Page 19 - Indulge October/November 2015
P. 19
Caring for We are proud to offer,
a dementia
patient Daytrips to the Cities, Lehigh Valley’s #1 Transportation Choice,
5 Years in a Row
By Eloise DeHaan Local Wine Tours, Finger
Lake Region, Sporting Events, RIDE WITH THE
Onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease has
some signs that children of aging parents can Concerts, Graduations,
watch out for.
Be concerned if an older adult starts to have falls, Casinos & Much More
minor car accidents, leaves the stove on or gets lost when
driving or even when out for a walk, says registered nurse Several New Buses added to Our Fleet
Judy Stanczak, deputy director for Lehigh County Aging &
Adult Services. “Is the house getting cluttered? Are they STRETCH LIMOS · STRETCH SUVS
bouncing checks or not paying bills?” SHUTTLE VANS · LIMO COACHES · SEDANS
A person entering the halls of dementia might
have a change in personality, with a normally www.aalimousine.com · 610.261.3838
easygoing person becoming ornery or a short-
tempered person becoming more mellow, says Gus 4 UP TO $25 OFF
Liadis, also deputy director of the Lehigh County ANY SERVICE
agency. Paranoia might set in, and might manifest PA PUC #
as children try to talk with their parents about new A-00111863 Valid on new reservations only. Not to be combined with any other offer.
living arrangements, Stanczak says. Airport & Pier Services $20 OFF round trip. Expires 11/30/15.
But, she cautions, these symptoms are slow
to develop. Sudden confusion might be tied to an
undetected urinary tract infection or pneumonia.
If slow but disturbing decline leads a family to decide
a parent needs to be evaluated for the possible onset of
dementia, Stanczak recommends a visit to the family
doctor, because that physician will be familiar with
the patient’s medical history, any ongoing disease and
medications that have been prescribed.
The task of caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s
disease changes as the disease progresses. In early
stages, patients are unaware of their mental decline
and don’t understand when family members say they
can’t drive or cook. Further disease progression brings
personality changes, and patients can become physically
aggressive. Memory and cognition fade and physical
dependence becomes more and more profound.
In the middle of this terrible slide comes a bright
spot. “One of the very lovely things about people in the
middle stages of dementia, moving to the later stages is
that, because they don’t remember the past and they’re
not planning for the future, these patients live very much
in the present,” says Kelly Carney, executive director of
Phoebe’s Center for Excellence in Dementia Care. Looking
at pictures, singing a song, taking a walk are activities that
are open to affection, connection and relationship right
there in the moment, she says. “That is a gift.”
a dementia
patient Daytrips to the Cities, Lehigh Valley’s #1 Transportation Choice,
5 Years in a Row
By Eloise DeHaan Local Wine Tours, Finger
Lake Region, Sporting Events, RIDE WITH THE
Onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease has
some signs that children of aging parents can Concerts, Graduations,
watch out for.
Be concerned if an older adult starts to have falls, Casinos & Much More
minor car accidents, leaves the stove on or gets lost when
driving or even when out for a walk, says registered nurse Several New Buses added to Our Fleet
Judy Stanczak, deputy director for Lehigh County Aging &
Adult Services. “Is the house getting cluttered? Are they STRETCH LIMOS · STRETCH SUVS
bouncing checks or not paying bills?” SHUTTLE VANS · LIMO COACHES · SEDANS
A person entering the halls of dementia might
have a change in personality, with a normally www.aalimousine.com · 610.261.3838
easygoing person becoming ornery or a short-
tempered person becoming more mellow, says Gus 4 UP TO $25 OFF
Liadis, also deputy director of the Lehigh County ANY SERVICE
agency. Paranoia might set in, and might manifest PA PUC #
as children try to talk with their parents about new A-00111863 Valid on new reservations only. Not to be combined with any other offer.
living arrangements, Stanczak says. Airport & Pier Services $20 OFF round trip. Expires 11/30/15.
But, she cautions, these symptoms are slow
to develop. Sudden confusion might be tied to an
undetected urinary tract infection or pneumonia.
If slow but disturbing decline leads a family to decide
a parent needs to be evaluated for the possible onset of
dementia, Stanczak recommends a visit to the family
doctor, because that physician will be familiar with
the patient’s medical history, any ongoing disease and
medications that have been prescribed.
The task of caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s
disease changes as the disease progresses. In early
stages, patients are unaware of their mental decline
and don’t understand when family members say they
can’t drive or cook. Further disease progression brings
personality changes, and patients can become physically
aggressive. Memory and cognition fade and physical
dependence becomes more and more profound.
In the middle of this terrible slide comes a bright
spot. “One of the very lovely things about people in the
middle stages of dementia, moving to the later stages is
that, because they don’t remember the past and they’re
not planning for the future, these patients live very much
in the present,” says Kelly Carney, executive director of
Phoebe’s Center for Excellence in Dementia Care. Looking
at pictures, singing a song, taking a walk are activities that
are open to affection, connection and relationship right
there in the moment, she says. “That is a gift.”
