Page 19 - Leisure Living Magazine Spring 2017

Compassionate Care for
Alzheimer’s Patients
By Theresa Bowen, Ph.D., Email - theesajb@gmail.com
There is good
news for Ohio
caregivers since
Ohio is the 35th
state to pass a ver-
sion of the AARP
CARE ACT. Senate
Bill 314 is designed
to improve the
communication
between family
caregivers and hos-
pitals. Hospitals
are now required to
create a discharge
plan with the tasks
necessary to facil-
itate the patient’s
transition from the
hospital to the patient’s residence. Live demon- strations of each task in the discharge plan will be performed by a hospital employee to provide instruction for the caregiver. Family Caregiver Education is also available to family caregivers of people with dementia through the Alzheimer’s Association.
Being a compassionate caregiver requires a great deal of energy and is needed to keep up with the long hours necessary to provide compassion- ate care. Remarkably daily exercise can provide you (the caregiver) with more energy and help you to sleep better. Studies have found that reg- ular exercise decreases stress and leads to a better overall mood. Physical activity can also provide the Alzheimer’s patient with a lower risk of cogni- tive decline, encourage sleep, and help maintain a higher level of functioning. So exercise does ben- efit both the caregiver and the loved one. Why not try some enjoyable exercise together and work it into your daily routine of compassionate caregiv- ing? Perhaps consider walking, swimming, danc- ing or gardening together. Build your routine slowly by beginning with a walk around the yard before attempting a walk around the block.
Proper nutrition is also very important for the patient and the caregiver. Poor nutrition may
increase unwanted behavioral symp- toms and lead to weight loss. Weight loss is a concern as Alzheimer’s dis- ease progresses. There is no special diet for an Alzhei- mer’s patient but a healthy diet does apply to everyone including the care- giver. Remember the basics, offer vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low- fat dairy products and lean protein
foods. If loss of appetite is a problem in the later stages of Alzheimer’s adding sugar to some foods may encourage them to eat but in the early states cut down on refined sugars that are found in pro- cessed foods. Fats are bad for heart health but not all fats are alike. Food labels will provide informa- tion on high saturated fat and cholesterol content. It is important to maintain familiar mealtime rou- tines. Aim for a quiet, calm mealtime, and try to offer appealing foods that have familiar flavors, varied textures and different colors.
Group activities promote socialization and build a sense of belonging for the caregiver and the loved one. Being social is an essential part of brain health. Caregivers can seek out local activities for their loved one such as attending a yoga class together, senior exercise class, an art fair, or even a sing-along at a community center or with a church organization. Creative Arts tap into the strengths of Alzheimer’s patients. When a patient views paintings they take in color, form, and shape, this translates into meaning for them. A loved one may not remember but they do still feel. Although Alzheimer’s is a progressive dis- ease imagination is always intact from the early to the late stages of the disease.
Continued on page 20
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