When all is said and done, try to remember that getting an early diagnosis is gearing up, not giving up. Loving Them Well: A Gentle Guide for a Husband or Wife Noticing Change You may have noticed that your spouse is becoming more forgetful—names slip away, routines change, maybe s/he repeats stories. You’ve chosen to meet them with patience…
Here are the 9 Dimensions of Human Well-Being in Dementia PhysicalSupporting comfort, mobility, and bodily health to help the person feel at ease in their body. SafetyCreating an environment where the person feels secure, protected, and free from harm or confusion. SpiritualHonoring the person’s beliefs, values, or sense of purpose to foster peace and inner strength. CognitiveEncouraging thinking, awareness,…
Like Any Other Day It starts like any other day. You’ve got your routine down. Breakfast trays are being passed, morning care is underway, and you know which residents need a little extra time and who’s usually ready to go. You’ve already helped someone find their missing slipper, calmed another who was looking for her husband, and you’re halfway through…
Why LTC and Home Care Providers Should be Adopting Montessori Principles—and Why They Haven’t Despite the well-documented benefits of adopting Montessori principles in dementia care, many long-term care (LTC) and home care providers have not integrated them into their practices. This is puzzling, as the approach aligns with person-centered care, improves resident well-being, and enhances caregiver satisfaction. So why…
Understanding Fear and Paranoia in People Living with Dementia – Fear and paranoia in people living with dementia can sometimes appear irrational or unfounded, but there are often underlying reasons that, with some detective work, can be identified and addressed. While these behaviors may not always stem from unmet needs, they often arise from the brain’s altered ability to…
Why Understanding ‘Why’ Matters- In Alzheimer’s and dementia care understanding the “why” behind behaviors is not just important—it’s transformative. Here’s why understanding ‘why’ matters: Whether you’re a caregiver on the front lines, a manager coordinating staff, or an owner overseeing operations, this insight forms the foundation of compassionate, effective, and sustainable care. Responsive behaviors like agitation, aggression, or withdrawal…
Using common coping mechanisms to handle responsive challenges – When caregivers are overworked, tired, stressed and, possibly, untrained their responses to responsive behaviors from individuals in their care may not be ideal. That doesn’t mean they don’t mean well, but they may have difficulty applying the right strategies. Here are some common coping mechanisms they may use to handle…
Beyond Bingo! Creating joyful, purposeful moments for those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia goes far beyond bingo. In dementia care, one of the greatest challenges is finding activities that truly enrich the lives of individuals while meeting their unique cognitive and physical needs. Too often, activity schedules are filled with games like Bingo—an enjoyable pastime, yes, but one…
Touch: A Vital Connection in Human Health and Well-being… Touch is one of our most fundamental senses, essential from the moment we are born. Research shows that touch, a vital connection, has profound effects on our mental, emotional, and physical health, affecting everything from mood regulation to stress relief and even social bonding. The skin is the largest organ…
Subtle Signs of Progression – Caregivers, especially those working long hours, often face both physical and emotional exhaustion, making it difficult to closely monitor every change in the behaviors of residents with dementia. However, there may be some subtle signs of progression into a more advanced stage of dementia, even when caregivers don’t have the time for deep analysis….
When all is said and done, try to remember that getting an early diagnosis…
Here are the 9 Dimensions of Human Well-Being in Dementia PhysicalSupporting comfort, mobility, and…
