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Show 20 ST. GEORGE NEIGHBORHOODS — For the week of October 31, 2008 STAGES e Continued from pg. 19 another time. Keeping your loved one very active also has great therapeutic benefits and, according to researchers, this helps to maintain their cognitive functions for a longer period of time. Here are some of the ‘therapeutics activities the researchers suggest: exercising, traveling, gardening, playing games and reading. A very helpful factor to remember is your loved ones with early Alzheimer’s tend to forget people's names, places and what certain objects and tools are used for. Their attention span is shorter, and their ability to concentrate on things is limited. Middle to late stage Long term memory now begins to deteriorate, and the person finds it hard to carry out activities of daily living, maintain their job, and recognize familiar persons and objects. At this stage, which lasts three to four years, their ability to talk meaningfully can also be severely affected. Communications, however, can improve if you follow some of these suggestions: talk using short sentences, ask questions with yes or no answers, give time to respond, use the same words if you need to repeat unanswered questions. Smile and look your loved one in the eye. Try to use the power of the tender touch whenever appropriate: hold hands, touch their shoulders, and so on. Although, in this stage ‘the elder’s abilities have significantly deteriorated, there is still quite a lot that they can do, if you choose activities that match their remaining skills. Here are some simple ideas: looking at magazines or photo albums, preparing and clearing the table, helping with cooking, painting, singing, you may also want to look at the landscape out of the window and ask your loved one, what they can see. ~ Can they recognize the trees, the houses? Or do they wish to talk about the clouds, the shapes and colors? Good family outing are still possible, too. You may want to rent a wheelchair for your loved one to prevent them from wandering off and putting themselves in danger. Trying cognitive stimulation activities are always fun as well. Using old books, toys, records, and kitchen tools to remember people and events from the past. Taking instant pictures of friends and relatives, and encouraging your loved one to recognize them, and remember their names. Encouraging your loved one, to guess the price of everyday objects. Late progression The nearly complete loss of mental and motor skill characteristic of this stage which may last up to five years, means that you have to assume complete responsibility for dressing, grooming, washing, and eating, while facing the most common challenging behavioral problems associated with Alzheimer’s like agitation and aggressive behavior. Coping with challenging behaviors, bathing, dressing, or feeding will be extremely difficult, especially if the person refuses to be cared for, and reacts by hitting, grabbing, screaming, kicking, and even biting. Here are some helpful tips to handle these situations: always remain calm, don’t argue, reassure, and talk with .a soothing voice, and stroke their hands gently. Change the topic of the conversation, or go together into another room. Give them a favorite object to hold, or a reward afterwards, like a walk. It is usually hard to know what triggers such behaviors. For example it may be pain, tiredness, or frustration. Because Alzheimer’s patients feel reassured by routine, it is important to always have a peaceful, tran- quil environment. Therefore try to avoid: excessive background noise, crowds of. people, objectS with busy patterns, and a lot of bright lights and glares. Remember to, that behavioral disturbances get worse in the late afternoon or evening. This phenomenon is called sundowning, and, although it is not easy to prevent, some simple precautions may help: don't plan stressful activities, such as bathing, towards the end of the day. Provide periods of rest during the day. Keep the light on when the room becomes dark. Lock away harmful objects and tools, and hide the key where your loved one cannot find it. Keep the floor free of clutter, including rugs and extension cords, to prevent falls. Avoid small objects because Alzheimer's patients tend to put things in their mouths. End stages At this stage the person's decline is virtually complete, so changes in behavior and facial expressions are of paramount importance to understand their needs. Also, loss of appetite and swallowing difficulties make eating increasingly difficult. Try finger foods, puree foods; and nutritional supplements to maintain adequate nutritional intake. And don't forget to provide plenty of drinks to avoid dehydration. Toward the end of this stage which may last up to six years, the person may lose all their functions and may go into a vegetative state. At this stage, activities really depend on what the person can actually do. You should try to continue involving your loved one in the activities they used to enjoy, and simplify them as they become too difficult. Providing extreme comfort and reassurance with gentle strokes, hugs, and soothing speech, is another very important thing you can do for youloved oneatthis stage. Research shows that these interventions remain cru- The Spectrum — www.thespectrum.com cial in order to ensure emotional well-being until the end of life. And even if your loved one seems unaware of your presence, keep talking to them, and smiling. Sing them their favorite song, remember things you did together, or simply tell them what your day was like. Do anything that can make your loved one feel that you are there for them. Summary Early Alzheimer’s + Don't stop involving your loved one in activities of daily living. + Make tasks easier, and allow more time to perform them. + Reassess daily your loved ones abilities and provide more help if needed. + Act promptly if they feel depressed. + Keep the elders as active as possible. + Do things together. Middle to late stage + Use strategies to improve communications. + If your loved one exhibits inappropriate sexual behavior, see if they feel too hot, or need to go to the bathroom. '« Take measures to prevent wandering. + Never leave them unsupervised. . Adapt activities to their remaining abilities. + Keep a regular routine. _ «Ensure safety. « Learn to cope with aggressive behavior. - Prevent burnout with yourself. '_ » Watch out for situations that may have triggered agitated behavior in the past. « Don't plan stressful activities in the late afternoon. End Stage Alzheimer’s « Use clues from your loved one's body language to understand their needs. + Feed them finger foods or puree foods, and nutritional supplements. + Give them plenty to drink to avoid dehydration. « Continue to provide comfort and reassurance with gentle strokes, hugs, and soothing talking. Christopher Onstott/ St. George Neighborhoods Erin O’Brien, a Dixie State College professor of biology, harvests Swiss chard from her plot at the Washington County Community Garden. Why buy when you can garden? BY DAVID DEMILLE ddemille@thespectrum.com ST. GEORGE — For a long time, St. George resident Lisa Reagan went to the grocery store with nutrition in mind, trying to keep her two children from learning bad eating habits. “Now the economy does it for me,’ she said Saturday, browsing through the dairy section of a local market. “If you can't afford to eat too much, you can't get over- weight” Reagan's. has been a familiar story this year, as Americans cope with food prices that kept rising right along with gasoline costs, but she has also taken a proactive approach to harvest some savings, starting a small garden in her backyard. _ The concept isn’t a new one — interest in growing fruits and vegetables tends to increase during economic downturns — but Reagan said it has also helped ease her worries about nutrition. “Tt makes such a huge difference; she said. “The kids actually help out, and they like eating the food. I hope it's something they always do.’ The Reagans aren't the only ones getting involved in the gardening business this year, according to seed companies and gardening supply sellers. ‘Angela Quayle, a horticulturist at Plant World Nursery in St. George, said seed saleshave more than doubled this year compared with last. In addition to the financial advantages — seed companies say the money spent on seeds can yield produce worth 10 times as much — home-grown fruits and vegetables have also gained some ground culturally, with young people anxious to “go green and control what herbicides and pesticides they have on their food? Quayle said. “Tt kind of got out of style for a few years, and it’s starting to come back,’ she said. Tysen Bang, owner of Greenhouse Concepts, said Utahans have always been especially self-sufficient, but recent economic trends and uncertainties have sparked a renewed interest in growing food at home. It takes a while for food ‘savings to pay off a greenhouse, but people are starting to do the math and figure it’s worth it, Bang said. |