We tend to associate Alzheimer’s with age and with this an emphasis on keeping the person safe and warm. In the heat of summer it’s easy to forget that some simple measures can help bed ridden patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia sta...

Apathy is the most common behavioral problem in dementia and affects between 60 to 80 percent of sufferers (dementia refers to a group of symptoms that accompany certain diseases or conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease). Apathy describes the absence ...

This month is Mental Health Month so I thought it would be good to look at drugs used to treat agitation and psychosis, what you should expect from this type of medication and when you need to get more help. Agitation is seen in about 60 to 80 percen...

When people with Alzheimer’s have regular or severe periods of agitation it can put unbearable strain on already stressed family relationships. Agitation is very common in people with dementia. Sixty to 80 percent of people with Alzheimer’swill exper...

Depression is the second most common psychiatric problem in people with a dementia such as Alzheimer’s (first place goes to agitation and psychosis). Diagnosing symptoms of depression in someone with Alzheimer’s can be difficult. People with limited ...

When people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, they not only have to face living with the illness itself, they often begin to consider their death. Both they and their family may wonder how they will die and start to ask health care workers for ...

All long term healthcare facilities ask the next of kin whether or not to resuscitate in the form of a Do Not Resucitate (DNR) order in case the decision needs to be made. When considering a DNR order in the end stage of Alzheimer’s disease it is imp...

Emotional distress can manifest itself through fear, anger, embarrassment, hostility, panic or despair. If it is not acknowledged and acted on, it can cause deep anxiety and depression. Research into understanding emotional distress in people with Al...

1. Prevent skin breakdown and pressure sores Frequent changes of position are essential to prevent bed sores. Bed sores are easier to get than to get rid of Move the person every two hours if possible alternating from right side to left side then on ...

How do caregivers take over the administration of estates and care for people who seem unable to look after themselves and their financial affairs? In this Sharepost I look at how Alzheimer’s can affect judgement, their capacity to make decisions and ...