Moderate Dementia

  1. Holi-Daze Made Happier: How to Hang Out With Someone Who Has Dementia

    Blog Post - Advice for interacting with someone who has dementia or Alzheimer's if you're apprehensive as the holidays approach.

  2. Baby Soaps and No-Rinse Soaps Make Bathing Easier

    Tip - If your parent resists bathing, consider using baby soaps and shampoos. They rinse off easier and faster than regular soaps, won't sting the eyes, and are gentle on sensitive, dry skin, which can be part of aging. If this is still too much water contact -- some people with Alzheimer's or dementia are...

  3. 8 People You Need on Your Alzheimer's Care Team

    Article - Which professionals handle dementia? Learning that your parent has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's is unsettling at best, but fortunately many experienced professionals deal with the disease every day and can provide you with information and guidance...

  4. What type of housing is best for Dad, who is an alcoholic and has dementia?

    Question - Older adults with dementia require specialized care. When substance abuse further complicates the situation, very highly trained caregivers are needed. Seniors with these dual diagnoses usually have very compromised judgment and decision-making skills and are at danger to harming themselves...
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  5. Driving and Dementia: You Can’t Leave It Up to Your Loved One to Decide

    Blog Post - The case: A happy driver, an oblivious family

  6. Alzheimer's Symptom: Talks about past and present but doesn't remember recent events (exception: some emotional memories)

  7. Alzheimer's Symptom: Seems more self-absorbed, less interested in family than usual

  8. How should I cope with my mother forgetting what she says?

    Question - It is becoming very apparent to me that my mom has moderate if not severe dementia. It is so hard for me to deal with the dementia that I feel like I am verbally abusing her when we fight. How do people cope with the person never remembering that they say things that are hurtful or constant complaining...

  9. How should we handle a dentist appointment for my father with moderate dementia?

    Question - This is no easy decision. I would recommend that you start by getting a second opinion from another dentist. You should also talk to your father’s doctor. Having ten teeth extracted at one time is traumatic for anybody, but for a 91 year-old it’s usually considered major surgery, requiring general aal anesthesia...
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  10. How do I tell strangers about my parent's Alzheimer's disease?

    Question - Going out in public -- for example, to a restaurant, shopping, or traveling -- can be very difficult. You only need to let people know if you feel it's necessary in the particular situation, and you can do so discreetly.Many Alzheimer's Association chapters have small wallet cards that say something...
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  11. Help Your Parent Find the Bathroom

    Tip - If your parent with dementia can't remember where the bathroom is, draw a picture of a toilet and put it on the bathroom door.

  12. Is it common for Alzheimer's patients to have good and bad days with their memory?

    Question - In early Alzheimer's, your mother may have both good days when she seems like her old self, and bad days when she's very forgetful or confused. As professionals, we don't always know the reasons why. Everybody with Alzheimer's is different. It could be partly because of a medication, but typically, it's the stress of "newness...
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  13. Make Floors Less Confusing to Someone With Alzheimer's

    Tip - Take a closer look at a loved one's floors if he or she has dementia. Any irregularities in floor appearance can be perceived as a change in elevation or depth, making his or her gait unsteady. So consider installing tight-weave, wall-to-wall carpeting in a room that now has varying textures or is...

  14. Limit Clothing Choices for a Parent With Dementia

    Tip - Does your parent's Alzheimer's cause her to sometimes choose inappropriate clothes -- a summer coat in the middle of a snowstorm, or a wild color combination that's atypical of her style? Minimize choices by removing all nonseasonal or seldom-worn items from drawers and closets. Explain, if asked, that missing items are "in storage" or "at the cleaners...

  15. A Dark Bath Mat Makes Tub Less Scary for Some Alzheimer's Patients

    Tip - Some people with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia have trouble with depth perception and see depressions such as the bathtub as terrifying bottomless voids. Using a dark-colored bath mat can help; for the person with dementia, the dark color appears to be a distinct surface or bottom. Make sure, too, to use a rubber no-skid mat to help prevent slipping...

  16. Is it common to have hallucinations with Alzheimer's?

    Question - When people with Alzheimer's disease experience frightening hallucinations, I "fix the problem". Whever it is you take charge and fix it.  I have "killed" snakes, taken rabbits out of their beds and "fixed" whatever the problem is if my "real" answer did not help and they could not be redirecte...
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  17. How can you help calm dementia parent in nursing home?

    Question - Tell the staff you'd like to work with them to put together an intervention plan that will help your mom feel less anxious and upset. Ask the director which staff member you should work with and plan on spending some time at the home for a week or two to get at the root of what's upsetting her.
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  18. What to Do When Someone Shows Signs of Sundown Syndrome

    Article - Sundown Syndrome affects people with dementia and strikes around sunset. Learn how to minimize sundown syndrome agitation.

  19. How can I keep my father, who has dementia, from losing things?

    Question - Look for practical solutions. Creating routine is a big help. Keep certain items like the phone, a message board, and a calendar in plain sight in a central location that everybody uses all the time. Your dad learns where things are by repetition, not by reason.
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  20. If my father with dementia gets into a car accident, am I liable as his power of attorney?

    Question - You have power of attorney over your father. You want to know if you could be liable if you father gets into a vehicle with his van. The answer is no, you cannot be held liable.
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