Pattern for Someone with Alzheimers

The following blog post really builds off of thr last article we posted, which discussed trying new approaches with the ones we love who suffer from Alzheimer's. In the article that follows, the author discusses replacing bad patterns with good ones, an idea that we have discussed at length during some of the dementia conferences we've attended. Let's be creative and try to implement some of these ideas. They might not all "stick," but you'll never know if you don't try. 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Did you ever think to yourself, I wonder if I could replace the "bad" patterns of behavior that are driving me crazy with "new' positive patterns of behavior? I did.

By +Bob DeMarco
+Alzheimer's Reading Room 

Alzheimer's Disease Changing Patterns of Behavior

Did you ever think to yourself, I wonder if I could replace the "bad" patterns of behavior that are driving me crazy with "new' positive patterns of behavior? I did.

I wonder if Alzheimer's caregivers think about patterns of behavior when it comes to caring for someone living with Alzheimer's disease.

Many persons living with dementia evidence patterns of behavior that drive Alzheimer's caregivers "nuts" or worse. 

Did you ever think to yourself, I wonder if I could replace the "bad" patterns with "new and good" patterns of behavior? 

I did.

Patterns.

All Alzheimer's patients evidence patterns of behavior.

Some of the patterns are simple -- like asking over and over what day it is. Others are more complex. One reader told us her husband was shaving four times a day and his face was getting "raw". Others pace. The list goes on and on.

My mother was evidencing all kinds of patterns of behavior -- doing the same crazy things at the same time of day or night -- over and over.

At approximately 9:37 PM, at night,  my mother would get up and announce that she needed to start cleaning the house. I am talking every night.

Imagine trying to explain to someone living with Alzheimer's disease that it is night time and you don't clean at bed time.

I'm not sure how many times I did this, more then I want to remember -- it didn't work.

My mother would wake up at approximately 1:29 AM, get out of bed, open up our front door, take a few steps and look around. After a few minutes she would come back in and get in bed.

Same thing at 4:29 AM. Each and every time, I would get up out of bed, stand back, and watch her do it. I did not intervene. After a year or so I finally started to understand why she was doing this.
_________________________________________

After a year or so of reading research about Alzheimer's disease and dementia, I came to a conclusion -- exercise was the single most important variable in caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease. I enrolled my mother in a gym for the first time when she was 87 years old. At first I put her in the class for seniors -- the Silver Sneakers class. It helped. 

One day when she came out of the class I decided to put her on the treadmill. She resisted, but she did it. 

Then something started happening that changed our lives. 

My mother would start walking on the treadmill and at the 6 minute and 30 second mark she would bend over like she was going to fall. She would grab the side rail on the treadmill and more or less hang over it. Her feet, however, would keep moving. At the seven minute mark she would stand back up, straight, and start walking. This happened every time. It amazed me.
_________________________________________

Patterns of behavior. I came to a conclusion through these observations.

First, most Alzheimer's patients have patterns of behavior -- some good, some bad. Second, most people without Alzheimer's have patterns of behavior -- they do the same kinds of things around the same time of day, over and over.

Patterns of behavior bring homeostasis into our lives. 

Having well defined patterns of behavior brings comfort, organization, and a sense of stability into our lives. The fact that we live a life of patterns also helps explain why most of us don't like change. And, why we resist change.

I thought to myself, what if I could change my mother's bad patterns of behavior and channel her energy into more positive patterns. 

I decided to introduce an entirely new set of behaviors and actions into our lives.

Over time I introduced one new behavior after another until we reached the point where our day was organized in a way that made each day very similar to the one that came before it.

Our day had a very well defined pattern and so did our daily actions and activities. A Pattern.
_________________________________________

Here is a simple example of how it worked.

Instead of waiting for my mother to ask me. "what day is it". Meaning what day of the week. I put the newspaper in front of her each morning and asked her, "what day it is it". Then, what is today's date? She would read this to me from the top of the newspaper.

I also bought a great big clock and put it on the wall right in front of her seat where she couldn't miss it. I also asked what time it is? I did this two or three times a day. It helped cured a couple of her repetitive behaviors.

Over the years I cured my mother of meanness, getting up in the middle of the night, urinary incontinence, and the dreaded bowel movement problem. I did this by introducing new patterns of behavior and news tools into our daily equation. 

Did it work perfectly -- no. But it worked.
_________________________________________

I Tried a New Approach

One of our favorite blogs we follow is the +Alzheimer's Reading Room. Recently, Marilyn Raichle shared a wonderful story about trying a different approach with her mother. We wanted to pass it along. Enjoy!

The Art of Alzheimer's

Mother has some major preoccupations – with two questions that she asks me over and over and over. 

What do I think Seattle will be like in 50 (or 55 or 250 or 500) years?

Do I think that women will begin wearing skirts again instead of pants?

I always answer by taking the question seriously and trying to come up with interesting answers.

This week I tried something new. I turned the table and asked her the questions.

“What do you think Seattle will be like in 50 years?” I ask

“Well, I won’t be here,” she laughs.

“I wonder what it will be like,” I persist
Now she’s interested.

“Well, I think women will be wearing skirts again."

“I don’t’ think there will be any room – the streets will be full with people everywhere.”

“My grandmother would be so amazed.”

“Do you think we will still drive cars?” I ask.

“There won’t be room. Maybe we will all fly.”

“Things change. That just what happens – there is nothing you can do to stop it.”

And then – out of the blue…

“I want to live to be 100.”

I always tell her I want her to live to 100, but this is the first time she has ever expressed that desire herself.

Mom’s family tends to be very long-lived. Since the 1850’s, a surprising number have lived into their mid to late 90’s – announcing when they will die and, right on schedule, doing so.

I’ve always thought that Mom would reach 100 by forgetting to tell herself to die.

But – just perhaps – she will tell herself to keep living.

Hope so.

______________________________________________________________________________

By Marilyn Raichle 

+Alzheimer's Reading Room 

+Marilyn Raichle writes The Art of Alzheimer’s – How Mother Forgot Nearly Everything and Began to Paint – a blog about her mother Jean, art and Alzheimer’s. Marilyn also works as an arts management consultant in the Greater Seattle area.

Ray

Ray is a Resident at Easthaven Villa's Assisted Living Community. His wife, who is suffering from dementia, is a resident there too. Ray talks about his experience living at Easthaven, and Ray's daughter, Wendy, discusses the care that her parents receive.

Easthaven Villa is located on Cullens Road, a quiet, picturesque street that's just a turn off of SR 510/Yelm Highway. We have 52 assisted living studios and 4 one-bedroom assisted living apartments, all with their own, private entrance and patio. We also have a secure, 12-resident memory care neighborhood. The food our residents are served at Easthaven Villa is exceptional, and with specialties like Italian meatloaf and homemade snickerdoodle cookies, they look forward to every meal.


Drop in for a tour and a meal, and we'll answer all the questions you have. We know that choosing the right assisted living community is an important and sometimes difficult decision and we're here to help in any way we can.

Easthaven Villa Facebook Page

Youtube Page

My wonderful grandmother with her great-granddaughter.

My grandma recently made the jump from living alone in her home in Chicago, Illinois, to living in a senior living community. On our recent visit, I could not help but notice an extra jump in her step. My grandma has always been sharp for her age, but the change of environment seemed to have magnified her usual witty self. The physical effects were readily noticeable too. She had lost a little weight and had much more energy. The social environment of being around new people and friends, instead of alone in her home, have seemed to have a wonderful effect on my sweet grandmother.

Senior living may not be for everyone, but, just as my family has recently seen with our grandma, it is a wonderful option for many seniors. The following was taken from an article written by Jeff Anderson of A Place for Mom, and discusses 8 different reasons why seniors prefer senior living to living alone: 

8 Reasons Why Many Seniors Prefer Senior Living to Living Alone

Most seniors who have moved to independent living or assisted living communities report that they prefer life at their new home to life alone. Here are some common reasons why:

1. The end of yard work and home maintenance:

Keeping up a home is hard, especially for those of us who have developed physical ailments. Mowing the lawn, climbing a ladder to change light bulbs, shoveling snow, pulling weeds, vacuuming- these become things of the past. But don’t worry green thumbs: Residents are more than welcome to adopt a garden.

2. Vanquishing boredom:

Residents need never be bored at a senior community. There’s something for everyone. All kinds of entertainment and activities are offered, both on-site and out in the local community. Entertainment can range from visiting musicians and performers, to day trips that might include local landmarks, forays into nature, or just an outing to the local art museum.

Seniors who experience declines while living alone often thrive in a more supportive environment.

3. Better family relationships:

Older folks frequently become dependent on their grown children, or other close family members, for help of all kinds. Unnatural role reversals can strain relationships and foster unhealthy feelings of resentment, both by parents and their sons and daughters. Younger family members are liberated from the role of full-time caregivers, and are able to assure that time with their older loved one is meaningful and high-quality. Older residents are glad to return to the role of family matriarch or patriarch and often pleased that their grown children no longer have to “parent the parent”.

4. Better food:

There are many residents at senior communities who used to live alone, and were not eating right. Some skipped meals, some were living on ice-cream alone, and one lady would put cat-litter in the coffee brewer. At senior living communities, residents don’t have to worry about grocery shopping, meal preparation, or even coffee brewing. Instead, they get to enjoy a fine dining experience every day of the week. The food tastes good, alternative meals are almost always offered and special diet needs can ordinarily be accommodated. It’s common for new residents, who had been eating poorly before they moved-in, to experience breathtaking improvements in their health and wellbeing just from three square meals per day.

5. No more stressful driving:

Driving can be a tense and stressful as we age, and our driving abilities may not be what they once were either. For these reasons, most residents prefer to take advantage of the free transportation that’s provided by independent and assisted living communities. There’s no need to rely on a car any longer, although parking is available for residents who still drive.

6. Feeling like myself again:

 Living alone, we may not be able to participate in games and activities we enjoyed, that were both fun, and helped keep us sharp. But senior communities offer a wealth of opportunities to keep engaged. This can include favorite games like chess, bridge and poker, engaging reading groups and discussion groups, and fascinating classes and lectures on every conceivable topic.

7. Making new friends:

Older adults who live alone often become isolated, which is unhealthy at any age. At senior communities we can make friends, share a meal, and enjoy festive occasions with one another. On the other hand, those of us who are more introverted appreciate that our privacy is respected, but are still glad to have folks around.

8. Finally feeling safe:

Residents can rest easy knowing that they are secured from thieves, con-men and ne’er-do-wells. Furthermore, residents enjoy the peace of mind that comes from the emergency response systems that are in each apartment, or sometimes on the resident’s person as a pendant. This alleviates fears about falling and becoming trapped for hours or even days, a scenario that’s all too common for senior’s residing alone.

Certainly, there are seniors who live alone and are just fine. We recognize that senior communities aren’t for everyone. But it’s without doubt that there are vast numbers of seniors living alone in unsafe or unhealthy situations who would benefit immensely from life at a senior community...

Assisted Living Overview

Filling a Void

Many families face the decision of what long-term care is appropriate and best for their loved ones. Until about 20 years ago, the only options were either a nursing home or to stay at home. The problem is that there is a lot of gray area between those two options. Not all individuals in need of long term care require the amount offered by nursing homes; meanwhile, not all families can offer the necessary care for their loved ones at home. Assisted Living communities fill the gap between these two options.

What is Assisted Living?

Assisted living is essentially a residential alternative to nursing home care. Assisted living is a long-term care option that combines housing, support services and health care, as needed. Assisted living is designed for individuals who require assistance with everyday activities such as meals, medication management or assistance, bathing, dressing and transportation. Some residents may have memory disorders including Alzheimer's, or they may need help with mobility, incontinence or other challenges. Residents are assessed upon move in, or any time there is a change in condition. The assessment is used to develop an individually tailored Service Plan. (alfa.org)

Growth of Assisted Living Industry

According to the National Investment Center Investment Guide 2010, there are 6,315 professionally managed assisted living communities nationwide with approximately 475,500 apartments. A relatively new concept twenty-five years ago, today assisted living is the most preferred and fastest growing long-term care option for seniors.

Cost Effective Alternative

One huge advantage to assisted living care, as opposed to nursing home care, is the cost. For example, in 2010, the national average for a monthly rental in an assisted living community was $3,326 per month. In comparison, the average rate of Nursing Care was $7,001 per month. (National Investment Center)

Our Communities

At Caring Places Management, our communities promote independence, choice, and dignity in a home-like setting, and offer assistance with only those things the resident needs. We want each resident to remain as independent and active as possible and to enjoy every day at our community.