Captain Rob Firmes of the Murrieta, California Police Department, now has a much better understanding of the challenges experienced by his grandmother who struggles with dementia. On May 16th, Captain Firmes along with two other officers, took Vineyard Place Memory Care up on their offer to help them experience, first hand, a taste of what […]
Were you able to visit your mom on Mother’s Day? How did it go? Did you walk away feeling good about the visit? Or did you walk away feeling worried? If your mom is struggling with dementia, visits can be anxiety producing, especially if you live out of town and are not able to visit […]
When young people come together with seniors, great things happen. For six months, starting in December of 2017, students from Denver’s Martin Luther King Jr. Early College visited regularly with the residents of Chelsea Place Memory Care in Aurora, Colorado. What did they do? Perhaps a better question would be, what didn’t they do? The […]
Chances are, at some point in your life, you’ve fallen for a scam of some sort, leaving you thinking “I know I shouldn’t have given out my ID and password,” or something similar. Older individuals, especially those challenged by dementia, are even more vulnerable. That’s why safeguarding your parent with dementia from scams is so […]
For most of us, going out to lunch with a friend or family member is a relaxing, enjoyable event. Instead of cooking and fussing over table settings, you are waited on in a pleasant environment. You take your time with the menu selections while you spend time “catching up” with each other. Perhaps you used to […]
As you know, caring for a mom or dad with dementia is a challenging journey with many twists and turns. There are days when you may feel you are not doing as much as you think you should. And, there are probably moments when you wish you had found out more about a certain medication […]
If you are the son or daughter of a loved one with Alzheimer’s, chances are you’ve already accumulated a good amount of information about the disease; what it is, who it affects, how is it contracted, and so on. And, given the abundance of studies (some more reputable than others), you may have also read […]
Numerous studies have been conducted on what is known as “compassion fatigue”. Most relate to caregivers in skilled nursing and assisted living environments. But studies have also found that when compassion fatigue is experienced by adult children caring for parents with dementia, it can have an even greater emotional impact. Compassion fatigue is not […]
When someone you love has been diagnosed with dementia, both your worlds are changed forever. For one thing, your verbal interchanges are impacted as their memory falters, along with the ability to remember simple words and phrases. This is also true for activities they used to take for granted. Seemingly simple things they would do […]
When memory care residents and high school students are brought together, the positive impact is almost always far greater than either group anticipates! That is why inter-generational gatherings and events are a regular occurrence at Chelsea Place Memory Care in Aurora, Colorado. They provide frequent socialization for the residents, who enjoy meeting and interacting with […]
Caring for a parent with dementia may be one of the greatest challenges you will ever face. Because, in addition to the devastating impact on your parent, it takes its toll on so many aspects of your life; your physical and emotional health, your job, your sense of freedom, your friends and your family. But, […]
For those caring for a parent with dementia, having a strong support system is crucial. No one should bear the burden of caregiving alone. So, most adult children turn to siblings or other close family relatives for advice, understanding and support. And, while it may get off to a good start, as the months pass, […]
Adult children of aging parents with dementia often share with us that their greatest fear is that their wandering mom or dad will walk outside their door, out into the street and either become injured, lost, or both! It’s certainly a natural fear and, to be honest, not an unwarranted one. We regularly read about […]
We all know the phrase “laughter is the best medicine”. And it’s true that we all feel just a little bit calmer, happier and healthier after a good laugh. Even published studies confirm the benefits of laughter. One such study, conducted by a group of Australian researchers, set out to determine if humor could measurably […]
One of the greatest concerns for those caring for a loved one with dementia is keeping them safe. And rightfully so, as even the most familiar areas and objects in a home can become serious hazards to someone who is cognitively impaired. Open doors, tile floors, bathtubs and stove tops must be re-evaluated in context […]