Posts tagged "Caregiver"

Gilroy, CA : Love, Meditation The Key To Reducing Pain For Dementia & Alzheimer’s Victims? : View From A Private Duty Caregiver

Article by Richard Kuehn

Gilroy, CA : Love, Meditation The Key To Reducing Pain For Dementia & Alzheimer’s Victims? : View From A Private Duty Caregiver Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Gilroy, Gonzalez, Greenfield, Hollister, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, San Juan Bautista, Seaside And Soledad California

Chronic pain is a huge problem in the United States, affecting a full one-third of the population according to a recent report by the Institute of Medicine. For these 116 million American adults, it often results in depression, moodiness and dependence on drugs which can make the victim tired and anti-social. However, there are many break-through research projects that are finding that simple things like meditation, hypnosis and tai chi can be as effective as medical remedies. The problem for many patients and their physicians are that the root cause of the pain can often be difficult to diagnose and treat with anything other than pain killers or muscle relaxing drugs. Researchers at the renowned Stanford University Neuroscience and Pain Lab, however, have made great strides both in finding effective treatments and in helping patients understand how the brain works and the cause of their pain. Subjects can watch their own brains react in real time and learn how to control their response, similar to how one would build up weakened muscles. The researchers at Stanford found that when one focused on something distracting other than the actual pain, they had more activity in different parts of the brains which, in turn, reduced their pain. “It’s like having a flashlight in the dark. You choose what you want to focus on. We have that same power with our mind, Ravi Prasad, a pain psychologist at Stanford told the Wall Street Journal. If this isn’t done, the dysfunction feeds on itself, Sean Mackey, chief of the division of pain management at the University told the Wall Street Journal. “You get into a vicious circle of more pain, more anxiety, more fear, more depression. We need to interrupt that cycle,” he said. Mackey was recently, along with his colleagues, awarded a $ 9 million grant by the government’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) to study mind-based therapies for lower back pain. One issue we struggle at here at Family inHome Caregiving is that many of our Clients suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. If the disease is advanced, it’s often difficult for these people to communicate that they have pain, and when something is helping to reduce the pain. This makes treatment extremely challenging. One thing Dr. Mackey pointed out is that one of his favorite treatments, surprisingly, is love. He and colleagues recruited 15 Stanford undergraduates and had them bring in photos of loved ones and a friend. On average, the subject reported feeling 44% less pain while focusing on their loved ones than on a friend. Brain images showed they had strong activity in the nucleus accumbens, an area deep in the brain which is involved with dopamine and reward circuits. I cared for my grandmother for five years before she passed away at the age of 97. She suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Although it was difficult for her to communicate her feelings, particularly towards the end, you could definitely see the emotions in her face, from happy to sad to angry. She would often stare for hours at pictures of friends, family and other loved ones and you could tell that she took great pleasure in this despite the fact that she had forgotten who they were. I hope that in the end it reduced her pain as well, although I will never know for sure. This is great research Dr. Mackey and his team are doing, and I’m confident that more studies will be done to see how simple things like focusing on a picture might help someone with Alzheimer’s disease or chronic pain. This growing population with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease need all the help they can get.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204323904577038041207168300.html

Gonzalez, CA : Public Wants More Funding For Alzheimer’s Research : View From A Private Duty Caregiver

Article by Richard Kuehn

Gonzalez, CA : Public Wants More Funding For Alzheimer’s Research : View From A Private Duty Caregiver Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Gilroy, Gonzalez, Greenfield, Hollister, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, San Juan Bautista, Seaside And Soledad California

The Alzheimer’s Association recently released a report entitled Alzheimer’s From The Front Lines which is a collective effort of thousands of Americans to share the real-life challenges they face dealing with their own or a friend or family member’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. I spoke at the forum in San Francisco (over 43,000 people took part in the public input process) earlier in the year and felt it was a great use of public resources. It brought together members of the government, the public, and non-profits to discuss how to deal with the many issues those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease must face. The report mentioned was created from more than 130 public sessions across the nation as well as input from comments on its web site, and is meant to be a working draft towards laying out a plan under the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA). President Barack Obama signed this bill into law in January of 2010 to deal with the fact that as many as 5.4 million American’s have the disease and half of our population knows someone who has it. Sadly, one in eight people over 65 have the disease and nearly half of those over 85 years of age have it. The report found 10 major challenges:1. A lack of public awareness2. Insufficient research funding3. Difficulties with diagnosis4. Poor dementia care5. Inadequate treatments6. Specific challenges facing diverse communities7. Specific challenges facing those with younger-onset Alzheimer’s8. Unprepared caregivers9. Ill-equipped communities10. Mounting costsRegular readers of my blog know that I am a big supporter of the Alzheimer’s Association, a great group of people that provide support for those diagnosed with the disease and their families, who struggle with numerous issues as the person goes through the various stages of the disease. They also have a 24-hour hot line at 800-272-3900 which can help those with stressful issues which may arise at any moment. Unfortunately, the disease doesn’t get anywhere near the level of funding which is needed, in part because many people are still under the impression that dementia is just a normal part of the aging process and there is no cure. Results of the public comments found that many family caregivers believe that the lack of public awareness about the diseases is the primary reason for reduced public sympathy, insufficient resources dedicated to addressing Alzheimer’s and under diagnosis. The truth is, there are numerous promising research projects which indeed could someday lead to a cure. Federal funding for Alzheimer’s research, however, is at a historic low, with less than one in 10 grants submitted actually funded. Recent public support for NAPA is encouraging. This bill is charged with creating a plan to figure out a way to grapple with the issue which could bankrupt the Medicare fund if we don’t pay close attention to it. The cost to society in the U.S. alone was estimated to be $ 183 billion in 2011, up $ 11 billion from 2010. Most of these costs are covered by Medicare and Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California). Medicare payments for beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia are three times greater than for those without, and a whopping 9x greater for Medicaid/Medi-Cal patients. Clearly, finding a cure for the disease would not only reduce a lot of heartbreak, it would also have a significant impact on helping reduce our deficit. USA Today recently called attention to the fact that celebrities have been coming forward recently and admitting to having to the disease, which could help remove the stigma associated with it. Singer Glen Campbell, who was honored at the Country Music Association Awards recently, is now on tour and he has come forward with his wife telling the story of how he struggles with it. His disease is so far advanced that he can’t tell the story himself. He has to be constantly reminded that he has Alzheimer’s disease because his short-term memory is so poor. Thankfully, almost 70% of U.S. respondents said that the government should increase spending for Alzheimer’s research in a recent Harvard School of Public Health survey. Let’s hope this turns into a reality. I would like to see a cure found during my lifetime. November is both Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregiver Month. Let’s work to build awareness of how devastating Alzheimer’s disease can be and salute those caring for a loved one who suffers from the disease. It’s one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

http://napa.alz.org/alzheimers-from-the-frontlines-2http://www.alz.org/norcal/http://www.familyinhomecaregiving/bloghttp://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/alzheimers/story/2011-11-08/Report-seeks-national-priorty-status-for-Alzheimers/51115348/1

About Richard Kuehn & Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey:After more than a decade of caregiving, both in a professional environment and for a 97 year old family member I was dissatisfied with service from local caregiving agencies. I became convinced of the need for a service which provides very personal assistance to elderly and founded Family inHome Caregiving serving the Monterey Peninsula. Please visit my blog where I talk about important senior issues.

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Gilroy, CA : Alzheimer’s Disease Can Grab Hold Of Your Mind In Your 40′s: Let’s Find A Cure: View From A Private Duty Caregiver

Article by Richard Kuehn

Gilroy, CA : Alzheimer’s Disease Can Grab Hold Of Your Mind In Your 40′s: Let’s Find A Cure: View From A Private Duty Caregiver Serving, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Gilroy, Gonzalez, Greenfield, Hollister, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, San Juan Bautista, Seaside & Soledad CaliforniaWith Medicare, Medi-Cal and Private Insurance all looking to slash costs, some are questioning whether it is worth the financial cost of testing for a disease if there is no cure for it. But what about the human cost if someone has disturbing symptoms and a Doctor doesn’t want to test for a disease because there is no cure? This is a disturbing moral dilemma that I am sure will be more and more common as more baby boomers retire and the cost of medical care continues to soar. The Monterey Herald highlighted this issue on the front page of the health section on Thursday, with a focus on the tragic Alzhiemer’s disease. “I don’t remember if I had a bath,” Barbara Lehser, only 54 years old, told the paper. “It took me two hours to follow a recipe. I drove to my childhood homestead the other week instead of my own home. It’s really scary,” she said. Her Doctors and many others are arguing over whether to test her for Alzheimer’s disease. The debate was in high gear at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference held in Paris France last week, where research on new methods such as easier brain scans, an eye test and a blood test made it clear there will be more tools for Alzheimer’s diagnosis in the future. Current drugs only treat Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. They only work on half of the people they are prescribed to, and they only last for one year on average. Some argue against diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s victims. There is no data “to show that knowing makes any difference in outcomes. Until we do, this is going to be a tough sell,” Dr. Kenneth Rockwood of Dalhousie University told the paper. As regular readers of my blog know, I am an avid supporter of the Alzheimer’s Association, a great group of people who help the families of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. They are also the largest private funder of Alzheimer’s research in the United States and have been involved in every major discovery over the past three decades. Having cared for my grandmother for more than five years before she passed away in January, I can tell you that there is nothing more terrifying than losing your mind and not knowing why. I completely disagree with Dr. Rockwood and anyone else who is in support of letting sleeping dogs lie. If someone is losing their memory, or in the case of Ms. Lehser, driving back to a childhood residence instead of going home, they want to know why. Although the research studies indicate that treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are only 50% successful and last only a year, on average, averages can be deceiving. We went through myriad medications for Nana, and have done the same for numerous Clients of Family inHome Caregiving with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Some work, some don’t. Everyone has different body chemistry. But having even one day with a loved one who is disappearing before your eyes is better than nothing. I wouldn’t give up any of those lucid moments with my grandmother for any amount of money. I once worked as a temporary employee for an HMO and at their weekly staff meeting they were talking openly about how they wished a prematurely born baby would die. The ICU care was just killing their budget and their bonuses were going to suffer. I walked off of the job in disgust. We can not make life and death or quality of life decisions based on money, it is not moral. Ms. Lehser’s story is, thankfully, a rare one. Most people don’t get Alzheimer’s disease until they are in their senior years. However, it is not unheard of. Click here only if you are ready to read a tear jerker. This story is one of the saddest I have ever read on Alzheimer’s disease and I have written about it before on my blog. It tells the story of a woman who at the age of 82 takes care of three children Darío, 55, in socks and diapers, a former nurse, María Elsy, 61, who at the age of 48 started forgetting patients’ medications, and whose rages made her attack a sister who bathed her and is now a human shell, mute, and fed by nose tube, and Oderis, 50. He denies that his memory is failing but buys only one thing at a time at the store so he won’t forget what he came for. If he gets Alzheimer’s, he says, he will poison himself. The four live in a village in Columbia where early onset Alzheimer’s affects almost everyone. Their memories start failing in their 40′s, sometimes as early as 32, and the average resident has full-blow Alzheimer’s by the age of 47. Tragic as it is, the village is a great setting for a research study. Inbreeding and environment are two possible causes. Unfortunately the region is filled with drug traffickers and it’s been difficult to get a full-blown research project done. However, it does show two things. One: Alzheimer’s doesn’t affect everyone, and there are likely cause and effects that can be discovered by studying populations like this; and, Two: the concept that Alzheimer’s disease is an old person’s disease that nothing can be done about because it is a function of age is a false one. Last year, Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey was the biggest fundraising team for the annual event called Memory Walk, which has been renamed Walk to End Alzheimer’s this year. We have raised over $ 5,000 so far and are hoping to raise $ 20,000 by October. If you can afford to, please support our efforts by clicking here. As Mrs. Cuartas said, “To see your children like this … It’s horrible, horrible. I wouldn’t wish this on a rabid dog. It is the most terrifying illness on the face of the earth.” Let’s all do our part to make sure we find a cure for this dreadful disease. It cold happen to you, or someone you love dearly.

http://www.montereyherald.com/health/ci_18566176http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/health/02alzheimers.htmlhttp://walktoendalz.kintera.org/monterey11/rjkuehn

About Richard Kuehn & Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey:After more than a decade of caregiving, both in a professional environment and for a 97 year old family member I was dissatisfied with service from local caregiving agencies. I became convinced of the need for a service which provides very personal assistance to the elderly and founded Family inHome Caregiving serving the Monterey Peninsula. Please visit my blog where I talk about important senior issues at:http://www.familyinhomecaregiving.com/Blog

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Discover How to Becoming a Successful Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver

Article by Rose Mary

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease in which the condition worsens over time. As more parts of the brain are being damaged, the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease become more severe. Patients experience frustration and grief as they struggle with gradual loss of function and fading memory. Their family members grieve as well, as they observe their loved ones losing their abilities, personality and function. Anger, confusion, sadness and depression are common reactions in families experiencing anticipatory grief. Being an Alzheimer’s caregiver takes energy and courage. As the patient’s mental abilities decreases, the caregiver’s responsibility increases. Thus, the caring for a patient with Alzheimer’s disease could become increasingly difficult and stressful over time. Many Alzheimer’s disease caregivers experience intense stress as they struggle to understand the patient’s behavioural changes and determine what interventions will work for the problems that arise each day. This stressful task can have a detrimental effect on the caregiver’s emotional, social and physical well-being.

One possible way that the caregiver could reduce the stress of caregiving and cope with the task more effectively is to develop skills in caregiving. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses and the behavior of the patient become more complex, caregivers need to understand the patient’s changing behaviors and learn techniques to manage the behavioural difficulties. Thus, it is particularly important that the caregiver acquire knowledge about the Alzheimer’s disease and its progression, skills and strategies for managing the challenges, and information on the available resources to turn to when the need arises. This is even more essential if the caregiver is new to the task. If a new caregiver has totally no knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease and is greatly lacking in coping skills, the task of caregiving is even more difficult. Along the way, as the caregiver encounter more and more unexpected new challenges, the caregiver will definitely feel overwhelmed by these problems. The stress experienced by the caregiver would certainly be greater and could result in a detrimental effect on the caregiver’s well-being, which in turn could result in an adverse impact on the patient’s situation.

It is also important to note that every patient deserves the highest standard of care possible and an equipped caregiver is more able to provide the high standard of care required for the patient. At times, although an elderly person with severe impairment in memory and mental function may need to be communicated with at the primary functioning level of a small child, but he or she also needs, and has a right to be respected as an adult. A trained caregiver would learn the communication skills required to interact with the patient and be more equipped to provide proper care for the patient. Hence, training is necessary for the caregiver to acquire the appropriate skills needed for the job and enable the caregiver to provide the standard of care required. The patient will benefit from the quality of care provided.

Thus, the importance of developing skills in caregiving should not be overlooked. It would certainly help the caregiver to cope with the task and reduce the stress of caregiving. At the same time, the caregiver will be able to provide the standard of care required and the patient will benefit from it. Furthermore, if caregivers find that their approaches are effective, they will gain confidence and increased satisfaction doing the task. In this way, hopefully, caregivers would end up finding meaning and purpose in the difficult task of caregiving instead of finding the task a daunting one.

More information on caregiving skills can be obtained from, Alzheimer’s Caregiver Guide

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