The Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to fight the disease by raising awareness and funds. On September 24th, 2022, At Home Senior Care will be participating in The Walk to End Alzheimer's being held in Rutland. We encourage you to visit https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2022/VTVermont?team_id=740050&pg=team&fr_id=15948 for details on how to support our team.
The following is information on how caregivers can help someone living with Alzheimer's Disease in each of its different stages.
Stage 1:
Mild Alzheimer's
Symptoms include:
• Difficulty finding the right word
• Forgetting something they just read
• Not remembering the names of people
• Difficulty performing certain routine tasks
• Losing or misplacing objects
• Trouble planning or organizing
Caregivers can provide help to their loved ones in these areas:
• Appointments
• Managing finances
• Remembering names or words
• Transportation
• Planning and organizing
• Keeping track of medication
Stage 2: Moderate Alzheimer's
Symptoms include:
• Forgetting information
• Feeling moody or withdrawn
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Forgetting events in their own life
• Calendar confusion
• Needing assistance picking out appropriate clothes
• Incontinence
• Wandering and getting lost
• Personality and behavioral changes
At this stage, caregivers can:
• Respond to the person's emotion instead of the question asked.
• Use a calm voice when responding and be patient.
• Write out reminders if the individual can still read.
Stage 3: Severe Alzheimer's
Symptoms in this final stage include:
• Changes in physical abilities, including the ability to walk, sit and swallow
• Needing assistance with daily personal care
• Not knowing their current surroundings or experiences
• Increasingly difficulty communicating
• Vulnerability to infections
The role of the caregiver is to preserve dignity for the individual by:
• Playing their favorite music
• Reading excerpts of their favorite books
• Looking at old photos with them
• Preparing a favorite meal
• Brushing the person's hair
• Sitting outside together