Incorporating heart healthy foods into your diet is always a good idea, but when you have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, eating heart-healthy is especially important. As dementia progresses, appetite can decrease, which can be challenging when planning meals. Food needs to be nutrient-dense AND appeal to an increasingly
Originally published in the Daily Herald, 1/4/17 “If you start to notice things that make you worry about your aging loved one’s safety, it is probably time to consider taking some steps toward protecting them,” said Jessica Akaah, Senior Vice President of Operations for Autumn Leaves Memory Care which has
It’s very common for people with Alzheimer’s to have anxiety or feel agitated in the late afternoon or early evening. It’s called “sundowning” or sundowner’s syndrome, and it affects an estimated 20 percent of people with Alzheimer’s. Here are some tips to soothe your loved one as the sun begins
The holidays can be a challenging time of year for families living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. With some planning, adjusted expectations, and the tips below, your celebrations can still be happy, memorable occasions: Be good to yourself. Consider inviting just a few guests for a simple meal.
Bart joined the Glen Ellyn community in April of last year. Since then, his wife Diane has become a huge part of the Glen Ellyn family. Diane knows she needn’t reach out to management or nursing with a question about his care; she goes straight to the people who spend
The Alzheimer’s Association suggests these questions to help you decide whether it’s time to consider an assisted living memory care community for your loved one: 1. Is the person with dementia becoming unsafe in his or her current home? 2. Is the health of the person with dementia or my
Many people head out to the malls on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. But here’s an alternative that won’t cost you anything, and could create treasured memories: spend a few hours that day sharing family stories. November is Family Stories Month. And on the day after Thanksgiving, an organization
Many adult children must ask themselves the difficult question, “Should my mom still be driving?” For some, after a quick observation the answer can be obvious. For most individuals, a much more thorough analysis and a medical opinion need to be taken into consideration before making this important decision. An
Forgotten, but not gone. Has your loved one reached the point where he or she no longer recognizes you? It’s a deeply upsetting milestone and a heartache to bear. Sometimes family members wonder whether their visits are meaningful, if a spouse or parent no longer recognizes them. Do they see
Providing good nutrition can pose a challenge when your loved one has Alzheimer’s or dementia. Even when you prepare appealing, nutritious meals, you may find it difficult to entice your loved one to eat enough food — or the right foods. As cognitive function declines, appetite often diminishes as well.
Your kids may sense it–if they don’t know already–because they are a lot more intuitive than we sometimes give them credit for. If a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, you need to be honest with your children and help them to understand the best ways to deal with the situation.
As the weather continues to warm up, you may be reorganizing your closet–putting away the heavy sweaters and winter coats and bringing out the swimsuits and lighter clothes for summer. You may want to do that for your loved one with memory impairment, too. Alzheimer’s and dementia affect judgement, and
Guest author: Clair Jameson, Director Of Life Engagement As human beings, we are defined by the roles that we hold: father, mother, son, daughter and friend, not to mention the professional and societal roles we hold during a lifetime. Over the course of our lives, those roles change, transform and
The Music Discovery process actually begins long before Music Is Our Weapon™ (MIOW) walks through the doors of Autumn Leaves, in the form of a questionnaire for the family members of the resident. What kind of music did your husband like? What song did Mom dance to at her wedding?
The enormous success of last year’s Oscar-winning motion picture, Still Alice, gave much needed exposure to Alzheimer’s, a devastating disease that cannot be cured at this time. Another independent film, His Neighbor Phil, also takes on this topic, taking a closer look at how deeply Alzheimer’s affects everyone in its orbit. Families, friends,
We all know that getting a good night’s sleep is essential for our health, but for many living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, changes in sleep behavior are part of the new normal. Frequent daytime napping and restlessness in the evening are all results of the sleep/wake cycle getting out
From a happy song that evokes a smile to a familiar tune that awakens something deep from within, we’ve all experienced the power of music at Autumn Leaves. It’s hard to contain your happiness when you witness a resident go from a state of agitation or non-responsiveness to one of
Too many people, Mr. Jensen thought as hurried crowds waxed and waned throughout the airport like droves of misguided birds. Where am I anyway? And where exactly are we going? Nicole Gasaway, Regional Director of Sales & Marketing for the Southeast and Julia Zoss, Director of Healthcare at Autumn Leaves
Memory loss may make you feel as if the person you’ve loved for many years is no longer here, or as if the love is no longer alive. There’s no denying that it’s a heartbreaking situation, says Jolene Brackey, author of Creating Moments of Joy for the Person with Alzheimer’s
One of the best parts about visiting Autumn Leaves of Denton is catching up with their vibrant community of residents. Denton’s passion for arts, music, and creativity is perfectly reflected in the folks who call Autumn Leaves of Denton home, and no better example of this joie de vivre can
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