We were discussing end stage dementia. Specifically we were talking about swallowing issues. I said that sometimes people with end stage dementia get aspiration pneumonia where food or drink winds up in the lungs. Because of a faulty swallowing mechanism, food goes to the lungs not down the esophagus to the stomach. This can be very serious as you can well imagine.

Sometimes a feeding tube may be necessary to sustain life. Personally, I feel, if there is no quality to the life, what is the point. However this is a decision the family has to make.

Hospice care is available for end of life care including care of those with end stage dementia.

I am going to try to get a guest poster to share some information with you.

Thanks for joining me

Come back tomorrow.

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Make sure to read this book to get all the facts

Donate to the Alzheimer’s Association

Watch this movie to get some insight into life with dementia

First commenter

Glue4Families

As I discussed earlier, the end stage of dementia is not pretty. With any luck the person who is at this point in the disease will pass quickly. There is no quality of life.

Most likely this person with end stage dementia cannot talk. They may make verbal utterances. They cannot move except for involuntary reflex actions.

Then they stop eating and drinking because they forget how to swallow.

Often their diet has to be downgraded to puree like baby food because they forget how to chew or chew and swallow. Many times they have to be reminded to swallow when they eat.

Often their liquids have to be thickened because the swallowing mechanism itself works too slowly. Sometimes they get….. 

We will also try to extract some happy moments. As you can imagine there are many not so happy moments.

Thanks for joining me

Come back tomorrow.

Make sure to visit my sister site


Make sure to read this book to get all the facts

Donate to the Alzheimer’s Association

Watch this movie to get some insight into life with dementia

First commenter-
                         Science Fun

After I read the alarming statistic that the death rate from dementia increased 47%. I decided that people need to know the jouney a person with dementia and his caregiver network have.

I am going to do this journey backwards.

People who are diagnosed with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia(FTD), multi-infarct dementia, vasular dementia, Lewy Body Dementia as well as a few others, live from 2 months to 20 years with the disease dependikng on many factors.

Often a catostrphic event hastens the decline of a person with dementia.

Frequently a person has a combinatioon of dementias which makes treating it ever so difficult

So join me on this journey which will have some happy moments and many not so happy moments

Come back tomorrow.

Make sure to visit my sister site


Make sure to read this book to get all the facts

Donate to the Alzheimer’s Association
                   

Watch this movie to get some insight into life with dementia

First Commenter-CA Johnson
                                

The alarming thing is that in a time when the incidence of many diseases is decreasing, the number of cases of deaths as a direct result of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is increasing.

As I stated last time, eventually all of these diseases are progressive and fatal. No one has ever permanently gotten better. A person may appear to be better for a short period of time, but eventually every person with one these diseases, dies from it or from a complication caused by of one of these diseases.

The brain shrinks. Even the simplest of tasks becomes impossible. What is even worse is that family members, friends, and all invlved in the care of this person with dementia have to watch this happen.

Come back tomorrow for more.

Make sure to visit my sister site


Make sure to read this book to get all the facts

First Commenter-

In a time when the incidence of many diseases is decreasing, the number of cases of deaths as a direct result of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is on the rise.

Yes the number of reported cases actually rose by 47% from 2000 to 2006 

This information was recently reported by US News and World Report.

I find this information to be alarming.

Why are there so many deaths from Alzheimer’s disease or from related dementias or a combination of these mind robbing diseases?

There are many reasons for this in my opinion.

First of all eventually all of these diseases are progressive and fatal. No one has ever permanently gotten better. A person may appear to be better for short period of time, but eventually……

Come back tomorrow for more.

Make sure to visit my sister site


Make sure to read this book to get all the facts

First commenter–
                          Healthnbeauty

In the last post we were discussing how to communicate with persons who are both visually and hearing impaired.

Today we are going to discuss the use of emotions to increase understanding.

Emotions are a powerful tool because emotions are the last thing to go in a person with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

How then do you use emotions in the communication process?

I focus on positive emotions like happiness and joy with the use of smiling, laughter, comfort, satisfaction and joy.

However sometimes a person with dementia is trying to tell you something. He can not find the words to express himself. He can still cry and show the look of fear. It is still a guessing game though to pinpoint exactly what might be bothering the person with dementia. You should be able to tell if you are improving his mood by close observation. It is not easy but that may be all you have.

At least you have some clues. If he is grimacing, he may be in pain. He may also become agitated if pain exists.

If giving a pain pill decreases these things then you found the answer. If not, then more theories should be tried.

If you have any specific questions, please leave them in the comment section.

More next time

Please remember to visit my sister site

First commenter-The Times They Are A Changing

I asked this question in a post from a couple of days ago. What if the person(s) with dementia are visually and hearing impaired, what are successful strategies for communicating with them?

One of my readers suggested the use of touch. That is quite right. We call that tactile cueing.

Exactly how do we do this? you ask
There is nothing exact about it. Each person is unique in what he responds to. The responses could be linked to past life experiences, interests, hobbies, favorite people or a whole host of other things.

Maybe he will respond to a gentle hand massage.Maybe she will respond to a religious prayer, trinket, or song. Maybe he or she will respond to another familiar song. Maybe she will respond to a cute baby or baby picture. Maybe a live cute dog or cat will do the trick. I have seen some realistic stuffed dogs and cats that could be a good facilitator for interactions.

As you can see the possibilities are almost endless.As I have said reapeatedly, knowing the persons’ past, knowing their likes and dislikes as well as keen observation and trial and error are all helpful interventions.

Please leave your questions and comments

Also, visit my sister site

first commenter–

What if there were a test to predict if you are going to develop Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia? Would you want to know?

Well folks that day is coming. Scientists are busy at work coming up with such a test Is this what the scientists should be focusing on?

I say NO because I think we should all live as if we were going to develop Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. That is we all should live a healthy lifestyle.

What do you think?

Should researchers be working on a test to see who is going to develop one  or a combination of both diseases?

Would you have the test if it were available?

Do you live a healthy lifestyle?

Do you care?

Please leave your thoughts in the comment section.

Thanks

Why not visit my sister site


Maybe you need to know all the facts?

first commenter–

We have been discussing communication with those who have dementia. specifically what persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias respond to.

Focus on their abilities. This means you need to know what the person in question can and can not do.

If they are a good reader but have trouble understanding you when you speak, then perhaps writing a message to them is a good way to communicate.

If they have impaired vision, then use large print and large pictures when showing them things.

However relying on vision may not be the best way to communicate.

If a person is both visually impaired and hard of hearing, then what….

The answer in a few days. Check back often for that.

Tomorrow is a something. Please visit!! 

See you then 

first commenter—-SOSBORNE

We have been discussing communication with those who have dementia. specifically what  persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias respond to.

Other things that work are:
Using simple sentences
When asking them to do something breaking it down into simple one action steps-then saying one step, allowing completetion of that task before giving the next step

Having no background noise, when you are trying to communicate is also helpful.

Entering the reality of a person with dementia is also key in the communication process. Tomorrow I will be talking about what this means.

See you then.

Also remember to visit my sister site