Below are online resources to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and caring for Alzheimer’s patients.

2011 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures
This helpful guide from the Alzheimer’s Association covers all aspects, from early detection and diagnosis to how to pay for home care.

The Alzheimer’s Playbook
Download this free, practical guide of instructions that helps prepare caregivers for each stage of Alzheimer’s disease.

Additionally, our Family Caregiver Resource page contains a great deal of information in the form of resource sheets and other web links. To visit our Resource page, click here; to read other blog posts about Alzheimer’s, click here.

To learn more about caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or to discuss in-home care options, please contact Continuum at (314) 863-9912.

Below are some common behavior triggers for those with Alzheimer’s and tips to sensitively manage those behaviors.

Trouble communicating. A person with Alzheimer’s may become agitated if he or she cannot figure out what you are saying or can’t find the right words to tell you what he or she wants. The agitated actions call out the emotions that the person is feeling inside. Respond to the emotion that is being communicated rather than the behavior. When giving instructions, break down what you are asking into one simple step at a time.

Unfamiliar Environment. A move to a different care environment, a change of caregivers, or being in an unrecognizable location can cause troubling behaviors. Persons may act nervous and upset—picking at clothes, wringing hands, crying, and making accusations or using repetitive speech. Repetition is thought to convey how the person is seeking security and familiarity. Do not try to reason or correct; rather, listen to what is troubling the person and try to understand his or her reality. A calm listener can have a calming effect on the behavior.

Over-stimulating Environment. Too many people, too much noise, garish colors in the environment, shadowy rooms or excessive clutter can also lead to agitation, hallucinations or aggressive behavior. Stay calm and at an arm’s length if safety is a concern. Provide reassurance and encourage the person to go with you to another place where it is well lit, quiet and calming. Always try to remain visible to the person with Alzheimer’s, and be careful not to approach from a path that isn’t in full view so as to avoid any surprises.

Physical Discomfort. Physical discomfort may come about due to illness, medication side effects or other factors, but the person with Alzheimer’s may not be able to communicate about the discomfort and may try to get the message across through behavior. So, check for pain, hunger, thirst, constipation, full bladder or tiredness. Also check to see if clothes are too tight or too loose. If medication side effects are the suspected cause of discomfort, contact the physician. Urinary tract infections are a particularly problematic issue, so check for that possibility if the change is acute and sudden.

Follow this link for a printable guide on communication and understanding.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful, but there are many tips to help in the journey. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, oftentimes the person with Alzheimer’s cannot express how he or she feels with words and instead communicates feelings through behavior. Successfully dealing with problem behaviors in persons with Alzheimer’s disease begins by first identifying the cause or “trigger” of the behavior. Questions to think about include: What happened just before the behavior started? Where did the behavior happen? What happened right after the behavior? It is important to react calmly and reassuringly. Then to help avoid that behavior trigger or potential stressor in the future, the environment or caregiving atmosphere can be modified accordingly.

Click here to read about common causes of and supportive responses to Alzheimer’s-related behaviors.

Diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease are very different disorders; however, they may have something very interesting in common – treatment. New research suggests that insulin, the same drug used to treat diabetes, may also be effective in staving off the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

Participants in the study who took a daily dose of insulin nasal spray over the course of four months maintained higher scores on general cognitive ability tests. Brain scans also revealed that those in the insulin-treated group preserved their ability to properly process glucose in the brain, a function which helps brain cells perform functions related to memory.

Click on this link to read more about this breakthrough study, or watch this video from PBS.

The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease is growing in epidemic proportions, yet despite over 100 years of research, its definitive cause is not yet known and a cure remains elusive. Researchers are currently studying, among other things, factors such as diet, genes, and cardiovascular health to determine risk factors and overall disease development. However, researchers believe that for most people, there probably is not one single cause of Alzheimer’s disease, but rather a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. What is certain is that family caregiver education about the disease and its effects, as well as learning certain caregiving techniques, while preserving a family caregiver’s own wellbeing, can greatly improve the quality of life for persons with Alzheimer’s.

Follow this link to read about frequently asked questions about Alzheimer’s causes and treatments.

November marks the beginning of a new holiday season full of hustle and bustle. It can be a lonely time for a senior who lives far away from family or does not feel able to participate in holiday activities. But there are many ways to reach out to a senior at this time of year. Helping decorate, baking traditional recipes together, or simply reminiscing are all easy ways to bring joy to seniors and help them feel a part of the celebration.

November is also Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. National research shows that only one out of ten caregivers has any type of instruction or information to help combat the challenging behavioral patterns of a person with memory loss. Continuum aims to change that statistic by providing resources and education on Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s caregiving. Throughout the month of November, come back here to read about Alzheimer’s disease, communication and care tips, and various resources.