Tag Archives: Alzheimer’s care

August 16, 2019 · 7:25 pm

A house built for dementia

Courtesy: BRE Group

I found this dementia housing project designed by Loughborough University and BRE to be fascinating and helpful to caregivers trying to retrofit a home for a loved one with dementia.

The BBC recently took a video tour of the completed project.

This house designed for people with dementia is inspiring families, care-home owners and council workers to make changes to their own homes

[tap to expand] https://t.co/HvkgnLRf4w pic.twitter.com/OV66BcD3ap

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) August 13, 2019

The attention to detail of where items were placed, the color scheme and the importance of natural light to combat sundowning are all excellent ways to address common issues associated with dementia. Feeling safe and comfortable can also help reduce the risk of anxiety in those with dementia. Best of all, the model still felt like a home, with the safety featured nicely integrated.

Hopefully prototypes like these can be incorporated in the real world to help families care for a loved one with dementia at home instead of having to place them in a high-priced facility.

1 Comment

Filed under Awareness & Activism

Tagged as age in place, Alzheimer's care, dementia care, dementia house

September 5, 2017 · 8:00 am

My collection of caregiving essays is now available

I’m excited to announce that The Reluctant Caregiver, my collection of caregiving essays, has been published and is available on Amazon and most digital bookstore platforms. It will be available as a paperback soon.

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Those of you who have followed The Memories Project for awhile know that I’ve been talking about publishing such a book for quite some time. It was very satisfying to hit the publish button.

I hope you’ll consider reading the collection, and telling others about it. Do keep in mind that the book presents a nontraditional perspective on family caregiving, and does contain some profanity. There are some graphic details about caregiving included in the essays, but also some humorous moments.

I think many caregivers will be able to relate to the roller coaster of emotions that accompanies any caregiving journey. I try to capture the good days and the bad days, the inspirational moments and those trying times that have sparked my interest in being a caregiver advocate. My ultimate goal is to reassure those caregivers who may be struggling, and to encourage caregivers to reach out if they need help.

Where to buy The Reluctant Caregiver:

Amazon: http://a.co/82c41dY

Other digital bookstores (including iBooks): http://books2read.com/u/3L9DnN

I’m available as a guest blogger and if you are promoting a book yourself, please reach out to me for cross-promotion opportunities.

Thanks for your support of The Memories Project. The feedback I’ve received from the blog and the connections I’ve made have helped turn The Reluctant Caregiver project into a reality.

6 Comments

Filed under Awareness & Activism, Memories

Tagged as Alzheimer's care, caregivers, caregiving books, dementia care, the reluctant caregiver

July 2, 2013 · 7:29 pm

Dementia care center facing abuse charges

A local story caught my interest today. It’s a sad one, and a story that no one wants to hear, especially if you have a loved one in an Alzheimer’s care facility. The caregivers at a metro Atlanta memory care center are facing 72 abuse-related charges. The allegations include restraining patients with bedsheets, throwing water at patients and putting multiple diapers on patients so they wouldn’t have to change them as often.

The facility was immediately shut down and both current and past caregivers will have their day in court. The most surprising aspect of the case to me was the interviews with the relatives of patients who were residing at this facility. The ones the local news interviewed were shocked by the allegations. One woman had even moved her mother from another facility to this one because she was receiving inferior care at the first facility. No one interviewed had seen anything related to the charges filed. Either the case is overblown or the caregivers were good at hiding their abusive actions.

The relatives were also upset about having to “claim” their loved one at a moment’s notice, since the facility was immediately shut down. It is a shame that there is not some safety net in place so that families are not left looking for another care center on their own while having to take care of their loved one at home. (One woman said it took months to find the right center, and I’ve read stories from bloggers who have said the same thing.)

The takeaways from this case for me is to really look at a care center from top to bottom as objectively as you can. Try to visit outside of normal business hours if possible. With Dad, we were not able to visit as regularly as we’d have liked, but with Mom I was there almost every day. Did it make a difference? I feel like they received a similar quality of care but I felt more in control by being a daily presence. Of course, visiting daily is not viable for everyone and should not be required for your loved one to receive compassionate care.

The second takeaway for me is having a backup plan. If the facility where your loved one resides is suddenly shut down, are you prepared to house them indefinitely? I know my house with stairs is not safe for a dementia patient. If you have siblings or other relatives, have you discussed with them if they would be willing to provide temporary housing? Taking in a dementia patient requires 24/7 care as we all know. Are there sufficient at-home services in your area? I know where my mom lives, the home care resources are very limited.

A tragic case provides some food for thought.