Long Distance Caregiving from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

I moved a thousand miles away from my parents years ago. Actually Mapquest says it's 978 miles but who's counting? I call them at least once a week and so far everything is usually fine. I do have a brother that lives much closer and he is available in case something went wrong. But what if he wasn't? What if I were an only child, or my siblings lived even further away? Some elderly loved ones will also not tell you if anything is wrong because you "live so far away" or they "don't want to worry you". The following article gives some good tips on how to tell if there is a problem or not.

Long Distance Caregiving

If you are a long distance caregiver with parents in the St. Louis, St Charles or Lincoln County Area give Comfort Keepers a call at 314-288-0054.

Diabetes and Alzheimer's from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

There are some studies that suggest that Alzheimer’s is actually a form of diabetes. Whether this is true or not, there is a link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Trying to manage diabetes in the person your caring for is difficult enough without the added complication of dementia.

Failure to adequately control blood sugar can cause complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, loss of limbs and death. As memory losses become more severe it will be up to you to make sure your diabetic loved one’s blood sugar is controlled.
Your loved ones doctor can be your best resource for care. Ask him how often blood sugar needs to be checked and what to do if it is too high or low. He can also give you dietary guidelines and point you towards resources that can help. Don’t hesitate to ask him about anything you don’t understand or are unsure about.

It also helps to be able to recognize the symptoms of high or low blood sugar. This page from The Diabetic Caregiver describes these symptoms.
Proper diet and eating on a regular schedule are a must. There is no one “perfect diet” for diabetics, again consult your loved ones physician for the guidelines. Use these guidelines to evaluate anything you may find or read on the internet. There is a wealth of information and recipes out there but not all of them may be what’s right for your loved one. Skipped meals, a common problem with Alzheimer’s patients, can be dangerous, also, causing blood sugar levels to drop too low. Make sure they are eating three meals a day and more often if that’s what the doctor recommends.

Doing the stick to check blood glucose and injecting insulin may also become a problem, let’s face it, those needles hurt. If it gets to the point where the senior in your care no longer understands why it is being done it can cause upset and agitation as well as striking out against the caregiver who is trying to do what has to be done. Patience and understanding can help considerably here. Try to find someone or something that can distract the person in your care while you do this.
Don’t forget the exercise, it can help keep weight down and control the blood sugar levels. Take a walk, even if it’s just around the yard or the house. Find something your loved one likes to do, dance, go swimming, play and enjoy yourself. The exercise is good for you, too and gives you and your loved one a chance to have fun together.

Resource:
What is Diabetes?

Music and Dementia from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Years ago I had a client who had practically lost the ability to talk from Alzheimer's. Her aphasia was such that the most she could speak was one or two words at a time and only in response to someone speaking to her or asking a question. What she would do however, was sing bits and pieces of songs as she walked down the hall.

One day somebody left toddler's toy that belonged to her great-grandson in her room. It played nursery rhymes and just to try to keep her occupied I was playing (and singing) with the toy. Much to my surprise, since I was a fairly new caregiver at that time, she started singing too. After that we would sing every time I went to see her, mostly nursery rhymes and any "old" songs I could think of. She loved it and would perk up and smile a lot more during our time together.

Music can help you relate to and communicate with someone who has lost some of their ability to communicate. I've used it to cheer up clients and to calm them down. Try to keep the songs to things they recognize. If they have an old record collection you can use this as a clue to what their tastes in music were. You can also do some research as to what was popular while they were growing up and in their early adulthood and try a few different types of music to see what they respond to. Music can help so much when you are caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease, try it out and see if it can help you and your elderly loved one.

Reference:
Why Music Matters for Alzheimer’s Patients

Caring for an Elderly Loved One with Diabetes in Troy, MO

If you are caring for a parent with diabetes, you may already know about things such as blood sugar levels, insulin, proper diet and the complications that can result from this disease, but then you may not. I have found an excellent source of information that is specifically geared to the caregiver of an elderly person with diabetes.

Caring for an Older Adult with Diabetes

Driving and Dementia can be a Deadly Mix from Comfort Keepers Elder Care in Troy, MO

We had a client several years ago that had caused an accident and then just drove away. He had Alzheimer's and didn't seem to think that he had done anything wrong. He claimed that the other car had left so he left too. The other car hadn't left, it had simply pulled off the road. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and his driver's license was revoked.

He probably shouldn't have been driving in the first place but no one in his family had thought to take away his keys. Accidents aren't the only danger of allowing someone with dementia to continue driving. They also run the risk of becoming lost and disoriented. Unfortunately, some dementia patients who become lost aren't found until it is too late.

The following article gives some good tips on how to take away the keys:

Taking away keys tough for Alzheimer's caretakers

Emergency Planning and Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Keeping to a set routine with people with Alzheimer's really helps to reduce agitation and confusion. When something happens that upsets this routine the person in your care may become very agitated, combative and resist all attempts to help. Although the writer of the following article is talking about hurricanes, the tips he gives on how to deal with an emergency while caring for an elderly loved one with Alzheimer's are good for any emergency situation.


Weathering the Storm

When Your Elderly Loved One Resists Care in Troy, MO

Sometimes our parents are embarrassed to admit they need help and sometimes they just don't see the need as we may. Some times there are other things going on that may not be readily apparent. The following article gives some good tips for assessing the situation.

When Your Loved One Resists Care