Recognizing Signs of Depression in the Elderly and How you can Help

Aging brings about many changes. Once many people retire they find that their schedule and routine are different. They have more free time than they used to and may not be sure what to do with themselves. Without a job to go to each day, they may feel as though they’ve lost a sense of purpose. They may be facing more health issues that make daily tasks more challenging. Depression should not be seen as a common part of getting older because there are many ways to help keep your senior in brighter spirits.

Signs of Depression:

• Sadness: This is one of the most common signs that people tend to be aware of. In some seniors being sad may not involve crying but be more a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. They may have lost friends and loved ones over the years and feel like something is missing. Sometimes seniors are actually more stoic and deny that there is anything wrong.
• Lack of interest: They may have stopped participating in activities they once enjoyed or be more reluctant to go out and be social. You may find that they’re spending more time alone and are disengaged.
• Excessive sleeping: Depression may make them more tired and lethargic. Instead of going out with friends or doing things, they just want to sleep. The motivation and energy are not there.
• Changes in eating habits: You may notice that your elderly parent is eating more than once did, or eating hardly at all. Depression can cause changes in appetite which can have more serious effects over time. It is important that your senior is getting the proper vitamins and nutrients but also that they are watching their weight. Too far in either direction can be troublesome.
• Pain: Some senior have increased aches and pains with depression. They may complain of a headache or stomachache that doesn’t seem to stem from other causes.

These signs do not always indicate depression and may be the side effect of other medications or health conditions. Track your observations and talk to their doctor about what you have been noticing. They can help you to determine if it is depression or may be the result of something else.

If your loved one does have depression, try to spend quality time with them and do enjoyable activities together. Keep a positive attitude and be understanding. Listen to what may be troubling them and work together to find solutions. You can find many great community programs for seniors to keep them active, involved, and meeting new people.

An in-home caregiver can provide companionship and spend time doing activities that your elderly parent enjoys. The caregiver can assist them on outings and when visiting neighbors or friends. Your senior can rest easier knowing that someone is there to help them around the home and to do what they want to do. A little extra support can boost their confidence and motivation. If this sounds like a service that would enhance your senior’s wellbeing and help them to live a fuller life, contact Always Best Care of Asheville-Hendersonville today to schedule your free consultation and find out more about what we have to offer. Call (828) 989-7263 or visit us online today.

Aging in Place: Bathroom Renovations to Improve Safety

Aging in place can be a great way to stay in the comfort your own Asheville home as you get older and enjoy the things you’ve always known. But it is important to keep in mind your changing needs and make modifications around the home to accommodate them. The bathroom is one room that can pose many safety risks for seniors. However, with a variety of renovations, you can make it a safer, more accessible space.

• Add grab bars: This can be a simple way to add increased stability options. Placing grab bars near the shower and toilet will give your senior something to hold on to as they change positions and reduce risk of falling.
• Raise the toilet height: There are two ways that you can accomplish this. One would be to install a new toilet that sits higher so that your senior does not have to bend down as far to sit. Another option would be to add a seat extender that sits on top of the existing seat to provide a raised surface. You may also want to consider adjusting the location of the toilet paper holder for easier access.
• Replace the bathtub: Stepping over the edge of the bathtub can become difficult with aging and result in loss of balance or slipping and falling. Getting a tub with shorter curb or one that allows for easier access can reduce risk. A shower seat or bench can also be beneficial to give your senior somewhere to sit while in the shower.
• Change the showerhead: An adjustable or handheld showerhead can improve accessibility and convenience. It will reduce the need for stretching or reaching and can be used at a comfortable height.
• Use slip-resistant flooring: Water from the shower as well as steam can make floors slippery. Install slip-resistant flooring to improve traction and consider a mat for on the bottom of the bathtub or shower as well.
• Increase accessibility: Make sure that supplies are kept in a convenient place that is easy to reach. Shower caddies, shelves, baskets, towel bars, and other accessories can all be valuable bathroom additions. You may need to do some rearranging to make things more convenient.

Planning ahead can allow you to make changes slowly before they are necessary. When replacing fixtures, think about the future and what would be most beneficial. Safety and accessibility are two things to consider when deciding to age in place and making necessary renovations. Elder care services through Always Best Care of Asheville-Hendersonville can also provide a qualified caregiver to assist with basic personal care needs. Through in-home care, your senior can maintain their independence while receiving the appropriate level of support to ensure safety and wellbeing. To schedule a free consultation, call (828) 989-7263 or visit www.alwaysbestcareWNC.com for more information.

Heat Related Illnesses in Elderly

Hot summer days can increase anyone’s risk of dehydration or heat illness. But summer poses even more risks for seniors, who may not closely monitor their body temperatures. Elderly adults may not adjust as well as younger people during sudden temperature changes, and they are more likely to have medical conditions that change body responses to heat. All things considered, older adults are more at risk for heat illnesses, especially in the middle of the summer season. Both heat stroke and exhaustion pose dangers for your loved ones.

 Look for these signs that your family member or friend may need medical attention for a heat stroke:

-High body temperature and red, dry skin that is not sweating

-Rapid, strong pulse

-Intense headache

-Nausea

-Dizziness

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat illnesses that could develop over time. Consider these symptoms that may indicate your loved one needs medical attention and a reprieve from the heat:

-Vomiting, nausea, or fainting

-Heavy sweating

-Dizziness

-Muscle cramping

-Headache

-Fast and shallow breathing

-Pale skin

-Fast, weakened pulse

Luckily, keeping your older loved ones safe from hot temperatures is manageable. Consider these important senior health steps to protect your elderly family members and friends this season. 

Drink Enough Fluids

One of the most effective ways to stay safe during the summer is to ensure that your loved one is drinking enough fluids to stave off dehydration. They should drink lots of water and eat foods with high water content. Fruits, like watermelon, are ideal. However, they should avoid coffee or alcohol, which could lead to dehydration instead of deliver the water they need to stay healthy.

Take Cool Showers or Baths

Taking regular cool showers or baths can help regulate body temperature and keep it from rising too much. Help your elderly relative or friend by ensuring that their tub has non-slip mats or safety bars to help prevent falls or accidents while cooling off.

Use a Home Health Aide

If your loved one is aging in place, he or she may appreciate having someone coming to visit and check on them regularly. Plus, an aide can provide companionship if the extreme heat is keeping your relative or friend hidden away indoors for long periods of time. 

Stay Inside During Peak Heat Hours

Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the summer sun will be its hottest. Remind your loved one to stay inside during these hours. If they need to go out, make sure they wear light-colored and loose fitting clothes, as well as a brimmed hat and sunglasses. Furthermore, make sure they always have fresh, cool water to bring along when they go out.

Look for Cool Places

When it comes to providing summer senior care, Asheville families should help their loved ones locate the nearest air-conditioned places. This is especially important if they do not have air conditioning in their home, or if the power goes out during the day. Put together a list of spots that are cool and low in humidity, like a library, movie theater, shopping mall, or senior center.

By knowing the warning signs and taking proper precaution, you can help your older loved ones stay safe during the summer. As an added bonus, you can make sure they are better able to enjoy some of the most beautiful days of the year. 

Stroke: How Can It Impact Memory?

By Jim Smeaton

The home care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC, serving Asheville, Hendersonville, and surrounding western North Carolina communities, know that a stroke can impact your elderly loved one in numerous ways. In fact, the location and severity of your senior's stroke can result in a wide range of lasting side effects. Memory impairment is one of the most common effects of a stroke, but this interruption in memory can manifest in several different ways. Here are a few key pieces of information to remember if your elderly loved one has recently suffered from a stroke and you suspect that memory loss has take hold because of it.[1]

Different Types of Memory Loss

When it comes to memory loss, it is important to note that not all types of this cognitive disruption are alike. In fact, there are several different kinds of memory loss associated with stroke. Depending upon where the stroke occurred and how severe it was, your elderly loved one may experience difficulty with verbal, visual, or informational memory. Additionally, they may suffer from vascular dementia, which is a general and oftentimes progressive decline in cognitive function that spans more than one type of memory.

Exhibiting Different Symptoms

While memory loss may seem like it would impact your senior in a certain way, there are even more symptoms than types of memory loss that might result from a stroke. Confusion is a very common symptom, as well as short-term memory loss. Additionally, your elderly loved one might start to wander, might get lost in places with which they are familiar, may have a difficult time following simple instructions, or might begin facing challenges regarding money management and transactions.

Exacerbating the Condition

Memory loss that is sparked by a stroke or other condition can be devastating, but it is important to remember that there are environmental and other elements that can make this cognitive impairment worse. Certain medications can cause memory loss to strengthen in severity. Additionally, the use of alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs can make memory loss more severe. Finally, sleep deprivation, stress, nutritional deficiency, and depression can also contribute to the exacerbation of memory loss. In addition, these issues can cause a loss of memory, so it is important to determine whether or not your elderly loved one's cognitive impairment is caused by the stroke or by their state following this event.

The elder care professionals at Always Best Care of WesternNC encourage you to learn more about the side effects of stroke, including memory loss, to best care for your loved one.

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[1] http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=memory

Four Steps to Successful Medication Management

Medication management is a very important responsibility. As a caregiver, you must ensure that your elderly loved one takes the right medication, in the right dose, at the right time each and every day. This can become an overwhelming task—especially if your senior has a variety of prescriptions. Although it is a big undertaking, successful medication management does not have to be too complicated.
In fact, simplifying the process is the best way to ensure that you succeed in providing the quality medication management that your loved one deserves. Here are four ways to make this task easier and more successful.

1. Fill all medications at the same pharmacy. Building a relationship with the pharmacist will allow you to feel comfortable asking any questions that may arise. Furthermore, your pharmacist may be able to catch incompatible prescriptions before your loved one begins taking the latest medication recommended by their doctor. Because seniors often have a variety of doctors on their side, this is an incredibly important aspect of proper medication management.
2. Keep all of the literature about your elderly loved one’s medications in one, easy to access location. With this bundle of literature, keep any notes that you take while speaking to the doctor or pharmacist.
3. Go with your senior to the doctor’s office if they are comfortable with you doing so. When a new medication is prescribed, ask the doctor any questions that both you and your loved one may have. By the time you leave the office, you should both understand why the medicine was prescribed, its intended effect, possible side effects, and how soon it should start working.
4. Maintain a list of all of the medications your elderly loved one is taking and when they are to be administered. Include the proper dosages. Additionally, mark each time you give your senior their prescription on a calendar or in a notepad so that you can document when they took each medication.

As you manage your senior’s medication, remember to monitor your loved one for any side effects or adverse reactions. Keen observation paired with these four tips will help you manage your loved one’s medication successfully.

Seven Tips for Fall Prevention

Falling causes an alarming number of injuries for elderly individuals each year. From tripping over rugs to stumbling over clutter in the walkway, seniors can fall due to a long list of hazards.  At Always Best Care of Western NC, which serves Asheville, Hendersonville, and surrounding western North Carolina communities, senior care professionals encourage families to protect their loved ones against such hazards.

Accidents happen; this is a fact that cannot, in many cases, be avoided. Despite this fact, there are many instances in which fall prevention can keep your elderly loved one from sustaining painful and, in severe cases, fatal injuries.  The following seven tips will help you protect your senior against falls and the harm that they can cause:

• Clean your elderly loved one’s home. Seniors commonly fall after tripping over a misplaced object, such as a pair of shoes left in the walkway.  By cleaning up each day, you can maintain a safe and tidy environment that offers clear walkways to your elderly loved one.
• Examine the flooring of your senior’s home for any damage.  Cracked tiles, loose floorboards, and ripped carpet can cause them to trip and fall.  Should you find any warping, tearing, breaking, cracking, or other damage, fix it as soon as possible.  While doing so, make sure that all rugs are secured to the floor with double sided tape and that their ends lie flat.
• Ask your senior and their doctor if they would benefit from a cane, walker, or other mobility aid. Make sure that the equipment your elderly loved one uses is the right size and in good repair.
• Move any cords that are strung across walkways or in other hazardous areas. In some cases, this may require moving the furniture so that televisions, DVD players, and other electronics are closer to electrical outlets. You may also consider running them overhead if your senior does not want the furniture moved or if there are no other options.
• Install safety equipment, such as grab bars, bath chairs, non-skid mats in bathtubs and showers, and handrails along stairways.
• Keep stairways, hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms well lit. Additionally, have your senior’s vision checked annually to ensure that they can see any obstacles in their path.
• Have your senior wear slippers or shoes that have non-skid soles instead of just wearing socks.

At Always Best Care of Western NC, professional home care providers help families create safe environments for their seniors. If you need assistance making your loved one’s home a bit safer, do not hesitate to reach out to professionals for help.

Senior Care Asheville : Nutrition and Memory - Enhancing Cognitive Function through Diet

By Jim Smeaton
When it comes to food when providing senior care, it is important that seniors look at their meal plan like fuel; the food that your elderly loved one eats is what will allow their body to function properly. While a healthy diet cannot guarantee overall wellbeing, it is certain that a body that has access to the right vitamins and nutrients will be better able to maintain a higher degree of health. Surprisingly to some, this idea extends well beyond the physical and into the mental. The home care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC, providing Senior Care in Asheville, Hendersonville, and surrounding western North Carolina communities, explain that, when it comes to keeping cognitive function—and, by extension, memory—as sharp as possible, it is important that elderly individuals stick to a healthy diet.

Here are some of the ways in which you can make certain that your loved one gets the nutrition they need to keep their memories on point:[1]  

1. Make sure that your senior does not skip meals. It can be quite easy for individuals who do not have home care providers to overlook eating, particularly if they have memory loss, if they are very busy, or if they have a difficult time preparing meals. Skipping meals can deprive the body of the calories, vitamins, and minerals it needs to function properly, and as such it can lead to decreased activity in terms of cognitive function and memory.
2. Refrain from completely cutting carbs out of your loved one's diet. Weight gain is a concern for many individuals as they age, so your senior may be watching the carbs that they eat in order to manage their weight. But the truth is that the body needs carbohydrates to function properly, as these foods turn into glucose during the digestion process—and glucose is what fuels the cells in the brain. Instead of cutting carbohydrates completely, help your senior choose complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, instead of processed, simple carbs.
3. Don't restrict caloric intake too drastically. While it is true that individuals of all ages need to monitor their consumption of calories, it is also true that they need these calories to fuel their bodies—and to keep the brain running. If too few calories are consumed individuals may experience short-term memory loss.

The elder care professionals at Always Best Care of WesternNC understand that keeping your loved one's memory sharp is a priority. As such, these senior care providers encourage you to keep these tips in mind when helping your loved one create a weekly meal plan.

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[1] http://voices.yahoo.com/how-nutrition-affects-memory-2356812.html

Hendersonville Senior Care: Risk Factors Associated with Stroke

By Jim Smeaton
When dealing with Hendersonville Senior Care - stroke is a real concern. The National Stroke Association asserts that stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, it is the leading cause of disability in adults throughout the nation.[1] As such, it is very important for individuals providing home care to seniors to understand what strokes are and what risk factors are associated with them. The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC, serving Asheville, Hendersonville, and surrounding western North Carolina communities, understand that your goal, as a caregiver, is to offer the highest level of support to your loved one as possible. As such, these in-home care professionals encourage you to learn the risk factors of stroke so you can better monitor your senior's health.

What Is a Stroke?

A stroke takes place when the blood supply to the brain is cut off. This can happen in one of two ways. First, a blood clot can stop the flow of blood through an artery. When this occurs, blood is prevented from traveling to the brain. When a blood vessel bursts the same effect can happen, except in this scenario the blood flows out of the vessels.

When a stroke takes place, the brain cells that are affected die. This can cause damage to parts of the brain and, ultimately, can create long-term complications for your loved one. Difficulty speaking and problems with motor function are common long-term side effects of a stroke.

Risk Factors

The risk factors associated with stroke are divided into two categories: unmanageable and manageable. The unmanageable risk factors include those that seniors cannot possibly control:

·       Age

·       Gender

·       Race

·       Family history

·       Previous stroke

·       Fibromuscular dysplasia

·       Patent foramen ovale

The manageable risk factors, on the other hand, can be controlled. In fact, a healthy lifestyle can minimize the presence of these risk factors and greatly reduce the odds that your loved one will suffer from a stroke. These risk factors include:

·       Physical inactivity

·       Atrial fibrillation

·       Obesity

·       High blood pressure

·       Alcohol use

·       High cholesterol

·       Circulation issues

·       Atherosclerosis

·       Tobacco use

·       Diabetes

The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC know that you do everything you can to keep your elderly loved one safe and in good health. By recognizing the risk factors for stroke, you can be better prepared to get your loved one the medical assistance they need should such an event occur.

We have many videos available to you regarding senior issues, view them here.

Finding the right care is not an easy decision to make, so we have put together an E-booklet filled with tips, advice, and general information so that you are well informed.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care, contact Jim Smeaton  and the professionals at Always Best Care of Western North Carolina at (828) 989-7263 or visit their website.

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[1] http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=stroke

Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep

By Jim Smeaton
You’re having a hard time falling asleep at night. What’s the most effective action to take?

• Enjoy a meal before bedtime
• Fall asleep in front of the TV
• Exercise at night

The answer is none of the above. Both eating and exercise will energize your body and TV provides an artificial light source that can suppress your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. Computers and backlit portable electronic devices (such as an iPad) cause the same problem. If you want to read before going to bed, use an e-reader that is not backlit or an old-fashioned paper book.

Most studies conclude that seniors need the same amount of sleep—seven to nine hours a night—as the rest of the adult population. However, because seniors experience more disruptions during the night, whether from going to the bathroom, experiencing arthritis pain or being more sensitive to light and noise, you may rarely get a deep, restful sleep.

Tips for Improving Sleep Get more sunlight. Daylight helps promote the sleep/wake cycle by regulating melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. Experts recommend at least two hours of sunlight daily, including keeping curtains open during the day and sitting near windows. Limit caffeine, alcohol and nicotine, especially near bedtime. As stimulants, they will interfere with your quality of sleep. Avoid artificial lights, such as TV and computers, at night. Such light can suppress your body’s production of melatonin. Use low-wattage bulbs if possible. Create a calm environment for sleeping—one that is dark and quiet. If needed, consider a bedside fan or white-noise machine to block out loud sounds. Go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, even on weekends. Relax before bedtime. Take a bath, read (though preferably not in bed) or listen to music. Stress management techniques, such as deep breathing, can help you relax. Avoid long naps, particularly in the late afternoon or evening. Keep a sleep diary to identify your sleep habits and patterns, which you can share with your doctor. Do not eat or drink, especially rich or spicy foods, too close to bedtime.

Health Issues from Lack of Sleep

Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in adults age 60 and older, according to the National Institute on Aging. Some people have a hard time falling asleep, while others wake up several times during the night, but people with insomnia suffer in both ways.

Many seniors suffer from insomnia, and this lack of sleep can cause memory problems for older individuals. A new research study of 33 participants found that seniors get less deep sleep than the younger generation, which is linked to less reliable memory (“Lighter Sleep May Dull Memory Skills in Seniors,” HealthDay News, Jan. 27, 2013). Findings showed that when compared with younger individuals, seniors were more than 50 percent less able to remember new information after sleeping.

As you age, your body produces lower growth-hormone levels, which means a decrease in slow-wave or deep sleep. Apparently, deep sleep consolidates memories after learning, and without it, we’re more apt to not remember. Because the study entails such a small group, it’s not definitive, and more work will need to be done to solidify the connection between sleep and memory.

Sleep also allows your body to repair daily cell damage and strengthens your immune system (Helpguide). The list of potential ills from not sleeping well is long: depression, attention and memory problems, nighttime falls, more sensitivity to pain and more use of sleeping aids, which should only be used on a short-term basis because they can ultimately contribute to insomnia and increase the risk of serious health issues.

Reasons Why Seniors Don’t Get Enough Sleep

"Insomnia is more common for seniors, partly because of health issues, partly because of the anxiety and the concerns of aging, and sometimes because of medication," says Jack Gardner, a neurologist certified in sleep medicine at the Sleep Center at Baylor Medical Center in Waxahachie, Texas (quoted in “Do Seniors Need Less Sleep?,” WebMD the Magazine). Pain and sickness can disrupt sleep, as can many health conditions common in older people, such as a frequent urination, arthritis, asthma, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, nighttime heartburn, menopause and Alzheimer's.

One big problem is sleep apnea, which causes short pauses in breathing while sleeping. If not treated, sleep apnea can lead to other problems such as high blood pressure, stroke or memory loss. If you find yourself gasping for air or being told you snore, you should contact your doctor for a sleep apnea check.

Movement disorders also impede sleep. Restless legs syndrome causes feelings of tingling or crawling in one or both legs, while periodic limb movement disorder causes people to jerk and kick their legs every 20 to 40 seconds. Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder can cause your muscles to move. All three are disruptive to sleep, so check with your doctor to discuss treatment options.

Changes in Sleep Patterns

Older adults are more prone to something called advanced sleep phase syndrome, which causes the body's internal clock to adjust to earlier bedtimes and wakeup times. Maybe you remember staying up past midnight years ago but now find yourself nodding off on the couch every night by 9 p.m. The best advice from sleep experts is: Don’t fight it, because if you do, you’ll find yourself unable to sleep through the night. One potential aid to help you stay awake later is bright light therapy, which can fool the body into thinking it’s earlier.

In fact, light exposure is a big factor in getting a good night’s sleep. One research study linked light exposure at the wrong times of day to various health problems, including sleep disorders. This is why sleep experts advise turning off the TV and computer at least one hour before bed and using low-wattage bulbs where safe to do so. One study of adults over 65 found that 13 percent of men and 36 percent of women take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, possibly due to excessive light exposure.

Medications can also impair sleep because drug combinations or side effects can be stimulating. With your doctor’s help, you might be able to adjust when you take certain medications.

Stress, depression and other psychological disorders can interfere with our ability to sleep, and seniors experience these disorders more than younger adults. Significant life changes such as the death of a loved one or moving from a family home can cause stress. Anxiety or sadness can also keep you awake, which can, in turn, cause more anxiety or depression. Researchers have noted that people without major medical or psychiatric illnesses report better sleep.

There are many ways to improve your sleep (see sidebar). Perhaps one of the most important is getting enough exercise, although not close to bedtime. A study by the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University found that aerobic exercise resulted in the most dramatic improvement in sleep as reported by middle-aged and older adults who had problems with insomnia. Not only did the patients report longer and better quality of sleep, they also reported less depression, more vitality and less sleepiness during the day (“Insomnia in Older Adults: Tips for Sleeping Better as You Age,” Helpguide).

The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC  know that taking care of a senior loved one is emotionally difficult. But with these tips, you can help your family  get the most out of the time they have with their loved one. 

We have many videos available to you regarding senior issues, view them here.

Finding the right care is not an easy decision to make, so we have put together an E-booklet filled with tips, advice, and general information so that you are well informed.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care, contact Jim Smeaton  and the professionals at Always Best Care of Western North Carolina at (828) 989-7263 or visit their website.

Sources:
National Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-related-problems/insomnia-and-sleep
National Institute on Aging, www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/good-nights-sleep
HealthDay News, MedlinePlus, National Institutes of Health, www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_133479.html
Caring.com, www.caring.com/articles/exercise-and-sleep
WebMD, www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/do-seniors-need-less-sleep
Helpguide.org, www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_aging.htm

Alzheimer's Care Asheville: Helping Your Family Cope with Alzheimer’s Disease

By Jim Smeaton

Alzheimer's Care in Asheville -  when dealing with the devastating condition, the families of seniors who have this illness are also impacted by the disease, which can be difficult for many people to understand. Alzheimer’s and dementia affect the personality, judgment, and memory of seniors, creating situations in which they may believe they are living 20 years in the past, or they may not recognize their loved ones. The dementia care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC, serving Asheville, Hendersonville, and surrounding western North Carolina communities, know that Alzheimer’s disease is very difficult for caregivers and other family members to accept. These senior care professionals have offered the following tips to help you and your family cope with this illness.

Teach Family Members about the Disease

Understanding why your loved one is acting in a certain way is key in recognizing the impact that Alzheimer’s has on an individual. For instance, this disease can cause rapid mood swings and can even change the personality of a senior. When family members are faced with such alterations in their loved one, it is important that they understand that the disease has caused this change and that, if their senior is acting angry or mean, they are not doing so on purpose.

Encourage Family Members to Make the Most of the Time They Have

Because Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, it gets worse over time. As soon as your family is aware that the illness is present, it is important to spend as much time as possible with your elderly loved one. This will allow family members to create memories with their senior before their loved one’s condition progresses to the point that they do not remember the people who matter the most to them.

Explore Treatment Options

One of the most devastating aspects of watching a family member suffer from Alzheimer’s disease is feeling helpless. With no cure, the condition gets worse until seniors pass. But there are ways in which doctors can treat the disease and, if it is diagnosed quickly enough, even slow its progression. Understanding the treatment options available to your senior will allow your family to choose the care plan that best matches your loved one’s wishes.

The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC  know that taking care of a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease is emotionally difficult. But with these tips, you can help your family better understand the illness and get the most out of the time they have with their loved one. 

We have many videos available to you regarding senior issues, view them here.

Finding the right care is not an easy decision to make, so we have put together an E-booklet filled with tips, advice, and general information so that you are well informed.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care, contact Jim Smeaton  and the professionals at Always Best Care of Western North Carolina at (828) 989-7263 or visit their website.

Senior Care Asheville: Recognizing the Signs of Emotional Abuse

By Jim Smeaton
In Senior Care in Asheville - emotional abuse is, unfortunately, something that impacts seniors who live both at home and in senior communities, including assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The elder care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC, serving Asheville, Hendersonville, and surrounding western North Carolina communities, know that the majority of senior care providers are honest and sensitive to the wellbeing of elderly individuals; however, it is important for you to understand the signs of emotional abuse just in case it impacts your elderly loved one.

While the symptoms of physical abuse are much more apparent, the signs of emotional abuse are detectable—it just takes a bit more effort to see the changes that take place in your senior when they are emotionally abused than when they bear the marks of physical mistreatment.

Tension between Your Senior and Their Caregiver
Frequent arguments and strong negative feelings toward a caregiver can indicate that something is wrong with the relationship between your senior and this individual.[1] While this may not always point to abuse, it is nearly always present in abusive situations.

Alterations to Your Senior's Personality or Behavior
Changes in behavior are often a sign that your loved one is stressed—and this is something that frequently occurs when they are being abused. They may become overly sensitive, secretive, or defensive. This can also be a sign of a health condition, such as Alzheimer's disease, so it is important not to overlook changes in your loved one's behavior.

Inappropriate Actions of a Caregiver Toward Your Senior
This particular warning sign is a bit difficult to pinpoint, as it is important that you witness it yourself before calling attention to the suspected abuse. Caregivers who showcase this sign may threaten or belittle your senior. Additionally, they may try to control your elderly loved one beyond what is appropriate.

Signs of Discomfort Displayed by Your Elderly Loved One
The stress of emotional abuse can manifest itself in physical behaviors. For instance, your senior might start to show the physical signs of dementia (rocking themselves back and forth, mumbling under their breath, or sucking) even if they do not have this condition.

The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Western NC  know that, despite the fact that the vast majority of elder care providers are honest and treat seniors with respect, there are some who abuse the individuals they are supposed to care for. As such, these professionals encourage you to understand and address any signs of emotional abuse that your elderly loved one may exhibit.

We have many videos available to you regarding senior issues, view them here.

Finding the right care is not an easy decision to make, so we have put together an E-booklet filled with tips, advice, and general information so that you are well informed.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, dementia and elder care, contact Jim Smeaton  and the professionals at Always Best Care of Western North Carolina at (828) 989-7263 or visit their website.