The Care for the Caregiver presentation is an overview for caregivers helping loved ones with dementia and Alzheimer's. Speaker, Natalie McFarland is a Registered Nurse and leads a memory support program designed to enhance the lives of residents and promote brain health.

1. Care for the Caregiver
What You Should Know when Your
Loved One has Alzheimer’s

4. Overview of Dementia
• Alzheimer’s Disease is a brain
disorder named for German
physician Alois Alzheimer, who
first described it in 1906.
• He presented the case of
“Auguste”, a 51 year old woman.

5. Overview of Dementia

6. Overview of Dementia

7. Overview of Dementia
• a broad term for any
brain disorder that
causes
confusion, memory
loss, personality
changes, and mental
decline

8. Overview of Dementia
• Is a progressive and
fatal brain disease
• Causes plaques and
tangles in the brain
that destroys brain
cells
• Is the most common
form of dementia
• Has no cure

9. Test Your Alzheimer’s IQ
1. Dementia is another name for early stage Alzheimer’s. T/F
2. If you suspect you have dementia, there is no point in going
to a doctor to get diagnosed because there is no treatment.
T/F
3. Alzheimer’s disease is a psychiatric disorder. T/F
4. Alzheimer’s disease is fatal. T/F
5. Alzheimer’s disease is more common in older adults (over
age 65) than in other age groups. T/F
6. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common of the irreversible
dementias. T/F

10. Timeline

11. Treatment
• Current medications slow disease progression, but
are not a cure.
• Medications include Aricept, Exelon, Reminyl, and
Namenda.
• Psychotropic medications are used to treat
challenging behaviors and moods.
• “Hugs instead of Drugs”

12. Communication
• Approach the person from the front.
• Always get the person’s attention before speaking.
• Avoid startling the person by moving slowly and
gently.
• Establish and maintain eye contact at face-to-face
level.
• Identify yourself by name.
• Smile.

13. Communication
• Speak in a gentle, soft voice.
• Give brief, one-step directions.
• Praise successes and emphasize the positive.
• Use as few words as possible and be direct.
• Be patient and reassuring.
• Allow plenty of time for response.
• Use non-verbal nods, smiles, pats, and gestures.
• Use familiar words and cues.

14. Communication
• Minimize noise and distractions.
• Remain calm and reassuring if the person becomes
agitated.
• Maintain a comfortable distance.
• Be repetitive and consistent.
• Validate the person’s feelings and respond to them.
• Talk to the person as an adult, not a child.
• Keep your own stress to a minimum.

15. Behaviors
Whose problem is it,
anyway?

16. Behaviors
Have you ever been lost? Late for
an appointment? Made the wrong
turn?
Scared ANXIOUS Nervous
Unsure FrUsTrAtEd
Uptight ANGRY Impatient MAD

17. Behaviors
• Look for triggers: Time – Pain – Bathroom – Tired –
Environment.
• Remain calm.
• Go for a walk.
• Do not argue.
• Allow the person to feel that
he/she is in control.
• Sing a song together.
• Use their life story.

18. Behaviors
Kindness is a language that all can
understand.

19. Since the person with Alzheimer’s has lost the last 20 to 60 years, they are
living at a younger age in their minds. No matter how hard we try, we cannot
bring back their short term memory. This means we should not bring them to
our reality, but that we need to live their reality. When they are looking for
their mom, we need to tell them their mom is getting groceries. By giving
answers that make sense to them, they are able to relax and not worry about
where their mom is. We don’t like doing this because we feel like we are lying
to them. I reassure you it is not lying, but it is “living their truth”. Maybe it
will help if you visualize yourself in their position. Let’s say you have
Alzheimer’s but do not remember that you do. You are actually 85 but you
think you are 24. You wake up in a strange place and remember that you
have children but you cannot find them. So you ask a stranger for help and
they tell you that your kids are grown and you live here now and everything is
fine. Your reaction might be, “Everything is not fine. I need to go home and
find my kids!” Does this vision help you understand? More importantly I hope
it takes away some of the guilt you might have about “lying”. There is no
reasoning with someone with Alzheimer’s and you will not be able to make
them live your reality. So instead, live their reality, and find treasures on your
journey in their reality.

20. “I want to go home.”
• Families feel guilt when they hear “I want to go
home”.
• Families might stop visiting because it’s too
uncomfortable.
• Understand that the home they are often looking for
no longer exists because it’s a home from long ago.

21. “I want to go home.”
• Responses:
• Distraction – Tell me about your home.
• Support – Your son will pick you up _____.
• Magic words – I know things seem confusing
right now, but I am here for you and I care
about you.
• The doctor wants to make sure you are feeling
100% better so he thought you should stay
one more day.

22. “Where are my children?”
• Response: Your kids are still in school.
• Your daughter is working today.
• Your kids are safe. Your sister is keeping them at her
house today.
• Poor Response: Your kids are grown up now and they
don’t live around here.
• Don’t you even know that I am your son? How could
you forget me?

23. “I have to go to work.”
• Response: It’s a holiday.
• It’s Saturday. It’s Sunday. It’s the weekend.
• We are supposed to get bad weather today so your
boss has instructed us to take the day off.
• Poor Response: You are retired and you don’t work
anymore.

24. “Where is my husband?”
• Another very difficult situation is when the person asks where
their spouse is and their spouse has already passed away.
Again, we need to live their reality. This person wouldn’t be
asking where their spouse is, if he/she didn’t think their
spouse was alive, right? Imagine if someone told you today
that your spouse was dead. What grief and pain you would go
through. Now imagine that you asked that question every
day, and every day you had to relive the news of the death of
your spouse. I cannot stress enough that you should not tell
the person that their spouse passed away. Instead think of
what their spouse might be doing if they were alive. “Jo is at
work.” “Alice is getting groceries.”

25. President Eisenhower

26. Expectations
The course of dementia can take many
alternate routes and can affect individuals
in very different ways, so expect the
unexpected!

27. Expectations
Wandering and not recognizing familiar items
are common symptoms of dementia.
Label your loved one’s clothes,
glasses, and other belongings with permanent
marking.

28. Expectations
• Misplacing objects is another very common symptom
of dementia.
• Please remove valuables such as expensive or
sentimental jewelry from our home. Try replacing
valuable jewelry with costume jewelry.

29. Expectations
• We want to make sure your loved one is safe.
• Please notify your loved one’s caregivers when you
are leaving with your loved one. Sign out in the book
at the front lobby. When keying in the alarm code,
be sure a resident does not follow you out.

30. Expectations
• There is no such thing as a magic wand.
• Your loved one may not want
to take a shower here any more
than they did at home, but with
the right approach, we hope to
partner with you and your loved
one in providing them with the
best care.

31. Expectations
• Remember in activities and socialization, quantity is
not always quality.
• It is our goal to enjoy life-enriching
activities with each and every one of
our residents every day. A simple hug,
hand massage, or hearing a memorable
story from your loved one can often
times be more meaningful than a large group activity
such as a movie or bingo.

32. Adjusting to a New Home
• Expect agitation for at least 2 -3 weeks.
• Expect the person to be
angry but do not beat
yourself up about it.
• Know that you did the
right thing and that your
loved one just needs to
grieve.

33. Adjusting to a New Home
• Plan a BRIEF visit, 10 – 15 minutes.
• A 3-hour visit is going to cause agitation.
• If a loved one demands to go home, do not try to
explain.
• A person with dementia will often start talking about
going home when they start to get tired, usually after
about 30 minutes into the visit. Take it as an
indication that it is time to go.
• Don’t focus on goodbye.

34. Adjusting to a New Home
• Take something to do.
• Once you are done, it is time to go.
• Have the staff divert your loved one to an activity
such as a meal.

35. Adjusting to a New Home
• Call before you come so you know what kind of day
your loved one is having...

36. Adjusting to a New Home
Talk. Smile. Compliment.

37. Care for the Caregiver
• Who are today’s caregivers?
• Spouses
• Daughters
• Daughters-in-law
• Sons
• Siblings
• Grandchildren
• Friends

38. Care for the Caregiver
“Caregivers are at
increased risk for
depression and
illness, especially
if they do not receive
adequate support
from family, friends, and the community.”
~ National Institute on Aging

39. Care for the Caregiver
Pace yourself…It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

40. Care for the Caregiver
Put on your own oxygen mask first.

41. Care for the Caregiver
What can you do?
• Accept Help.
• Let it go. “You cannot control the wind, but you can
learn to adjust the sails.”
• Don’t give in to guilt.
• Educate yourself.
• Maintain a sense of humor.

42. Care for the Caregiver
• Be your own best
friend.
• Take time to relax.
• Join a group.
• Find support.
• See your doctor.

43. References
Alzheimer’s Association
Best Friend’s Approach to Dementia Care
http://bit.ly/hMS4IX
http://bit.ly/bwYVDt

44. Contact Us
www.sycamorevillage.net
www.facebook.com/sycamorevillage
www.youtube.com/sycamorevillage
www.flickr.com/sycamorevillage
www.twitter.com/sycamorevillage
Phone: 618-222-2571
Email: nmcfarland@sycamorevillage.net