Dementia ... dementia ... dementia

Hello everyone,
I've been immersing myself in dementia again recently ~ people who are living with dementia, carers, families, watching inspiring videos, listening to speakers, attending workshops, reading up on the latest research, not forgetting coconut oil. If you've ever read 'Daughters in Distress' my lighthearted blog for random posts, you'll know I'm a great fan of making lists, lists of anything and everything, even lists of lists. So, it makes sense for me to compile a list of tips for carers who are caring for someone who has dementia.

The list is based on conversations, questionnaire responses and ideas from the general public, market research, university studies ~ memory, reminiscence and general common sense and will be posted here and on www.dementiaworkshop.co.uk later today.

People with dementia can often be unaware that the nature of the disease causes them to become increasingly dependent. Carers, not surprisingly, can become overwhelmed. 'Between a rock and a hard place' is how one carer described her situation. Take a look at this interesting video ~ it's a project undertaken by a carer and a newsreader ~ and seems to explain a lot of things ... about living with dementia:

Now where was I? ...
Oh yes, off to do the list
Gillian

Bullying ... copy, print, cut, stick ...

Note to young people ... via parents ...

Top Tip

Copy image. Print on paper. Cut out. Stick on fridge door, every computer, 

by the phone, on the back of the loo door, biscuit box lid, in fact anywhere ...

Oh and you can always read it out loud to your children. 

Image courtesy of Beat Bullying: http://www.beatbullying.org 

a great site for lots of answers to support young people and parents who 

are concerned about bullying. 

Armchair brain training ...

If your brain is a muscle, then it makes sense to exercise it.
I love Lumosity for waking me up and making sure I'm alert.
Have a read of this and a free go on Lumosity - arm-chair
exercising for your brain ...

Make Your Brain "More Efficient" with Lumosity

Whatever you choose to do, you can do it better with a brain that's "more efficient at processing information." A new study published in Brain Impairment suggests that Lumosity can help people with mild cognitive impairment accomplish that. Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia found that training with Lumosity improved cognition in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The study, conducted by clinical psychologist Maurice Finn, involved 16 participants who completed 30 Lumosity training sessions over 8-10 weeks. Another group of participants served as controls and received treatment without cognitive training. Patients were assessed with Rapid Visual Presentation, a visual attention test from the Cambridge Automated Neuropyschological Test Battery (CANTAB). Finn's evaluation of the results was promising: "The results were very positive, with all participants recording significant improvements on all tasks they practiced during the training," said Finn. "Importantly, the training also resulted in improvements on a task that participants had not practiced. This is important as it means the brain has become more efficient at processing information." Mild cognitive impairment, which is associated with an increased risk of dementia, creates difficulties with recall, information processing, and planning. MCI is diagnosed when cognitive changes are more severe than expected in the normal course of aging. These results are preliminary, and more research needs to be conducted to determine the full potential for using cognitive training as a treatment for mild cognitive impairment. This is a particularly encouraging result because researchers had previously questioned whether cognition could be improved in patients with MCI. Lumosity continues researching all the positive outcomes of training. Why not try out all 40+ games today and experience the results for yourself? Check out Lumosity for brain training. http://www.lumosity.com/landing_pages/380?gclid=CJH_qJHH9bkCFcaWtAodwxMAWQ

Awkward moments when visiting relatives ...

Chatting to elderly grandparents, great grandparents or relatives with dementia may sometimes present awkward or silent moments.

Help initiate conversations ~ trigger memories and prompt recollections ~ help grand-children chat to great-grandparents ... enjoy special moments together:

Time to Chat ~ Memory Prompts for Conversation
People, Pets, Places, World War II, Familiar Faces and more at:
www.dementiaworkshop.co.uk

* Ideal for hospital volunteer visitors.
* Ideal for carers in residential care and dementia homes.
* Ideal for domiciliary care.
* Ideal for support teams in day centres.
* Ideal for gifts.

Carers' Centres nationwide ...

Whilst tidying up my computer files, I came across a magazine article which I may have forgotten to share with you ... but more importantly it reminded me of some requests that people often ask me. When I'm out and about, taking Dementia Workshop products to exhibitions, vintage fairs, health and care shows etc., people often ask for advice, or where they can access advice and support. The article below is printed in Blackpool Carers Centre; 'Caring Times' which is full of advice and published quarterly.
http://www.blackpoolcarers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Caring-Times-Spring-13-email.pdf

Of course, there's lots of advice about pretty much everything on the internet, but real person-to-person support can be found at carer centres nationwide.

Click on the link below, to see Carers Trust carer centres across the UK. So if you need help, support or advice for yourself or for the person you are caring for, get in touch with a carers centre near you:

http://www.carers.org/carers-services/find-your-local-service

Gillian

Happy Puppy Days ... Health benefits ...

 The benefits of owning a pet ...

Meet nine week old Lily, Coco, Jessie, Annie or Lola ... ?

Whilst the family continue to debate puppy's name, the springer spaniel is getting to know her way around the house, finding things to have a chew at and barking at the cat. 

She's been with us one day and brought so much love, it's impossible to measure.

If you are a carer, some residents may benefit from stroking, patting or admiring a pet.

Is there a relative, friend or neighbour who could visit with a dog or cat?

Dr. Oz Reveals 

Why Pets Really Improve Your Health

Having an animal in your home is great for your heart and your waistline,
your immunity, your blood vessels....

By Dr. Mehmet Oz

Check out Oprah Winfrey's website: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Pets-and-Health-Benefits-Why-Keeping-A-Pet-is-Good-For-You for the whole of this amazing information about the health benefits of owning or looking after a pet:

'If you've ever loved a pet, you know the kind of joy animals can bring. But I'm especially excited about the mounting evidence that they can improve our physical well-being, too. (Former president of the Mayo Clinic staff, Edward Creagan, MD, is so convinced of the healing powers of pets, he has literally prescribed them for a third of his cancer patients.) Here's a look at how your health might benefit from an animal companion.'

Lower Blood Pressure. 
The simple act of petting an animal—or even gazing at an aquarium—results in a drop in blood pressure. And pets can have a longer-term impact on the cardiovascular system, too, as researchers discovered when they tracked 24 hypertensive stockbrokers who adopted a cat or dog. Pet ownership blunted the blood pressure response to mental stress; the traditionally prescribed hypertension drug did not.

A Stronger Heart. 
Researchers who followed 369 heart attack survivors in the landmark Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial found that dog owners had only a 1 percent chance of dying within a year, compared with a 7 percent chance for subjects who didn't have a dog. A newer study, from 2009, found that people who had owned a cat at some point in their lives were 37 percent less likely to die of a heart attack than those who hadn't. 

Greater Calm for Alzheimer's Patients 
And for their families. Much of the burden of this disease (which afflicts one in eight people 65 and older) falls on patients' relatives, and I've seen it crush the spirit of even the most loving caretakers. But studies have revealed that Alzheimer's patients have fewer anxious outbursts if an animal is present, and research shows that caregivers can feel less burdened as well, especially if the animal is a cat (perhaps because cats require little additional care). 

A study published in the Western Journal of Nursing Research found that even pet fish can help by facilitating healthy weight gain among Alzheimer's patients, who often suffer from a lack of adequate nutrition. In the presence of an aquarium, patients who paced tended to sit still longer, while patients who were typically lethargic became more attentive. Both effects led to better eating at mealtimes. 

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Pets-and-Health-Benefits-Why-Keeping-A-Pet-is-Good-For-You/2#ixzz2g2kucmBg

Remember, owning a pet is a long-term physical and financial commitment. 
If you are considering having a pet to care for, think about the type of pet which would most suit you, your family, your location, mobility and wallet or purse!
Be aware of possible vet bills and take advice on pet insurance.

Gillian.

Finding the Happy You ...

Good Morning everyone. I'm looking through the window, the sky is clear and bright. The trees are waving in the gentle breeze that's inviting me to go for a healthy walk. I've decided to eat healthily today, do some work, visit a friend and chill out.

If every day began and operated like that, life would be a piece of cake [or maybe a rosy apple]. Do you ever wake up and dread the day, your first thoughts being the heavy weight of tasks ahead, complicated work-load you're facing or the responsibility of looking after a loved one who needs constant care? If I'm totally honest, I sometimes do. Don't get me wrong, I love my work and I like to be busy all the time and I care for my mother on a daily basis but I can sometimes be guilty of taking too much on, burning the candle deep into the night and feeling tired the next day.

As always, I'm researching for my work for carers, student support and people living with dementia. I decided to make myself a list of priority points to consider when I wake up and feel overloaded. So, here it is, just in case the sun isn't shining, the breeze is gale force and you fancy a cake for breakfast:

A list of my feel-good favourites for difficult mornings:

On waking, take a few moments to stretch out slowly. Arms above your head, just make yourself as long as you can. Repeat this a few times and relax in between.

Draw some deep in-breaths and release slowly.

Take a long look at the weather and embrace it - even if it's raining.
[I find this distracts me from the duties ahead and clears my head a little]

Drink a large glass of water before you prepare for the day - feeling better already.

Have a longer shower than normal - use extra soapy, bubbly or favourite fragrant bath/shower products.
Guys - choose something zingy to stir the senses.

Whilst you're in the shower/bath/leaning against the sink - choose one enjoyable ME thing to do during the day. It doesn't have to take up lots of your time - it could be making a plan to meet up with old friends. Do something unusual [pop into a library or museum, intriguing shop, park] - or normal - get a haircut.

Choose one of your favourite outfits or cool piece of clothing to wear - even to work.

Eat a really healthy breakfast - this will make you feel quite smug - it's early and you've already by made the right choices. Include a yoghurt and piece of dark chocolate if you can. Apparently chocolate is an anti-oxidant and yogurt kills off bad bacteria and helps your stomach stay quiet during the day.

Choose the 3 most important tasks that need to be achieved that day.

Select the most important of the 3 tasks. Focus on that one for a few minutes, simplifying the plan/content/order/structure in your mind.

Work out where you can slot the other two tasks in. Could you delegate them? Should you re-schedule them for another day? Relegate them? Before you leave your house, decide what you'll do with the other two tasks.

Leave for work/college/volunteer role/meeting/other, a few minutes early. Being on the last minute always causes stressful feelings.

Take some peppermint with you - mint sweets/chewing gum/peppermint tea - apparently mint helps with fatigue by stimulating = alertness.

Smile. For no reason. Smile at everyone you meet [within reason - don't make a nuisance of yourself on the tube or at the bus queue and get yourself arrested]. At least 'think smile'.

When you write things down, they're more likely to happen. Anon.

Make your own list - Enjoy your day.

Gillian