I've just had a radio internet interview by Jacqueline Marcell, author of "Elder Rage or Take My Father...Please!" You can access this interview and others on wsRadio at http://www.wsRadio.com/CopingWithCaregiving. Jacqueline's excellent book led me to contacting her, and in our discussion she offered to have me join her on her program. This interview will be archived and accessible free of charge. Details to follow as to how to access the archived interviews!

Everyone has wonderful stories, and I've decided I have so many great stories about all those wonderful people with dementia I've known over the years, that I need to put them into a book. There are lessons to be learned in every story, and that too, is part of the book. I don't know yet what the book will be titled, or when it will be finished, but I've started on it, and am disciplining myself to work on it daily. I would love to hear from you if you have a great story to share about your loved one with dementia, and if you share it with me, I may include it in my book! So, send me an e-mail and tell me your funny, happy, sad, or inspirational stories, and I'll be "hibernating" this winter working on putting it all together.

Just today finalized the cities for the next three DPW approved dementia seminars. This will essentially be the same seminar I gave last year, but this year I am moving some of them to different cities and will likely only give 6 instead of 8.
Tuesday, March 27th at the Holiday Inn Express in Altoona
Thursday, April 12th at the Inn at Jim Thorpe in Jim Thorpe (between Allentown and Wilkes-Barre)
Friday, April 13th at The Travelodge in Lancaster
I need to finalize menus and assess what my costs will be and I will then post the prices for these seminars. I wanted to post this blog because I've had some people call me to question when and where the next seminars will be. I plan to send out a mass mailing to the surrounding counties, and that mailing should be going out by February 22nd. I'm also having my website completely changed and I hope to be able to offer you the option of registering, as well as paying for the seminars through the website. In the meantime, if you have questions, please e-mail or call me. Thanks for visiting my site!!

Labels: Upcoming Dementia Seminars

Eisai and Pfizer, Inc. have recently received FDA approval for Aricept's use in late stage (severe) Alzheimer's disease. This is a pretty important move since Aricept is the number one prescribed drug in the treatment of Alzheimer's. Check out more information about it at http://www.aricept.com. Of course, there are some people who cannot tolerate this drug, and if that's the case with your loved one, I would encourage you to try Exelon or Razadyne. I would also encourage you to consider adding Namenda to the Aricept since it's been shown to be very effective at helping preserve cognitive abilities for a longer period of time. Please remember that it's always a "guessing game" when it comes to using drugs in people with dementia. Your physician should always start doses out low and increase very slowly to accurately observe any side effects.

I'm in the process of having some big changes made to my website in order to make it more user-friendly, and efficient. Thank you to everyone who has taken a moment to contact me and let me know how I've been able to help you--that means a lot to me and that's why I'm in this business! Stay in touch and keep the comments coming. Cindy

I'm proud to announce that my staff training video (BRINGING NURTURING TO MEMORY CARE), is completed and can be purchased by contacting me by e-mail (keithc@mindinmemorycare.com) or by phone (814-235-0691). Feedback has been very positive! I accept VISA, Mastercard, money order or business check and I am willing to consider a payment plan to make it easier for you to access this valuable training source. The introductory cost is $400.00 plus $6.00 S & H (PA residents must pay 6% sales tax). It consists of 2 DVD's, runs 2 hours and 28 minutes and includes a written test--so easily amounts to a 3 hour training. Just think of how many of your staff can benefit from this easily accessible training source! Your biggest benefit will come from the increased comfort your staff will feel when working with this challenging population, as well as less agitation and aggression from your residents with dementia. Please check out the information contained in the Outline listed below on this blog.

GOOD NEWS!! I plan to have my front-line staff dementia training video entitled "BRINGING NURTURING TO MEMORY CARE" videotaped this week. It will then take a couple of weeks to be edited and put into videotapes and DVD's, and I will be able to offer it to anyone interested in purchasing it. I'm excited about this first venture into such an unknown area for me. I believe the video will be about 3 hours long, and the outline of information is as follows:

BRINGING NURTURING TO MEMORY CARE

(1) Dementia Facts
(a) Over 40 different dementia types and what they have in common
(b) Most common types: Alzheimer's, Lewy Body, Multi-Infarct
(c) Different dementia types = different behaviors
(d) Effects of aging baby boomers on dementia statistics

(2) Your "Objective" with this population: Maintain or improve the health, happiness dignity & safety of every person with dementia
(a) Based on the Objective--the needs you must see to in this population
· Why their needs are different--hydration; maintaining weights; activities; safety issues including falls; how to avoid negative outcomes with these special needs
· Looking at "Resident Rights" in a new light based on this Objective
· How your actions can easily be interpreted as abuse or neglect with this population
· Your actions determine the outcome for every encounter
· YOU ARE responsible if you are injured by a person with dementia, or if a person with dementia is injured by you during care

(3) The "skills" you must have in order to work effectively and safely with this population
(a) Nurturing, patient, loving
(b) Good work ethic
(c) Willingness to learn about your residents
(d) Resident oriented and not task oriented

(4) Common, incorrect caregiver responses to people with dementia (scenario)
(a) Treating them like a child
(b) Lecturing and re-orienting
(c) Impatience
(d) Anger
(e) Blame

(5) Communicating with impaired brains
(a) Your body language speaks louder than your words
(b) Get in their reality and out of your own
(c) Validate feelings and emotions
(d) Redirection vs. commands
(e) Offering choices

(6) Finding the "triggers" behind behaviors
(a) Examples of triggers for certain behaviors
(b) Triggers can be positive or negative
(c) Communicating with other team members for problem-solving and support

(7) Behavior changes in people with dementia
(a) Know the resident's "normal" behavior
(b) Sudden deviation from "normal" could indicate an illness or pain
(c) Depression and dementia
· How to differentiate
· Why it is important to have depression treated

(8) Specific behaviors, how to manage them, and possible triggers behind them
(a) Sundowning
(b) Pacing/fidgeting
(c) Packing repeatedly
(d) "Shopping" in other people's rooms or closets
(e) Hoarding/hiding
(f) Refusals to take medications
(g) Refusals to bathe
(h) Disrobing in public
(i) Suspicious/paranoid behaviors
(j) Agitation
(k) Shouting, screaming repetitively
(l) Sexual inappropriateness
(m) Repetitive questions
(n) Exit-seeking
(o) Combativeness

(9) Some things you should never do when interacting with people with dementia, and what you can do instead:
(a) Command or force
(b) Argue or try to reason with them
(c) Shame them
(d) Speak or act in a condescending manner
(e) Say "I told you..." or "You can't..."
(f) Talk over them as if they are not present
(g) Laugh AT them
(h) Take anything a person with dementia says or does personally


(10) Some things to always do when interacting with people with dementia:
(a) Greet pleasantly, smile, touch gently or hug
(b) Tell family one positive thing about their loved one every time you see them
(c) Communicate what works well with other team members, and to family
(d) Step away when you feel frustrated
(e) Treat the person with dementia with dignity and respect as an elder

(11) Conclusion

My seminar written for personal care home administrators and assisted living directors (and approved by DPW for 8 CEU's) entitled "Happy, Safe, Healthy & Dignified Residents With Dementia" is currently being offered in the following cities:
Monroeville, PA - Holiday Inn - Thursday, September 7, 2006 - $171
York, PA - Holiday Inn - Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - $150
Pottstown, PA - Quality Inn - Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - $164
Wilkes-Barre, PA - Hilton Garden Inn - Friday, September 29, 2006 - $168
All seminars include continential breakfast, lunch, snack and workbook
Please contact me to register to attend this very well received seminar!

Scans such as PET (positron emission tomography) scans have been used to detect changes in glucose and oxygen use in the brain, as well as blood flow in the occipital lobe which could point toward a diagnosis of Lewy Body dementia. Recently, researchers at UCLA successfully used PET scans in conjunction with a radiotracer named 18F-FDDNP to chart the spread of lesions in the brain in Alzheimer's patients. Individuals with MCI (mild cognitive impairment) were included in the tests, and while "a more limited pattern of 18F-FDDNP distribution" was found in these cases, the use of this radiotracer with PET scans in the future will help to diagnose Alzheimer's with greater accuracy in clinical settings. UCLA researchers Jorge R. Barrio and Gary W. Small lead these exciting studies.

Publisher Buttonberry Books offers a new mini gift book for caregivers of persons with dementia. Portions of the proceeds from the sale of the books will be donated to Alzheimer's and dementia organizations around the world. It's called "Nurturing Nuggets For Dementia Caregivers: 25 Supportive Stratigies In Caring For Persons With Dementia." It's listed on the Nurturing Nuggets website at nurturingnuggets.com for $6.95. I love that word "nurturing" as you know from my business title "M.I.N.D. in Memory Care" stands for "Moving In Nurturing Directions in Memory Care."