Website Privacy Policy

ElderHonor

Honor - Knowledge - Life

Alzheimer's and Dementia

By

How to Assess Cognitive Decline in Aging Parents

Worried about your aging parent’s memory or behavior? Spotting early signs of cognitive decline can help you take timely action. Cognitive decline includes issues with memory, reasoning, and focus that go beyond normal aging. Early detection is key to maintaining independence and planning for the future.

Key Takeaways:

  • Signs to watch for: Forgetting recent events, repeating questions, struggling with conversations, or having difficulty with familiar tasks like cooking or managing finances.
  • Behavioral changes: Increased irritability, anxiety, or withdrawal from social activities.
  • Home assessment tips: Observe daily routines, use checklists, and note patterns like confusion or memory lapses.
  • Next steps: Consult a doctor for a professional evaluation and prepare a care plan based on their recommendations.
  • Long-term care planning: Discuss future preferences with your parent and involve family members to create a clear plan.

[Read more…] about How to Assess Cognitive Decline in Aging Parents

By

How to Build Emotional Bonds with Dementia Patients

Building emotional connections with dementia patients is about focusing on their feelings, not their memory. Even as cognitive abilities fade, emotional memory often stays intact, allowing you to create meaningful moments through simple actions like a warm smile, gentle touch, or listening with full attention. Here’s how you can make caregiving more fulfilling for both you and your loved one:

  • Understand emotional memory: While facts may be forgotten, feelings linger. Prioritize creating positive emotions over correcting inaccuracies.
  • Validate their emotions: Acknowledge their feelings instead of challenging their reality. For example, if they express worry about a past event, respond to the emotion rather than the details.
  • Use non-verbal communication: Facial expressions, tone of voice, and touch can convey love and reassurance when words fail.
  • Engage their senses: Music from their past, familiar scents, or cherished objects can spark joy and calmness.
  • Share activities: Simple tasks like creating memory boxes, listening to music, or looking through photo albums can strengthen your bond.

[Read more…] about How to Build Emotional Bonds with Dementia Patients

By

How Sensory Tools Help Calm Dementia Patients

Sensory tools can help ease the challenges of dementia by engaging the senses to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and enhance daily life for both patients and caregivers. These tools – like weighted blankets, aromatherapy, music, and tactile activities – offer non-medical ways to create calm and comfort, especially as dementia affects how individuals process sensory input.

  • Why they work: Sensory tools bypass cognitive difficulties, offering grounding experiences through touch, smell, sound, and sight.
  • Examples: Fidget blankets, lavender essential oils, familiar music, and soft lighting.
  • Benefits: Decrease agitation, improve sleep, and support better communication.

Caregivers can select tools based on a person’s preferences and dementia stage, ensuring a safe and personalized approach. Resources like ElderHonor provide guidance, helping families integrate sensory tools into care routines effectively. [Read more…] about How Sensory Tools Help Calm Dementia Patients

By

Best Words and Phrases for Dementia Communication

Communicating with someone who has dementia can be challenging, but the right approach can make a big difference. Dementia affects memory, language, and processing speed, making clear and simple communication essential. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Keep language simple: Use short sentences, familiar words, and focus on one topic at a time.
  • Stay calm and respectful: Use a gentle tone, maintain eye contact, and avoid speaking too quickly.
  • Give extra time to respond: Pause after asking questions and repeat them exactly if needed.
  • Acknowledge feelings: Validate emotions rather than correcting facts to maintain dignity.
  • Use non-verbal cues: Body language, touch, visuals, and music can help bridge communication gaps.

[Read more…] about Best Words and Phrases for Dementia Communication

By

Cognitive Stimulation Activities: Early Dementia

Cognitive stimulation can help slow early dementia progression and improve quality of life. Activities like memory exercises, problem-solving, and social engagement support mental function and emotional well-being. Here’s a breakdown of five key approaches:

  • Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST): Group sessions with structured themes improve memory, mood, and daily function. Requires trained facilitators. Costs vary; access is limited in rural areas.
  • General Cognitive Programs: Flexible activities (e.g., art, gardening) tailored to interests. Improves memory and mood but lacks strict structure.
  • Cognitive Remediation/Training: Focuses on specific skills like attention and memory. Often uses computer-based tools. Results vary by individual.
  • Technology-Assisted Stimulation: Apps and devices offer brain-training games and progress tracking. Convenient but needs tech skills and internet access.
  • Social and Leisure-Based Engagement: Activities like group games and music therapy reduce isolation and improve mood. Best for those who enjoy social settings.

[Read more…] about Cognitive Stimulation Activities: Early Dementia

By

10 Resolutions for Caring for Aging Parents in 2025

As we enter 2025, many of us reflect on our lives and consider New Year’s resolutions that can make a meaningful difference. For those who are caregivers to aging parents, this is also an opportunity to set intentions that enhance the well-being of our loved ones and protect our own physical, emotional, and mental health. Below are 10 actionable resolutions that can help guide caregivers through the year ahead with compassion, resilience, and balance.

1. Prioritize Open Communication

Good communication is at the heart of caregiving. Resolve to foster open, honest, and respectful conversations with your aging parents. Take the time to understand their wishes, fears, and preferences about their health, daily routines, and long-term plans. Active listening can go a long way in building trust and helping them feel involved and empowered in decision-making. It’s the two eyes, two ears, and one mouth rule. Look, listen, and then ask. Respect is key in these conversations.

[Read more…] about 10 Resolutions for Caring for Aging Parents in 2025

By Leave a Comment

Alzheimer’s: Support & Advances in Treatment

“There are only four kinds of people in the world.
Those who have been caregivers.
Those who are currently caregivers.
Those who will be caregivers,
and those who will need a caregiver.”
― Rosalyn Carter
https://rosalynncarter.org

This is the last part in a series to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. In the previous parts, I reviewed who discovered the disease, Alois Alzheimer, in 1906. I then listed several celebrities who died from it and how to care for someone with the disease. In Part Two, I reviewed symptoms and risk factors that increase the probability of getting the disease, followed by some treatments. Part Three again listed some strategies on caring, the influence of nutrition, and a book to read on ways to put into practice talking to and caring for someone with the disease.

In this final part, I will list some resources you can access as a caregiver to help on this journey. I will also list some newer treatments and point you to other ongoing research to look into and keep up to date. So, let’s start.

[Read more…] about Alzheimer’s: Support & Advances in Treatment

By Leave a Comment

Alzheimer’s: Strategies, Nutrition, Book Recommendation

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging, both emotionally and physically. However, with the right approach and support, you can provide comfort, understanding, and maintain their dignity. In this part of raising awareness of the disease, I explore strategies and tips to help you navigate the complexities of caregiving for individuals with Alzheimer’s.

 Here are some suggestions about how to care for someone.

 1. Enhance Communication

 Effective communication is crucial when interacting with someone with Alzheimer’s disease. Here are some tips to enhance communication:

– Maintain eye contact and use a calm and reassuring tone.
– Speak slowly and clearly, giving the person time to process your words.
– Use simple and concise sentences, avoiding complex or abstract concepts.
– Pay attention to non-verbal cues and body language, as they may provide important clues about their feelings or needs.

[Read more…] about Alzheimer’s: Strategies, Nutrition, Book Recommendation

By Leave a Comment

Alzheimer’s: Symptoms, Risk Factors, Treatments

This is the second post to raise awareness during National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. In the first post, I reviewed the types of Alzheimer’s disease, listed some notable celebrities who have died from it, and gave a brief description of how to care for a loved one with the disease.

Some of you know this disease too well, either by directly caring for someone who has it or seeing its effects on others. Either way, it isn’t easy to experience. As mentioned in part one, my wife and I have had two of our parents with the disease, and my hope is to raise awareness of what actually happens to someone who has the condition and what you can do to prepare yourself to provide care for that person or support those that are caring for their loved one.

[Read more…] about Alzheimer’s: Symptoms, Risk Factors, Treatments

By Leave a Comment

Alzheimer’s: History, Celebrities, Caregiving

My Mom had Alzheimer’s disease starting in her late 70’s and progressively worsened until she passed away at 95. As a family we didn’t recognize the disease until it was obvious that something was wrong. This is how many realize that a parent or loved one has the disease. Through the years we discovered what we could and couldn’t do to help Mom and ourselves to work through the disease.

Given that November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, I wanted to provide you with an understanding of what it is and how to love someone through the journey. This is not an attempt to give you detailed information on all aspects of the disease, for that I would recommend the Alzheimer’s Association as the authority. I hope this provides a short introduction.

I’ve broken this up into several sections to be posted over the next several weeks.

[Read more…] about Alzheimer’s: History, Celebrities, Caregiving