Caregiver Tips
A collection of post to provide valuable information to caregivers and provide tips that will help in day to day care.
COPD and Humidifiers: Is It Smart to Be Using Them?
Dry air can contribute to poor health in those suffering with COPD.
If you or a loved one have COPD and humidifiers are being considered, it is important to learn about the risks and common safety precautions of using a humidifier. Air that is too dry, for example, may cause or exacerbate health problems such… Continue reading
Learn to Let Go of Family Caretaker Guilt
Family caretaker guilt can be alleviated with these tips.
Family care providers give so much of themselves to attend to their loved ones, often surrendering their own desires and needs in the process. It seems normal to assume then that caretakers would feel good about themselves, rich in self-esteem and sense of purpose. However, the… Continue reading
Safe Medication Disposal for Expired/Unwanted Senior RX
Proper and safe medication disposal is important.
With many aging parents taking multiple prescriptions, and with physicians adding and changing medications and dosages to discover ideal solutions, it is crucial to know what to do with medications that are no longer needed or which have expired. There are several medication disposal options:
Check labels. The… Continue reading
Overcoming Challenging Dementia Behaviors: Refusal to Change Clothes
Learn tips to help manage challenging dementia behaviors.
Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia requires empathy, creativity, and patience, being able to step away from your own reasoning and logic and understand why a certain behavior is happening, and then to understand exactly how to successfully manage it. That’s certainly… Continue reading
Simple Solutions for Managing Disinhibited Behaviors Common with Alzheimer’s
Some behaviors common among those with Alzheimer’s can be difficult to manage; but support is available for seniors and their families.
Disbelief. Shame. Awkwardness. Discomfort. Each one of these feelings can cycle through a family caregiver’s mind when a senior with dementia showcases disinhibited behaviors, such as:
Rude or tactless comments
Inappropriate sexual remarks… Continue reading
Providing Alzheimer’s Care During COVID-19
Midnight Sun in Anchorage is here to help provide additional resources for Alzheimer’s care during COVID-19.
Confusion. Isolation. Loneliness. These feelings are becoming common for a number of us during the COVID-19 pandemic, however when you factor in the element of Alzheimer’s, the challenges and frustrations are increased to an entirely new level.
Consider, for… Continue reading
How to Help Manage Rummaging Behaviors in Dementia
Rummaging behaviors in dementia are not uncommon and can be managed.
Searching through boxes, cabinets, and closets, taking out assorted items from drawers, and searching repetitively through many different items can be frustrating for the people providing care for a senior with dementia, but in reality these actions are fulfilling an objective. Rummaging behaviors… Continue reading
Anchorage Respite Care Tips for Managing Stress
Managing stress can lead to a healthier, more relaxed life.
Stress is inevitable, and actually, not always a bad thing. After all, as the saying goes, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” Nevertheless, particularly for family caregivers, the amount of stress can easily intensify and start to become… Continue reading
How to Find Resilience in a Time of Crisis as a Family Caregiver
Building resilience is key to overcoming challenges in life.
Times of crisis can bring out the best together with the worst in us. During the coronavirus pandemic, we have heard stories of individuals hoarding items and selling them to make an outrageous profit, coupled with stories of people who selflessly met the needs of others… Continue reading
Tips for Managing Dementia and Incontinence
Incontinence is a common issue that affects those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Dementia care requires both compassion and creativity to manage a variety of complicated behaviors and effects, and that’s especially true when it comes to dementia and incontinence, something that is extremely common in Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. These tried-and-true strategies can be effective in minimizing the impact of incontinence and preventing an escalation of emotions in someone you love with dementia. Continue reading
6 Tips for Male Mesothelioma Patients
Learn important health tips for men who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma occurs in men 4 times more often than women. Researchers believe men develop mesothelioma more often because occupational asbestos exposure typically happens in male-dominated industries.
6 Health Tips for Men with Mesothelioma
The Centers for Disease Control… Continue reading
5 Tough (But Normal) Caregiver Emotions – and How to Manage Them
Family caregivers experience a wide range of emotions while caring for aging parents.
If you’re feeling a bit discouraged in your role as caregiver, take heart; you’re in good company. Providing care for a loved one is perhaps one of the most complex roles we can hold: highly rewarding on one hand, while simultaneously frustrating and ever-evolving, often leading to caregiver emotions and feelings of doubt about whether we’re up to the challenge and providing the best possible care. Continue reading
A New Cancer Treatment for All Types of Cancer Could Be Coming
New cancer research may lead to new treatment options for all types of cancer.
We already know how incredible our body’s immune system is in attacking invading bacteria and viruses and restoring us to health following an illness, but the latest findings from a study by Cardiff University are poised to bring a new and unexpected development with a new cancer treatment: stopping cancer in its tracks. Continue reading
Caring for Parents with Dementia – 5 Steps to a Calmer Environment
Making home as comfortable as possible is key when caring for those with dementia.
Agitation is among the more challenging effects of Alzheimer’s disease, and may be extremely hard for family members to handle. The important thing is in taking steps to tackle agitation before it’s felt and conveyed by the older adult,… Continue reading
Caregiver Support – Keys to a Successful Family Meeting
Families need to work together to provide the best care for senior loved ones.
“It takes a village” was never a truer statement than when caring for a senior loved one. It’s important for that “village” to maintain effective, ongoing communication so that everyone involved with care is on the same page for how to… Continue reading