Alzheimer’s and
Memory Loss

Must-have traits for every caregiver

From our Care Blog

In the United States, over 65 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving. Even though 29 percent of the U.S. population is providing care, this doesn’t mean that all 29 percent is cut out for the job. Anyone can attest to the joys, rewards and challenges of caring for another but how do you know what characteristics should be present when looking to hire a caregiver for an elderly loved one? Keep the following traits in mind when you’re on the hunt: Companionship A caregiver...

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Another End of the Spectrum

From our Care Blog

My mother in law, Martha, who has Alzheimer’s disease, has been my main focus here; however, today I would like to talk about my foster mother who is 88 years old.  Her name is Jule, short for Julia, and I can still hear my foster dad say, “Now Jule” when they would disagree about something and he felt she had crossed the line.  I guess because this was such a rare event it made an impression on me.  It just occurred to me you might be wondering how I ended up with foster parents.  Well, first let me say these...

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The Mystery of the Observation Status

From our Care Blog

As of today, Martha, my mother in law, has been in the hospital 6 days.  She has received a multitude of tests, IV’s and nurses and doctors have been in and out to see her.  The medical social worker (MSW) visited and told us she could make arrangements for her to be discharged to a Rehabilitation center for physical and occupational therapy; however, the facility wanted $8,000.00 up front.  After the initial shock, where I almost had to resuscitate the rest of the family, we began to ask questions.  Come to find out, Martha has been an observation patient this...

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FirstLight offers unique approach to dementia care

From our Care Blog

As the number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s continues to rise, so does the number of unpaid caregivers. According to a recent article in USA Today, nearly 15 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S. help someone with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Any family member or caregiver can tell you that caring for a person with dementia is not an easy, glamorous job; it’s often filled with stress and exhaustion. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, increasing awareness and education of the disease, and planning for care in the early stages can help relieve much of the stress...

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How Daylight Savings Time Effects Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s Disease

From our Care Blog

It occurred to me as I sat at breakfast with my mother in law, Martha, who suffers with Alzheimer’s disease that she didn’t seem quite herself today.  That may sound strange to some of you but even as an individual is progressing through the dementia stages they do retain certain parts of their personality.  Now, sometimes the subtle changes can occur before an illness such as a urinary tract infection or even dehydration.  So I started this morning with running through the gamut of potential problems.  Beginning with the small things such as the lighting being adequate, is she warm...

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Caregiving Stories from Nurse Gina – Personal stories of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease from the perspective of a Certified Dementia Practitioner

From our Care Blog

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignleft" width="99" caption="In addition to being a Registered Nurse and Certified Dementia Practitioner, Gina Kaurich (above) is also a caregiver of her mother-in-law."][/caption] You would think by now I would be accustom to the depersonalization of the hospital system. After all, I have been a Registered Nurse since 1973 and worked as a candy striper starting in junior high. But I continue to be faced with generalizations when it comes to some of the medical community working with people. It saddens me for those who do not have the knowledge to make decisions, often very tough decisions regarding...

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In the news: FirstLight’s director of client services Gina Kaurich discusses seniors who bully

From our Care Blog

Msnbc.com published an article this week that brought much needed attention to the issue of senior bullying. FirstLight’s director of client services, Gina Kaurich, lent her expertise on the matter. As a previous director of nursing at an assisted living facility she has seen how far senior bullying can go. According to Kaurich, there is a type of caste system among residents in many nursing home facilities that can exacerbate the mistreatment of seniors in the home. There is little research on elderly bullying but senior care experts estimate about 10-20 percent of seniors have experienced some type of aggression...

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Are you physically able to be your parents' caregiver?

From our Care Blog

I stumbled upon an article today on the Maturity Matters blog that raised a very poignant question: Are you physically able to be your parents’ caregiver? With the boomer population rapidly increasing and the desire to age in place greater than ever, it’s no surprise many of us will inevitably start taking care of our parents. As anyone in the home care industry can attest, the job of caregiver is -- albeit filled with love -- also a frustrating, exhausting, emotional, sometimes boring and often lonely experience. What can caregivers do to keep themselves in shape for this kind of...

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What is a PERS?

From our Care Blog

FirstLight franchisee, Michael LaVell, of Clarkston, Mich. discussed the benefits of a personal emergency response system (PERS) with The Eldercompass Blog earlier this week. Here are a few facts to get started: Approximately 12 million individuals currently receive home care from over 33,000 providers in the United States according to the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. As many of our nation’s elderly opt to remain in their home as they age, extra measures need to be taken to ensure their safety and independence. Part of maintaining autonomy is being prepared for unforeseen accidents or emergencies that may occur....

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Alzheimer’s Awareness

From our Care Blog

This Tuesday marks World Alzheimer’s Day. With this important day right around the corner, we wanted to take some time to shed light on the topic. Consider this*: • One in eight Americans aged 65 and older have Alzheimer’s • 172 billion U.S. dollars are spent every year on the disease • There are 10.9 million unpaid Americans acting as caregivers to Alzheimer’s patients • Alzheimer’s was the seventh leading cause of death across all ages in the U.S. in 2006 Although Alzheimer’s affects people differently, some signs to be aware of in your loved one are: memory loss that...

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