Handling Dementia Behaviors

Early Signs and Symptoms of Dementia: What to Look For

January 23rd, 2008 by Gilbert Guide

This article outlines some of the early symptoms and signs of Alzheimer's and dementia. Keep in mind that some symptoms can also be attributed to the normal effects of aging or due to factors such as stress or depression. If your loved one experiences any of these symptoms, it is important to consult a physician for a proper diagnosis. Because Alzheimer's and other dementias affect the brain and its functioning, both behavioral and cognitive changes are apparent early in...Read the rest of this article »

Strange Bedfellows: Alzheimer’s in the Bedroom

January 3rd, 2008 by Lara Belonogoff

The physicians who diagnose Alzheimer’s disease discuss the cognitive and behavioral changes a patient will experience during the course of the disease, and how these changes will affect their partner. But how will the diagnosis affect the intimate relationship between patients and their partners? Many couples are too embarrassed to ask the questions they really need answered. Sex is important; to some people it is a non-negotiable need. Many couples find it beneficial to have a discussion soon after diagnosis...Read the rest of this article »

Living with Dementia: How Hospice Care Can Help

December 21st, 2007 by Audrey

What is dementia? And perhaps just as importantly, what isn’t it? In the coming months, I’ll be writing a series of articles on dementia to address the concerns of caregivers and family members who have a loved one living with dementia. Many people think of hospice care as being for the dying, and therefore not appropriate for someone who has “only” been diagnosed with dementia. However, hospice care can help greatly in the day-to-day living of a person with...Read the rest of this article »

Dementia: Tips for the Newly Diagnosed & Their Spouses

December 8th, 2006 by Lara Belonogoff

During a recent Alzheimer’s convention I attended a seminar in which all panel members were part of a couple; one spouse in each pair had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. All ten older adults shared their stories—which were inspiring and honest—of how slight memory loss eventually was diagnosed as Alzheimer’s. Below are some ABCs for couples dealing with a partner being newly diagnosed. Assert Who You Are You have dementia or your spouse has dementia. Although it is a part...Read the rest of this article »