Try: Encourage cr to continue living as independently as possible educate yourself about memory loss and caregiver resources help cr make legal and financial care decisions for the future nurture your relationship by living in and enjoying the moment try to think of ways to complete tasks as a team remember there will be good days and bad days know that support is available other care partners and families affected by early-stage memory loss can help you and your family try locating a support group in your community or try to find on the internet

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from www alz org early-stage caregiving by staff writer no date

Keywords: Memory loss forgetful forgets routine medication management planning organizing

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

Try: Try to relieve body pressure and improve circulation for example try to change cr’s position at least every two hours to help keep him her mobile try learning how to lift cr correctly try looking on the internet for some instructions on how to properly lift a person without causing injury make sure not to ever lift by pulling on cr cr’s arms or shoulders try to keep cr’s skin clean and dry since skin can tear or bruise easily try to use gentle motions and avoid friction when cleaning wash cr’s skin with mild soap and blot dry try to check cr’s skin daily for rashes sores or breakdowns try to reduce the risk of bedsores for example you might want to use pillows or pads to protect cr’s bony areas such as elbows heels and hips try to maintain cr’s range of motion in his her joints freezing of the joints limb contractures can occur when cr is confined to a chair or bed try doing a search on the internet for some range of motion exercises and how they should be performed

Materials: Mild soap bath towel or soft wash cloth pillows and or soft foam pads

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Personal, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Verbal Communication, So-So Verbal Comm, Poor Verbal Comm, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from www alz org late-stage caregiving by staff writer no date

Keywords: Pressure sores skin chair bound bed bound mobility

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

Try: Try to keep cr’s teeth and mouth clean good oral hygiene reduces the risk of bacteria in the mouth that can lead to pneumonia encourage cr to brush his her teeth after each meal if cr wears dentures encourage cr to remove them and clean them every night also suggest that cr use a soft toothbrush or moistened gauze pad to clean his her gums tongue and other soft mouth tissues encourage cr to clean cuts and scrapes immediately clean cuts with warm soapy water and apply an antibiotic ointment

Materials: Soft toothbrush or moistened gauze

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Mobility, Immobile, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from www alz org late-stage caregiving by staff writer no date

Keywords: Infections virus wellness prevention sick illness

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

Try: Try to look for physical signs for example signs of pain and illness include pale skin tone; flushed skin tone; dry pale gums; mouth sores; vomiting; feverish skin; or swelling of any part of the body try to pay attention to cr’s nonverbal signs for example gestures spoken sounds and facial expressions wincing for example may signal cr is experiencing pain or discomfort try watching for changes in cr’s behavior for example anxiety agitation shouting and sleeping problems can all be signs that cr is in pain

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Mobility, Immobile, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Verbal Communication, So-So Verbal Comm, Poor Verbal Comm, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Unaware

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from www alz org late-stage caregiving by staff writer no date

Keywords: Pain discomfort wincing anxiety agitation shouting sleeping problems

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

Try: Try setting a toileting schedule for example try keeping a written record of when cr goes to the bathroom and when and how much he she eats and drinks this will help you track cr cr’s natural routine and then you can plan a schedule if cr is not able to get to the toilet try using a bedside commode try limiting liquids before bedtime limit liquids at least two hours before bedtime but be sure to provide cr with adequate fluids throughout the day try using incontinence products adult briefs and bed pads at night can serve as a backup to the daytime toileting schedule try to monitor cr’s bowel movements it is not necessary for cr to have a bowel movement every day but if there are three consecutive days without a bowel movement he she may be constipated in such instances it may help to add natural laxatives to cr’s diet such as prunes or fiber-rich foods bran or whole-grain bread

Materials: Pen and paper bedside commode adult briefs diapers bed pads natural laxatives such as prunes or fiber-rich foods bran or whole-grain bread

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Personal, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Verbal Communication, So-So Verbal Comm, Poor Verbal Comm, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from www alz org late-stage caregiving by staff writer no date

Keywords: Toileting incontinence bowel movement bladder constipation fiber intake

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

Try: Make sure cr is in a comfortable upright position to aid digestion try to keep cr upright for 30 minutes after eating try adapting foods if swallowing is a problem for example choose soft foods that cr can chew and swallow easily make liquids thicker by adding cornstarch unflavored gelatin or food thickeners available at pharmacy and health care supply stores to water juice milk broth and soup learn the heimlich in case of an emergency try to encourage cr to feed him herself sometimes a person needs cues to get started if this is the case for cr begin by putting food on a spoon gently putting his her hand on the spoon and guiding it to cr cr’s mouth try serving finger foods if cr has difficulty using utensils assist cr with feeding if needed try to alternate small bites with fluids you may need to remind cr to chew or swallow make sure all food and fluid is swallowed before continuing on with the next bite try to encourage cr to regularly drink fluids such as water or his her favorite juice if cr has a decreased sense of thirst he she may not realize that he she is thirsty so try to encourage cr to drink liquids or to eat foods with high liquid content such as watermelon peaches pears or sherbet try to monitor cr’s weight this is because weight loss may be a sign of inadequate nutrition another illness or medication side effects

Materials: Cornstarch unflavored gelatin or food thickeners available at pharmacy and health care supply stores

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Personal, Mobility, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: References adapted from www alz org late-stage caregiving by staff writer no date

Keywords: Bed bound feeding late stage hospice hydration fluid intake weight loss

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

Try: Construct a fall-proof environment whether the cr lives in his or her own home or with you there are several things you can do to reduce the risk of falling remove clutter throw rugs and low-lying furniture to prevent tripping instal grab bars in the bathroom and other slippery areas to provide additional stability for the cr double-check medications certain prescription medications can make a cr dizzy and thus increase the chance of falling consult wih a pharmacist and check the medications to see if they could increase the risk of falling encourage exercise exercise particularly weight-bearing exercise can increase the cr cr’s coordination strengthen the bones and may help prevent or reduce the negative effects of fall encourage the cr to get his or her eyes and bones checked on a regular basis remedying vision problems and treating osteoporosis can go a long way to protecting the cr from falling

Materials: n/a

Categories: Medical Physical, Personal, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, So-So Vision, Poor Vision

Information: n/a

References: Adapted from www agingcare com

Keywords: Falling fall prevention

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

Try: Suggest that cr dunk breads toast cookies or crackers in milk hot chocolate or tea to soften them suggest that cr take a drink after each bite of food to moisten his her mouth and to help him her swallow try adding broth or sauces to foods to make them softer and moister suggest that cr eat sour candy or fruit ice to help increase saliva and moisten his her mouth

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Taste, So-So Taste, Poor Taste

Information: To the communication for example you are able to see a person person’s anger frustration excitement or lack of comprehension by watching the expression on his or her face try to be attentive show that you are listening and trying to understand what cr is saying use a gentle and relaxed tone of voice as well as friendly facial expressions when talking try to keep your hands away from your face also avoid mumbling or talking with food in your mouth if you smoke don’t talk with a cigarette between your lips try to speak naturally speak distinctly but don’t shout speak at a normal rate — not too fast or too slow use pauses to give cr time to process what you’re saying use short simple and familiar words try to keep it simple give one-step directions ask only one question at a time identify people and things by name avoiding pronouns try to be positive instead of saying don’t do that say let let’s try this if cr doesn’t understand what you said try rephrase rather than repeat what you just said if cr didn’t understand the words the first time it is unlikely he she will understand them a second time try to understand the words and gestures cr is using to communicate adapt to his her way of communicating; don’t force cr to try to understand your way of communicating try to reduce background noise such as from the tv or radio when speaking in addition to making it harder to hear the tv or radio can compete with you for cr cr’s attention try to encourage cr to continue to express his her thoughts even if he she is having difficulty be careful not to interrupt avoid criticizing correcting and arguing try to keep in mind the importance of non-verbal communication the presence touch gestures and attention of you can help to communicate acceptance reassurance and love to cr in all cases treat cr with dignity and respect don’t speak down to him her or speak to others as if he she is a child or isn’t present

References: Adapted from www webmd com alzheimer alzheimer’s disease nutrition by brunilda nazario 2011

Keywords: Dry mouth taste bland

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

Try: Encourage cr to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods from each food group encourage cr to maintain a healthy weight with a good balance of exercise and food try to limit cr from eating foods with high saturated fat and cholesterol try to help cr cut down on sugars try to limit cr from eating foods with high sodium and use less salt try to help cr stay hydrated by drinking water throughout each day

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: To the communication for example you are able to see a person person’s anger frustration excitement or lack of comprehension by watching the expression on his or her face try to be attentive show that you are listening and trying to understand what cr is saying use a gentle and relaxed tone of voice as well as friendly facial expressions when talking try to keep your hands away from your face also avoid mumbling or talking with food in your mouth if you smoke don’t talk with a cigarette between your lips try to speak naturally speak distinctly but don’t shout speak at a normal rate — not too fast or too slow use pauses to give cr time to process what you’re saying use short simple and familiar words try to keep it simple give one-step directions ask only one question at a time identify people and things by name avoiding pronouns try to be positive instead of saying don’t do that say let let’s try this if cr doesn’t understand what you said try rephrase rather than repeat what you just said if cr didn’t understand the words the first time it is unlikely he she will understand them a second time try to understand the words and gestures cr is using to communicate adapt to his her way of communicating; don’t force cr to try to understand your way of communicating try to reduce background noise such as from the tv or radio when speaking in addition to making it harder to hear the tv or radio can compete with you for cr cr’s attention try to encourage cr to continue to express his her thoughts even if he she is having difficulty be careful not to interrupt avoid criticizing correcting and arguing try to keep in mind the importance of non-verbal communication the presence touch gestures and attention of you can help to communicate acceptance reassurance and love to cr in all cases treat cr with dignity and respect don’t speak down to him her or speak to others as if he she is a child or isn’t present

References: Adapted from www webmd com alzheimer alzheimer’s disease nutrition by brunilda nazario 2011

Keywords: Nutrition diet physical well-being fiber intake

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

Try: Check to see if any medicines cr is taking are affecting his her appetite bowel movements or other side effects that can affect cr’s nutrition try looking on the internet for this

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical

Information: Encourage cr to eat plenty of fruits vegetables and whole grains these are great sources of fiber which can help curb constipation suggest that cr drink enough water or other fluids throughout each day encourage cr to stay physically active

References: Adapted from www webmd com alzheimer alzheimer’s disease nutrition by brunilda nazario 2011

Keywords: Constipated constipation bowel hydration nutrition fiber intake

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