Here is an article from USA Today regarding the future of Alzheimer’s  Disease.  If you have questions, or need help for a senior in your life, visit us at www.andelcare.com.

Global Alzheimer’s cases expected to rise sharply

“The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease isn’t creeping up, it’s briskly rising, according to a new report.”

Continue reading HERE.

Here is a great article for those who are caring for aging parents from www.Agingcare.com.  If you need help for a loved one in the area, visit www.andelcare.com.

Caring for Parents Versus Caring for Children: 10 Ways They Differ

by Marlo Sollitto

Nearly 10 million boomers are now raising kids while at the same time, caring for at least one aging parent, according to the Pew Research Center reports. The term “Sandwich Generation” is used to describe this demographic – and lots has been written on it.

But what is not as frequently discussed, is that the strategies and techniques that are effective when caring for parents are very different from those that work well with children.

Here are 10 ways that caring for parents differs from caring for children:

Continue reading HERE.

Here is a very interesting article that I thought you would enjoy!  Visit us at www.andelcare.com if you need help with an aging loved one in the Seattle/Bellevue WA areas.

Study Suggests Hairstylists Can Help Identify Senior Citizens in Need of Health Services

‘Hair stylists are in a great position to notice when their older clients are starting to suffer from depression, dementia, or self-neglect’

By Jeff Grabmeier

Hairstylists may have a unique opportunity to help steer their elderly clients to needed health services, according to a small, exploratory study.

Continue reading HERE.

Seniors and Diabetes – What You Need To Know

Here is a very helpful article for seniors with diabetes from Senior Daily Living.  Visit us at www.andelcare.com if you need help in the Seattle or Bellevue WA areas.

“Diabetes impairs the health and well-being of 16 million people in the United States, and senior citizens run a particular risk. Due to already existent challenges to their health and lifestyle, it is more difficult to diagnose seniors with diabetes. Often other illnesses can mask diabetic symptoms.”

“Seniors with diabetes run a greater risk of complications like heart disease, stroke, loss of limbs from poor circulation, kidney disease and even blindness.”

Continue reading HERE.

Here is a great article about caregiver stress.  If you are experiencing stress, and need caregiving help in the Seattle WA area, visit us at www.andelcare.com.

Signs of Caregiver Stress – Anxiety May Be the Worst

By Harriet Hodgeson

Taking care of my mother for nine years taught me about caregiver stress. My mother had progressive dementia and, as the years passed, she turned into a stranger. I didn’t know her any more. Though my husband often helped with caregiving tasks, most of the responsibilities were mine. Caregiving became a lonely experience.

“Many caregivers do most or all of the caregiving for a loved one alone,” according to the Elder Independence of Maine Website. The organization lists the warning signs of stress in its article, “The Stresses of Caregiving.” The signs of stress include denial, anger, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, sleeplessness, irritability, lack of concentration, and personal health problems.

The Alzheimer’s Association lists the same signs in a Website article, “Caregiver Stress.” According to the article, “Too much stress can be damaging to both a caregiver and the person with Alzheimer’s.” This comment also applies to those who are caring for someone with sudden or chronic illness. I had all of the signs of caregiving, but anxiety was the worst. My anxiety could be divided into four parts.

1. Financial anxiety. I moved my mother to Minnesota and found a senior housing apartment for her. After she moved in I discovered she had been defrauded of $50,000 and her remaining money was almost gone. But she continued to spend money at an alarming rate. In fact, she became an addictive spender. Needless to say, I worried about her spending constantly.

2. Behavior anxiety. My mother became an angry, unpredictable person. She had a fist fight with one of the senior housing residents and stole a teddy bear from another. She put a can of soda in the microwave and it caught fire and melted. She went for a walk, fell down and injured her shoulder so badly that surgeons had to install a new socket. “What will happen next?” became the question of the day.

3. Anticipatory grief anxiety. On a snowy, sub-zero night she called to tell me she was running away. Her plan was to return to Long Island and stay with friends. Unfortunately, all of her friends had died. So I called her doctor and he transferred her to nursing care. She lived there for several years and the day I dreaded finally came. My mother didn’t recognize family members or me. Each morning I wondered if this would be the day she died.

4. Personal anxiety. I was so immersed in caregivng that I didn’t take good care of myself. Physically run down, I was susceptible to colds, flu, and strep throat. During nine years of caregiving I gained 25 pounds. The weight gain was embarrassing and I wondered if I would be able to shed the extra pounds.

If you have several signs of stress, act on your behalf now. Don’t risk burn out. According to a WebMD article, “Heart Disease: Recognizing Caregiver Burnout,” caregivers who have burn out “may experience fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression.” Other signs of burnout include a lack of interest in activities, weight gain/loss, getting sick often, physical and emotional exhaustion.

To care for others you must care for yourself. Whether it is reading, listening to music, or going for a walk, try to do something for yourself each day. Difficult as it can be, caregiving is an expression of love, and you can give yourself credit for that.

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson