time including diabetes high blood pressure heart disease stroke and problems with weight however it is possible to control the symptoms and get a healthy amount of sleep information references helpguide org

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Sleep problems snoring sleep apnea

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

Try: Late stage care for crs with alzheimer’s disease or other dementia can be challenging in most cases caregivers have been dealing with physical cognitive and behavioral decline for several years many struggle to make difficult treatment placement and intervention choices for the cr but as the cr’s serious decline becomes more evident it is important to remain involved and committed at the late stages of alzheimer’s disease the cr usually can no longer communicate directly and often is totally dependent for all personal care even in the last stages crs with alzheimer’s disease communicate discomfort and pain pain and suffering cannot be eliminated but as a caregiver you try to comfort the cr managing pain and discomfort requires daily monitoring and reassessment of nonverbal signs communicate observations to family members and health care providers to help determine the cr’s pain situation information references helpguide org

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Late stage care alzheimer alzheimer’s

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

Try: The checklist below may be helpful in assessing the caregiver caregiver’s overall level of health safety and comfort l i am getting out exercising at least once a week i am getting at least seven to nine restful hours of sleep a night i talk with or visit up to three friends or relatives weekly i keep annual medical and dental appointments i am taking only the medications as prescribed to keep up my health my legal and financial papers including wills are in order and available i have checked a new resource regarding caregiving each week i have read and am aware of the caregiver caregiver’s bill of rights __ i am eating three balanced meals a day information references adapted from www acsu buffalo edu "caregiver’s handbook" by the caregiver education and support services seniors counseling and training case management services of the san diego county mental health services no date

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Financial, Legal, Medical Physical, Personal, Social

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Caregiver comfort health well being checklist

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

Try: Caregiving for older care recipient’s cr often involves end of life care end of life care can begin at any moment there is often not a clear start to the process for example in the case of alzheimer’s disease the cr’s doctor likely provided you with information on stages in the diagnosis these will provide general guidelines but nothing is set in stone for other end of life illnesses the following are signs that you may want to talk with the cr about care options have the cr consider options for care in each situation the cr has made multiple trips to the emergency room their condition has been stabilized but the illness continues to progress significantly affecting their quality of life they’ve been admitted to the hospital several times within the last year with the same or worsening symptoms the condition has no positive outlook the cr wishes to remain at home rather than receive treatment in the hospital the cr has decided to stop receiving treatments for their disease the condition is terminal information references helpguide org

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Legal, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: End of life late stage care questions

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

Try: Caregiving for older care recipient’s cr often involves end of life care many cr’s will progressively deteriorate in condition thus they will require an increasing level of care as time passes in the final stages of many terminal illnesses care priorities will change instead of curative measures the focus often changes to care for the relief of pain symptoms and emotional stress ensuring the cr’s final days are as good as they can be requires a lot from the caregiver it is important that the cr is prepared for end of life care also it is important to fully understand late stage care in the final stages of life-limiting illness it can become frustrating that despite your hard work the cr is near death the focus will shift towards comfort and relief depending on the nature of the cr’s condition this final stage period may last from a matter of weeks or months to several years even with years of experience caregivers often find the last stages of life uniquely challenging normal caregiving is overwhelmed with complex end-of-life decisions and painful feelings end-of-life caregiving requires support for the caregiver reach out to family friends and healthcare providers information references helpguide org

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical, Spiritual

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: End of life late stage care relief

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

Try: In the midst of losses such as physical changes death of friends or loved ones and reduction of income older people may begin showing signs of depression some things to look for are inability to concentrate or make decisions lack of feelings of enjoyment or enthusiasm even for doing those things that were favorites little interest in eating causing weight loss or changes in eating habits overeating causing weight gain lack of interest in being with other people or loss of sex drive libido feeling unwanted and worthless sometimes leading to the thought that life is not worth living sadness or crying spells for no apparent reason problems with sleeping sleeplessness during the night or excessive sleep during most of the day feeling tired most of the time regardless of adequate rest if older people brood about their unhappiness much of their energy is focused on worry part of that worry may relate to the fear that they will become forgetful and unable to manage their affairs this worry can lead down the path to more depression which may cause physical problems exploring the cause of depression the following questions should be asked # is there a physical or medical problem causing the depression # have there been changes in hearing seeing moving or other body functions # what social contact does the carereceiver have # what are the opportunities for usefulness # what kind of personal losses death of friends relatives or pets have there been # is the older person getting proper nutrition # what kind of mental stimulation is the person getting # has there been a difficult adjustment following retirement # is the focus entirely on the past or is there some enthusiasm about coming events # is there a possibility of reaction to medications # is there a dependency on alcohol or drugs once these questions have been answered steps can be taken to relieve the depression it will take some work from both the caregiver and the carereceiver to change habits and routines prolonged depression causes biochemical changes in the brain usually requiring treatment with medication the doctor is a good person the contact to find help for treatment of depression other resources are county mental health centers psychologists counselors or clergy information references "caregiver’s handbook" by the caregiver education and support services seniors counseling and training case management services of the san diego county mental health services no date available at www acsu buffalo edu

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical, Personal, Social

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Depression depressed emotions feelings mental health mental illness anxiety

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

Try: The checklist below may be helpful in assessing the care recipient recipient’s overall level of health safety and comfort all legal and financial matters are in order and available physical and dental appointments are kept annually or more often if needed the home environment is clean safe and pleasant nutritional needs exercise sleep and social activities are maximized to the degree possible personal hygiene and grooming are done daily respite services have been utilized monthly weekly __ level of care is reviewed monthly to ensure carereceiver is able to remain in the home information references adapted from www acsu bullalo edu "caregiver’s handbook" by the caregiver education and support services seniors counseling and training case management services of the san diego county mental health services no date

Materials: n/a

Categories: Emotional Psychological, Financial, Legal, Medical Physical, Personal

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Care care recipient safety medication comfort health well being checklist

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