Dementia and Conversation Looping: How to Break the Cycle

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A young man smiles as he implements techniques to effectively respond to his father, who is experiencing dementia and conversation looping.

Dementia and conversation looping often go hand in hand, which can lead to frustration without knowing how to effectively respond.

If you have ever played music on vinyl records, you know that the needle does not always track properly. Occasionally, a small piece of debris or dust may cause it to get stuck or skip, leaving you hearing only a few words of the song over and over again until the problem is addressed.

In Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, memory blips can result in a similar effect described as conversation looping. Typically occurring in mild and moderate stages of the disease, dementia and conversation looping may look like this:

  • You’re having an engaging conversation about your favorite football team’s latest victory.
  • The individual with dementia suddenly changes gears and asks you if you’ve finished your homework.
  • Knowing it is important to step into an alternate reality or timeframe with the person, you respond that all of your homework is finished.
  • You then resume the conversation about the unbelievable touchdown that clinched the win.
  • The other person asks again if you have finished your homework.

What Is the Appropriate Way to Handle Issues With Dementia and Conversation Looping?

It is beneficial to first understand why the behavior is occurring. We all experience repetition to varying degrees. We may forget that we have told someone a particular memory or story and tell them again. We also may repeat a question we have in mind, unsure whether we actually asked the question or simply just thought about it. These types of situations occur when we are not fully focused or paying close enough attention to the environment around us.

In contrast, conversation loops in dementia can happen as frequently as every couple of minutes. Professor of Psychology at Western Washington University Ira E. Hyman, Jr., Ph.D., explains that with cognitive impairment, “…the work of binding the elements of an experience into a personal memory is disrupted.”

It is important to recognize that correcting someone with Alzheimer’s is not a successful tactic. Understanding that, it’s advisable to continue to respond to the person’s repetitive question or story, keeping your reply brief. You can then try changing the topic to something you know is of particular interest to them now or was important to them during their younger years, as long-term memories stay intact considerably longer than more recent ones.

How a Specialized Alzheimer’s Caregiver Can Help

With many challenging behaviors and symptoms to manage, caring for a person with Alzheimer’s on your own can be daunting. Our caregivers are especially trained in effective approaches to managing the challenges experienced in dementia. Let us partner with you to ensure the highest quality care for someone you love.

Whether you are struggling with wandering, sundowning, hallucinations, aggression, or any other complications a family member is experiencing from Alzheimer’s, we can help. Contact us any time at (954) 486-6440 to learn more about our expert dementia care, available throughout Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Plantation, and the surrounding areas.

What to Expect in Dementia: The Impact on All 5 Senses

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A woman sits with an older man at a dining table outdoors, trying to figure out what to expect in dementia.

Knowing what to expect in dementia and the changes to each of the five senses will help you make life the best it can be for someone you love.

When we think about what to expect in dementia, the first thing that typically springs to mind is the loss of memory. Cognitive decline is a hallmark effect of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, but there are so many other areas of life that are impacted as well. As a matter of fact, each of the five senses can be altered in many ways that are important to understand.

What Sensory Changes Are Typical in Dementia?

Following are some of the changes you might notice in a loved one with dementia:

  • Taste and Smell: These senses are often the first to change. The decline in the ability to taste and smell could lead the person to eat food that has spoiled, drink a cleaning fluid or some other toxic substance, and remain unaware if something is burning on the stove or in the home. Lock cleaning supplies as well as other hazardous materials safely away, check the individual’s food supply routinely to ensure food is fresh, and make sure smoke detectors are operational throughout the home.
  • Hearing: Although the person might be able to hear just fine, auditory processing changes may make it hard to understand what’s being said. It also may cause anxiety when there are loud background noises and distractions in the environment. Speak slowly and clearly, using short, one-thought statements, and use pictures along with other visuals as needed for more effective communication.
  • Vision: The brain’s ability to interpret what the individual is seeing can cause confusion. It may also lead to an elevated likelihood of falling, as patterns on the floor, shadows, and lighting could be recognized incorrectly as three-dimensional objects. Depth perception is oftentimes also impacted. As much as possible, use contrasting colors to lessen these effects.
  • Touch: The individual may lose the ability to detect cold and hot, putting them at an increased risk for burns along with other injuries. Safety-proof the stove, decrease the hot water heater temperature, and ensure the individual is dressed appropriately for the air temperature, both in the home and outdoors.

An in-home caregiver is the perfect addition to the care plan of someone with dementia. Our trained and experienced professionals can reduce safety hazards while improving total wellbeing. We are able to help effectively manage and defuse the many intricate and challenging effects of dementia, including:

  • Wandering
  • Agitation
  • Aggression
  • Confusion
  • Hallucinations
  • Repetitive behaviors
  • Anxiety and fear
  • Restlessness
  • Sundowning
  • And far more

Contact us at 954-486-6440 for a no-cost in-home consultation for more information on our specialized dementia care in Pompano Beach, Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, and also the surrounding areas and how we are able to make life the very best it can be every day for someone you love.

This Creative Dementia Therapy Is Truly Life-Changing – and Fun!

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An older gentleman is smiling and riding in a vintage vehicle, participating in a creative dementia therapy technique called reminiscence therapy.

Try this easy and creative dementia therapy technique to spark engagement in someone you love.

Have you ever experienced that jolt of a distant memory that suddenly pops to the forefront of your mind, perhaps through a song, a scent, an image from the past? For those with Alzheimer’s disease, the strength of long-term memory is particularly impactful, as short-term memory weakens. And it’s what has sparked a growing trend in a creative dementia therapy technique known as reminiscence therapy.

What Is Reminiscence Therapy?

In a nutshell, reminiscence therapy involves tapping into the long-term memory and past interests of someone with dementia. It’s a matter of understanding a period of life that the person enjoyed and remembers, and meeting them there through conversations, photos, and other memorabilia. The internet is a great resource for finding pictures and articles specific to whatever sparks the person’s interest and memory.

A much more elaborate example of reminiscence therapy in action is the transformation of a 9,000-square-foot building in Chula Vista, California, into an interactive 1950s town, complete with storefronts such as a diner, a movie theater, and a clinic, all in operation just as they would have been during that era. Further exploration of the facility will lead you to a 1959 T-Bird, large-scale military airplane models, and an office where staff peck away at manual typewriters.

In reality, this incredible facility is an ultra-engaging adult day/memory care unit. Scott Tarde, CEO, explains, “It definitely made sense to me to create an environment that resonated strongly with people, instead of just four walls and a television.”

Dr. Daniel Bateman, geriatric psychiatrist at the Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center, concurs: “It’s cutting edge and it’s exciting work. One of the great pieces about the concept is that it really focuses on maintaining the dignity and the humanity of people with dementia, which can often be lost.”

Of course, reminiscence therapy doesn’t need to be nearly this in-depth to be effective. At Responsive Home Care, we bring creative concepts such as these on a smaller scale into the homes of those with dementia, with specialized, person-centered, professional Alzheimer’s care. We get to know each individual’s life story, and incorporate those details into our plan of care to ensure that life is lived to the fullest each and every day.

Our specially trained dementia care team can make each day the best it can be for an older adult you love, through customized services such as:

  • Preventing falls and wandering
  • Engagement in meaningful and enjoyable activities
  • Preparing meals and providing help with eating if needed
  • Exercise and physical activity as encouraged by the doctor
  • Accompanied transportation to fun outings, family get-togethers, appointments, etc.
  • Creative tactics to manage challenging behaviors
  • And much more

Caring for an older loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia isn’t easy, and can quickly lead to caregiver burnout or depression without support. We’re here to walk beside you every step of the way to ensure the person you love receives the highest level of care, and that you have the time you need to step away to take much-needed breaks.

Whether you need just a few hours each week of support, around-the-clock care, or anything in between, our dementia care team can help! Contact us at 954-486-6440 to learn more about our dementia care services in Davie, Parkland, Tamarac, and the surrounding areas, and to request a free in-home consultation.

Can You Handle Embarrassing Dementia Behaviors in Public?

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An older woman stands in the grocery store, leaning on her cart with a calm expression on her face.

If you’re not sure how to handle embarrassing dementia behaviors in public, these tips can help.

Dementia is unpredictable, to say the least. It can transform a person’s mood, personality, and behaviors in the blink of an eye. When you’re at home caring for a person with dementia, these changes can be hard enough to manage. But what happens when embarrassing dementia behaviors arise when you are at a grocery store, restaurant, or hair salon?

Simple Tips to Change Cringeworthy to Calm

Fear of a public outburst can make you want to eliminate venturing out at all with someone with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. However, being out in the community is very important. It gives someone with dementia a feeling of purpose, eases loneliness and isolation, offers opportunities to socialize, and much more.

Understanding how to cope with an uncomfortable situation before going out is key. These recommendations can help.

  • Keep calm. Your demeanor and attitude are highly contagious to a loved one with dementia. Take a deep breath and give yourself a pep talk before stepping out the door. Remind yourself to remain calm and patient, regardless of what happens.
  • Carry cards. If you are worried about how embarrassing dementia behaviors may impact others around you, create some small business-sized cards that you can discreetly hand out. They can simply state, “Please forgive any impolite actions or outbursts. These are the result of dementia.”
  • Track triggers. Keep a journal to make note of details on difficult behaviors in public and then look for commonalities. You might find, for example, that the individual does well in a small store or restaurant, but becomes distraught when there are large crowds, too much noise, or bright lights. There might be a specific time of day that is more distressing to be out, or physical needs could be an issue, such as hunger, thirst, pain, fatigue, or the need to use the restroom.

How In-Home Care Can Help

Our dementia care experts are available to help manage the effects of the disease, with patience, skill, and creativity. As seasoned experts who are fully trained in a wide range of dementia care needs, we have seen it all! We understand just how to restore calm to somebody who is distressed or agitated, ensuring respect and dignity throughout an outburst.

A few of the many challenging symptoms of dementia we are able to help manage include:

  • Aggression
  • Sundowning
  • Hallucinations and delusions
  • Wandering
  • Anxiety
  • Confusion and disorientation
  • And more

Whether you are looking for just a couple hours of respite care to allow time for you to take a break, overnight support or live-in care to ensure safety and wellbeing while you get much-needed rest, or anything in between, we’re here for you.

Give us a call at 954-486-6440 for more tips and resources, and to learn more about our specialized in-home dementia care in Tamarac, Parkland, Fort Lauderdale, and the surrounding areas.

Why Are Your Loved One’s Dementia Symptoms Suddenly Getting Worse?

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A daughter holds hands with her elderly father who is experiencing dementia symptoms.

Have a loved one’s dementia symptoms gotten worse all of a sudden? Find out what it might mean here.

Wouldn’t it be helpful if there was an Alzheimer’s care manual, with step-by-step information on what to expect at each stage of the disease? While there are a few general commonalities during the progression of dementia, each person’s experience is different. This makes it difficult to know what to anticipate on any given day.

Even with the unpredictability of Alzheimer’s disease, there are particular situations that are beyond the typical range of expectations to watch for. Perhaps one of the most concerning is a sudden worsening of dementia symptoms. This could occur for many different reasons:

  • Delirium, caused by an infection, surgery or a hospital stay, medication side effects, insufficient sleep, dehydration, or even constipation
  • Brain injury from a fall or a stroke
  • An underlying illness such as cancer or prion disease
  • Sundowning
  • Disruption to normal routine from a move, change in caregivers, hospitalization, etc.

What Are the Typical Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, and as of now, incurable. Therefore, a decline in condition is to be expected. A sudden shift in the person’s condition, however, is atypical. Generally speaking, the disease progresses through the following stages:

  • Early: The first detectable signs of Alzheimer’s are typically very mild, including short-term memory lapses, forgetting a word, or getting lost.
  • Middle:In the middle stage of the disease, cognitive challenges progress to the point that the individual struggles with independently performing activities of daily living.
  • Late:The final stage of Alzheimer’s, which may take years to reach, involves a lack of response and recognition of both people and environment, as the body starts to shut down.

If You Observe Sudden Worsening of Dementia Symptoms…

Seek medical help right away if a sudden decline is noted so that the cause can be pinpointed and addressed.

A dementia care journal can be a very helpful tool, before, during, and after worsening symptoms. Daily journaling can help you keep track of:

  • What works and what does not work in helping the person manage challenges
  • The person’s overall demeanor on any particular day
  • Any difficult behaviors noted, with particulars on time of day and potential triggers or contributing circumstances
  • Medications taken and any side effects detected
  • Sleeping and eating habits

These kinds of details will be invaluable in helping to piece together what may have caused a rapid change in condition and just how to remedy it.

Responsive Home Care’s caregivers in Plantation, Lighthouse Point, Hollywood, and nearby areas are highly skilled and trained in caring for those diagnosed with dementia and detecting any changes in condition. Contact us online or call us at (954) 486-6440 and let us walk beside you in your dementia care journey.

Make Life Easier With a Daily Routine for Seniors With Dementia

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senior-lady-dementia-eating

A daily routine for seniors with dementia can make life easier!

Do you ever feel lost or disoriented after waking up from a dream? The dream seemed so real, and it takes a few minutes to regain your bearings. For someone with dementia, this confusion is part of everyday life. Our goal in providing care for someone with Alzheimer’s is to help provide as much stability as possible, and one of the simplest ways to achieve this is by building a daily routine for seniors with dementia.

How Can a Daily Routine for Seniors With Dementia or Alzheimer’s Help?

Short-term memory loss makes it challenging for someone with dementia to learn and remember new things. A familiar routine helps build self-confidence, reinforce a sense of independence, and minimize anxiety.

To establish the most comfortable routine for a senior loved one with dementia, try the following:

  • Make it meaningful. Include time every day for responsibilities that increase the person’s self-worth and sense of purpose, according to their abilities: folding laundry, sorting papers, mixing a salad, etc.
  • Choose activities that relate to lifelong interests. Consider the person’s particular interests and incorporate those in some manner into their routine: music, gardening, fishing, knitting, etc.
  • Follow their lead. Retain any routines the older adult already has established: a morning shower before breakfast, meals at the same seat at the table as always, an afternoon television program, a walk after dinner, etc.
  • Adjust as needed. Over time, as the disease progresses, the person’s ability level will change, making it harder to accomplish parts of their routine. The goal should be to always make an effort to provide as many opportunities for independence as possible, even if modifications are needed.

Obviously, life doesn’t always make it easy to follow a daily routine. Even family caregivers require time away for at least a few hours a week. It can be helpful for the person in your care to have a respite caregiver step in before you take time away, incorporating them into their regular routine . That will likely make it easier for you to step away, knowing the senior is already familiar and comfortable with their professional caregiver.

The best care experience for seniors with dementia requires specialized training and expertise. Our dementia caregivers are experts in providing creative, patient care and easing the difficult symptoms of the disease, and we are here with just as much or little assistance as you need. Contact us any time online or at (954) 486-6440 for a complimentary in-home consultation for additional information about our Alzheimer’s care in Fort Lauderdale and the nearby areas.

How to Manage Restlessness in Dementia

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senior-dementia-man-confused-and-restless

Responsive Home Care can help to manage restlessness in dementia.

Wandering. Pacing. Fidgeting. As these signs of restlessness develop in aging adults with dementia, it’s important to address them before they escalate to aggression, agitation, or leaving the house. But figuring out why the older adult is feeling restless is sometimes half the battle of trying to manage restlessness in dementia.

For starters, think about the following questions:

  • Are there any visitors who could be producing distress or anxiety?
  • Might they have to use the restroom?
  • Are they bored?
  • Are there a lot of distractions in the room?
  • Have they been sedentary too long and need to move?
  • Is anything causing the individual physical discomfort or pain?
  • Could the senior be thirsty or hungry?

If you aren’t sure, a great place to start is acknowledging any physical needs. Do they need a snack or drink?  If not, also watch out for nonverbal clues that could reveal distress, and call the physician right away for direction in the event that you suspect the person is in pain.

If the problem boils down to emotions, try distracting the person with a soothing activity that they really enjoy, for example, listening to favorite music and dancing together to channel that restless energy in a positive way. Go for a walk outside, if weather permits, or move into another room of the house for a change of scenery and to work on a puzzle together, read, or take part in another enjoyable activity.

The Unique Challenges of Sundowning

Aging adults can feel particularly anxious or confused during the late afternoon and into the evening due to sundowning. If restlessness is happening during this particular time of day, it may be very difficult for family caregivers, who need to be able to rest and get a sufficient amount of sleep.

A team effort is often the most effective approach to sundowning, as it allows the primary family caregiver to take the break they need during the night while ensuring the senior remains safe. Actions you can take include:

  • Create a tag with identifying and contact information for the senior, or purchase an identity bracelet or necklace, and make sure the older adult is wearing it all the time.
  • Talk with the person’s neighbors to let them know about the situation so they can help you keep watch in the event the person does manage to wander away from home.

If you are trying to manage restlessness in dementia, reach out to Responsive Home Care online or at (954) 486-6440 for a fully trained and experienced Alzheimer’s caregiver to take the night shift, or any other shift. A live in caregiver in Hollywood, FL or the nearby areas can provide someone you love with the patient, creative, and compassionate care they need to overcome restlessness and other difficulties of dementia, while giving you peace of mind and a healthier life balance.

Bridging the Gap in Dementia Care: Using Food to Engage and Connect

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dementia care

Learn how food can help you engage and connect as you provide dementia care.

Food is a universal language, and it connects us all! Think about how many cherished memories have been made through the years that incorporated food at the center of them all: birthday parties, wedding celebrations, holiday meals. Even average days involve routines that become ingrained in us around food, from that first aromatic cup of coffee in the morning to a shared bowl of buttery popcorn with family while watching a movie.

Of course, food isn’t just needed for our physical health, but it is also often a highly effective way to connect with someone with dementia while delivering dementia care. Here are several activities you can try to help spark memories while appealing to all the senses through food.

  • Preparing. Choose a simple recipe to prepare, like fruit salad or sandwiches. Assemble the ingredients and incorporate them into your conversation. While washing and cutting up fruit, for instance, ask the senior what kinds of fruits they enjoyed as a kid.
  • Decorating. Frost cupcakes while reminiscing about the treats Mom would prepare for school birthday parties. Roll out cookie dough and use cookie cutters and sprinkles to make them specific to an upcoming holiday while you discuss holidays past.
  • Storytelling. Take out a vintage cookbook and look through the recipes together to see if any spark memories. The senior may remember food rationing during wartime, or the time they tried a new recipe at the beginning of their marriage that was a total disaster. If a specific recipe is of interest, make it together!

Consider how you can involve the senses into mealtimes as you deliver dementia care. There is so much more to food than taste! Point out the sizzling sound of eggs frying, delicious scent of the chicken you are roasting for dinner, the cool smoothness of bread dough being kneaded. Attempt to make each plate served appetizing to the eyes as well as the palate. And whenever possible, cultivate conversations that link the person to memories from the past.

Quite often, a person with dementia will encounter a diminished appetite and lose interest in food. Activities such as these can be a terrific way to restore the joy we experience together through shared meals and treats.

Our dementia care experts have lots more tips to make life the best it can be for someone with dementia. Get in touch with Responsive Home Care any time online or at (954) 486-6440 to request dementia care resources or to find out more about our home health care services in Fort Lauderdale, FL and the nearby areas.

Downsizing for Seniors with Dementia

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Learn the benefits of downsizing for seniors with dementia.

You’ve come to the realization that the family home is just way too much for your mother and father to take care of. A smaller home became available just around the corner from you that’s ideal: a lovely flower garden in the backyard, a bright, cheerful kitchen, and no stairs to navigate. Now it’s time to begin the downsizing process. The only problem? Mom has dementia.

It’s not uncommon for seniors with dementia to struggle with change. Leaving the familiarity of home and moving into a brand new one can increase feelings of agitation and anxiety, but there are strategies to help ease the transition.

  1. Pace yourself. It’s natural to want to rip the band aid off and make the downsizing process as quick as possible for seniors with dementia. However, a better approach in this situation is taking time to discuss the upcoming changes with the older adult, one step at a time. Keep a consistent and calm demeanor, and empower the person to maintain as much control over the required decisions as possible.
  2. Maintain memories. Take pictures and/or videos of some of the items being donated or discarded and use them to create a scrapbook for the older loved one. This helps aging loved ones to revisit the items anytime they would like, and can also be used to spark conversations and reminiscing after the move.
  3. Create a system. Donating and discarding seniors’ possessions are necessary parts of the downsizing process. Again, include the individual in the decision-making process to the greatest extent possible. There will probably be specific items the older adult can’t stand to part with, which can be placed into storage if the new living arrangement can’t accommodate them. If there are items the senior rarely uses or sees, however, it might be easiest to have those removed before involving the person in the process.
  4. Set up the new home yourself. Arrange the senior’s most loved furnishings and items of comfort in the new living environment before bringing them in. Include photographs of friends and family near the bed, so they can see them when they go to bed and first wake up. Then bring the senior loved one in, and help with rearranging anything they’d like adjusted. This process will lessen the anxiety that may occur for someone needing to unpack and figure out the best locations to place items in a brand new environment.

Our Alzheimer’s care team is thoroughly trained, experienced, and highly skilled, and we are available to help through the downsizing process and beyond for seniors with dementia. Reach out to us at (954) 486-6440 or online for more information about our caregiver services in Fort Lauderdale, FL and the nearby areas.

Can Treating Hearing Loss Reduce the Risk for Dementia?

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Senior man wearing a hearing aide

Learn how treating hearing loss can help reduce the risk for dementia.

Have you been raising your voice so a senior you love can hear you? Are you finding the need to turn the TV up louder for a senior in your life? Repeating yourself because a senior loved one didn’t hear you the first time? Hearing loss in older adults is not uncommon. But fresh scientific studies are pointing to a startling link between hearing loss and a heightened risk for dementia, which leads to the need to determine if treating hearing loss may actually reduce that risk.

How Hearing and Cognitive Functioning Are Linked

There are a few hypotheses researchers are exploring to explain the connection between hearing loss and dementia:

  1. Less social interaction results in less intellectual stimulation and a less active and engaged brain.
  2. The brain’s thinking and memory systems are impacted when it has to work harder to strain to hear and to fill in the gaps when communication is missed.
  3. An older brain shrinks more rapidly due to hearing loss.

It’s vital to establish the exact cause of this connection and to figure out if treating hearing loss can help. The number of people who could be impacted is astonishing, with as many as 37.5 million Americans currently having some level of hearing loss.

Currently, we know that people diagnosed with hearing loss have a decline in cognitive functioning at a rate of 30 – 40% faster than those with normal hearing. Not only that, but hearing loss increases the risk for other health issues, such as falls and depression.

On the bright side, Johns Hopkins researchers are currently attempting to determine if treating hearing loss could actually reduce brain aging and prevent dementia. A study of almost 1,000 older adults with hearing loss is underway, and by as early as the coming year, we’ll have the information required for a path forward.

If a senior you love is struggling with hearing loss, encourage them to get a checkup and to wear hearing aids if recommended by the physician. Our caregivers can even provide accompaniment for that checkup if needed.

In addition, our dementia care specialists are available to help those with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia to stay comfortable, safe, and engaged in meaningful and enjoyable activities. We can also help with more effectively managing some of the challenging behaviors related to dementia, such as aggression, agitation, wandering, sundowning, and more.

Contact us any time online or at (954) 486-6440 for more information about how we can help seniors live healthier lives at home with our home care assistance in Fort Lauderdale and the nearby areas. We offer a free in-home consultation to answer all of your questions and to develop a personalized plan of care to best meet your needs.

How Reminiscence Therapy Can Help Seniors With Alzheimer’s Stay Engaged

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To help seniors stay engaged, reminiscence therapy provides a way to walk down memory lane.

Memory loss and dementia may seem synonymous. Yet it is crucial to realize that long-term memory frequently remains intact long into the progression of the disease. Because of this, tapping into those distant memories is an easy strategy to help a loved one with Alzheimer’s stay engaged in current conversations by connecting to the past.

Known as reminiscence therapy, these walks down memory lane help seniors:

  • Minimize some of the adverse effects of Alzheimer’s, for example , restlessness, anger, wandering, and more
  • Decrease negative emotions and stress by shifting the focus to happier times
  • Instill self-confidence by bringing to mind the many accomplishments they have made as well as the lives they’ve impacted
  • Better connect to others through sharing stories

Implementing reminiscence therapy doesn’t need to be elaborate. Start with opening a photo album and simply taking a look at pictures together. Let the person drive the next steps. If a particular photograph sparks a memory and the senior wants to share that, keep the conversation going as long as they would like. If they choose instead to view the photographs silently, you can do the same, while assessing the person’s expression to make sure they are calm and relaxed.

Just as photos can bring enjoyable memories to the surface, they can also remind the senior of friends and family lost, or of a particularly hard time in their life. If the activity invokes anxiety, close the book and move on to something else. It may take a little coaxing to switch gears if the person seems distraught. Moving to a different location, such as outdoors or to the kitchen for a snack, can help. Or try bringing up an alternative memory from a period you know was a positive experience for the older adult.

Other ideas for reminiscing include:

  • Smelling familiar, enjoyable scents which could have meaning for the person: freshly mowed grass, flowers that grew around their family home as a young child, a particular brand of shampoo, bubble bath, or soap they used to bathe the kids when they were little, etc.
  • Making a recipe the older adult especially enjoys and eating it together
  • Engage in an ability-appropriate activity that holds meaning to the past: sorting buttons or nuts and bolts, filing papers, painting, knitting, playing a musical instrument, etc.
  • Listening to favorite music from the past

Let our creative dementia care team help! Find out how a home health aide in Hollywood, FL or the surrounding areas from Responsive Home Care can provide ideas for effective reminiscence therapy that will help a senior you love live life to the fullest. Contact us at 954.486.6440 to learn more.

Two Ways Using Virtual Reality Helps Dementia Patients

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grandfather and grandchild using VR headsetsPicture for a second how it could feel to struggle with the cognitive obstacles of Alzheimer’s disease. The people who are closest to you are no longer familiar. The words that would roll off your tongue without a second thought are now just beyond your grasp. In fact, the whole world as you once knew it has turned completely upside down, leaving you yearning for a recognizable foothold.

One of the kindnesses imparted by dementia is the long-term memories that oftentimes remain intact long after short-term memories have disappeared. It is why connecting a senior with Alzheimer’s to the past is usually an incredibly effective way to engage them – through music, movies, photos, and reminiscing. We can also now add a high-tech tool to the mix that is demonstrating impressive results with seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease; virtual reality.

Skip Rizzo, director for medical virtual reality at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, has been using the technology to help veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. He’s now expanding his reach to seniors – beginning with his own 89-year-old mother, whose delightful reaction to a virtual trip to Rome confirmed exactly how effective the technology can be for older adults.

Rizzo shares an encounter in which he visited a nursing home where a group of residents were simply sitting around a table in silence, until he began showing them flashcard-like pictures of objects they might recognize from their past. The change in the atmosphere was electric, as the seniors began sharing memories with each other. With the potential of low-tech tools such as simple photos to create delight for seniors, just imagine the opportunities available to us now with high-tech options like virtual reality!

The advantage of virtual reality for older adults goes further than merely boosting memory and bringing enjoyment, such as:

Improved Health Care

The distraction of virtual reality is showing to be an effective tool for easing physical pain for seniors. It can also be used to enhance balance and other motor skills as well as improve spatial reasoning. It can even help doctors detect health conditions by monitoring how older adults respond in various activities and games.

Increased Socialization

We know that older adult isolation is a contributing aspect in a number of physical and mental health problems. A recent study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine presented that up to one in four older adults feel socially isolated. To tackle this concern, AARP Innovation Labs developed an app called Alcove, in which older adults and their friends and family can enjoy virtual reality experiences together.

Would you like to learn more creative options to improve quality of life for an older adult you love? Connect with our team at Responsive Home Care, for home care in Hollywood, FL and throughout the greater area at 954-486-6440!