Ask NAN blog
Teachings and tips for family caregivers navigating the needs of their aging loved one.
Have a question that’s not answered? Submit your question for us to consider including in the Ask NAN blog.
Servicio Privado y Cuidado de Acompañantes
Los servicios de “cuidado privado” y “cuidado de acompañante” tienen como objetivo ayudar a su ser querido a realizar de manera segura las actividades cotidianas, como el cuidado personal, la preparación de comidas, la limpieza de la casa y ofrecerle compañía. Estos servicios también pueden ofrecer un descanso a los cuidadores, que pueden aprovechar el tiempo para estar solos. A continuación, se incluye una lista de empresas locales recomendadas de cuidado privado y de acompañante que pueden resultarle útiles en su camino como cuidador.
Afrontar el Duelo de Cuidar a un Familiar
Es habitual que los cuidadores familiares que asisten a un ser querido con la enfermedad de Alzheimer experimenten un profundo sentimiento de duelo por todo aquello que se pierde a causa de esta enfermedad. El interés en actividades que anteriormente nos resultaban gratificantes y placenteras disminuye o deja de ser placentero. Esto suele observarse en la depresión, pero también puede atribuirse a una pérdida profunda. A continuación, le indicamos cómo afrontarlo.
Facing the Grief of Caregiving
It is common for family caregivers helping a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease to feel a profound sense of grief for all that is lost to this disease. Loss of interest in activities we previously found rewarding and enjoyable are lessened or no longer enjoyable. This is often seen in depression but can also be attributed to a profound loss. Here’s how to cope.
Adult Day Centers
“Adult Day” centers are intended to help provide care and companionship for your loved one who needs assistance or supervision throughout the day. Adult Day can provide valuable respite to caregivers while encouraging socialization and engagement for your loved one. Here is a list of local adult day centers that might be useful in your caregiving journey.
Private Duty and Companion Care
“Private Duty Care” and “Companion Care” are services intended to help your loved one to safely get through day-to-day activities such as personal care, preparing meals, housecleaning, and offering companionship. These services can also offer a break for caregivers, who can use the time to be on their own. Here is a list of recommended local private duty and companion care companies that might be useful in your caregiving journey.
If Your Loved One Wanders
While having your loved one wandering around the house might be challenging to you as a caregiver, it’s not necessarily unsafe. However, some wandering can be dangerous, including going into areas of the house such as stairwells, decks, hot tubs, or swimming pools. Also dangerous is your loved one leaving the house, yard, or property alone. To address the challenges of your loved one wandering, you can try some of these tactics.
¿Mi ser querido está deprimido?
A medida que la enfermedad de Alzheimer cambia la capacidad de un individuo para recordar y pensar, también puede cambiar la capacidad de controlar las emociones. Hasta el 40 por ciento de las personas que padecen la enfermedad de Alzheimer también sufrirán una depresión significativa. Dado que es posible que su ser querido no pueda expresar sus sentimientos, es posible que se recurra a los cuidadores familiares para que le ayuden a identificar los síntomas de la depresión. La Escala de Cornell para la depresión en la demencia puede ayudar en esta situación.
Comprender el aferramiento y la sombra
For caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD), clinging and shadowing behaviors happen more often than not over the course of a day. Being followed everywhere and being repeatedly interrupted when trying to complete a task is a common source of frustration for many caregivers of loved ones with ADRD.
El atardecer y cómo gestionarlo
El síndrome del ocaso (*sundowning*) es un estado de mayor agitación, actividad y conductas negativas que se manifiesta al final del día y durante las horas de la tarde-noche. Cuando se presenta este síndrome, la persona puede volverse exigente, suspicaz, irritable o desorientada, ver u oír cosas que no existen y creer cosas que no son ciertas; asimismo, puede caminar de un lado a otro o deambular por la casa mientras los demás duermen. A continuación, se ofrecen algunos consejos para intentar reducir la aparición de este síndrome y mitigar sus efectos cuando se produce.
Ideas de actividades para seres queridos con baja visión
Existen dos razones principales por las que su ser querido podría estar experimentando dificultades visuales. En primer lugar, todas las personas experimentan cambios en su visión a medida que envejecen. Las cataratas son la afección más común y provocan una «visión nublada», acompañada de una lenta disminución en la capacidad visual de la persona. En segundo lugar, es probable que nuestros seres queridos que padecen la enfermedad de Alzheimer o trastornos relacionados (ADRD) carezcan de la capacidad para comprender lo que ven o para recordar la función de un objeto en particular. Dadas estas circunstancias, adaptar actividades placenteras para su ser querido con visión reducida podría requerir un proceso de prueba y error hasta dar con la opción más adecuada.
Sundowning and How To Manage It
Sundowning is a state of increased agitation, activity and negative behaviors which happen late in the day through the evening hours. When sundowning, the person may become demanding, suspicious, upset, or disoriented, see or hear things that are not there, and believe things that are not true. They may pace or wander around the house while others are sleeping. Here are some tips for potentially reducing the occurrence of sundowning and softening its effects when it does happen.
Activity Ideas for Loved Ones with Low Vision
There are two main reasons your loved one may be having trouble with vision. First, everyone has changes in their vision as they get older. Cataracts are the most common affliction and lead to “cloudy vision” with a slow reduction in people’s ability to see. Secondly, our loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders (ADRD) are likely to lack the ability to understand what they see or remember what a particular item is used for. Given these changes, customizing enjoyable activities for your loved one with low vision abilities might take some trial and error to find the right fit.
Sleep Disturbance in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders
People with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD) often have problems with sleeping or may experience changes in their sleep schedule. Scientists do not completely understand why these sleep disturbances occur, but as with changes in memory and behavior, the impact of disease on the brain can result in changes in sleep.
Understanding Clinging and Shadowing
Para los cuidadores de personas con enfermedad de Alzheimer y trastornos relacionados (ADRD), las conductas de apego y de «sombra» ocurren, en la mayoría de los casos, a lo largo del día. Ser seguido a todas partes y ser interrumpido repetidamente al intentar completar una tarea constituye una fuente común de frustración para muchos cuidadores de seres queridos con ADRD.
Is My Loved One Depressed?
As Alzheimer's disease changes an individual's ability to remember and think, it can also change the ability to control emotion. Up to 40 percent of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease will also suffer from significant depression. Since your loved one may be unable to articulate their feelings, family caregivers may be called on to help identify symptoms of depression. The Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia can help in this situation.
Prepárese: Preparación para Huracanes
Los meses de junio, julio y agosto significan calor, humedad —¡y huracanes!—, y conllevan riesgos potenciales. Pero, como siempre decía tu madre: «Más vale prevenir...»
Cómo Mantenerse Hidratado
Aproximadamente el 60% de tu cuerpo está compuesto de agua. Todos los sistemas de tu cuerpo dependen del agua para funcionar correctamente. La falta de agua en el cuerpo puede reducir tu energía, hacerte sentir cansado y mareado, y perjudicar la función renal. Aquí te explicamos cómo mantenerte hidratado.
Staying Safe in the Sunshine
When you live in a place as beautiful as Florida, being outdoors is appealing. It is the Sunshine state after all. But as usual…too much of a good thing can be bad for us. And the sun is no exception. The risk of developing skin cancer is directly related to sun exposure over the years.
Get Ready: Hurricane Preparedness
The months of June, July and August mean months of heat, humidity -- and hurricanes! -- and present potential risks. But as your mother always said, “An ounce of prevention…”
Beating the Heat
As summer temperatures climb into the 90s, older people are in danger of conditions caused by extreme heat, such as dehydration and hyperthermia, which can lead to heat exhaustion and its most serious form, heat stroke.
Start your journey with NAN
Schedule a consultation to discuss the needs of your aging loved one.