Care Management Blog
Bathing and Dementia
Bathing brings many discomforts. Bathrooms can feel cold and drafty when a person is wet. And running water can be noisy. Nudity makes bathing very intimate, which can be distressing when a modest person needs help and may not recognize the helper. Plus, bathing is a complicated process with many steps in a specific order.…
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Signature strength: Calm
Many of us admire people who have the gift of remaining calm. Calm as a signature strength is the ability to respond to threats from a place of appropriate confidence. To remain “centered.” It’s not always easy to achieve. Our bodies react to the stresses of modern life—including family caregiving—with the same fight-or-flight hormones that…
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Preparing for a safe return
No one can keep an eye on another person 24/7. Even in the most vigilant household, a loved one with dementia—Alzheimer’s or other memory disorder—may just find a way to slip out the door. After you have set up strategies to reduce the chance of wandering, it is also wise to pave the way for…
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How to discourage wandering
It is natural to fear that a loved one with dementia may wander. Indeed, 60% of people with Alzheimer’s do get restless and head out the door. As a family member, you can’t be watchful every minute. But you can take steps to reduce the chance of wandering. The many triggers for wandering include anxiety,…
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2019 Medicare improvements
Here’s some good news to start the year! In 2019, we’ll see improvements in coverage across the major Medicare plans. About two-thirds of people on Medicare use “original Medicare.” Patients with original Medicare can go to any health care provider that accepts Medicare. Original Medicare pays for 80% of costs after a yearly deductible. The…
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The power of sleep
When your schedule gets tight, is sleep one of the first things to go? According to the experts, that’s all too common. And it makes about as much sense as deciding to do without food, air, or water. Sleep is that essential. Most adults need 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Sleep promotes…
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A new year reflection
After the hubbub of the holidays and in the darkest nights at year’s end, nature seems to beckon us to reflect. Rather than make a resolution about exercise or diet, consider looking at your approach to family caregiving and personal qualities you might nurture to become more resilient in this role. Psychologist Rick Hanson, PhD,…
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Preventing Burnout
Burnout is more than stress. And it isn’t just undesirable. It’s a risky condition. The consequences of burnout include emotional depletion, often leading to depression; reduced resistance to common illnesses, such as colds and flu; increased likelihood of a chronic disease, such as heart disease or diabetes; lack of energy to do what is necessary for…
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Stress or Burnout?
Most of us know it when we’re stressed. We talk about it, and we talk about needing to do something about it…when we have the time. But we might not be aware when we reach the point of burnout. That’s because going numb is the nature of burnout. To be so worn out that you…
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