Understand the potential causes

Awareness of the potential causes of incontinence in patients with dementia is a good start for the management strategy. As the mental condition worsens, the patient loses the ability to remember things and react quickly. Failing to recognize the urge to urinate, not being able to reach the bathroom in time, and mobility loss are other possible reasons for incontinence. Older adults may have medical complications like constipation, enlarged prostate, and neurological complications that cause the loss of bladder control. Some suffer from side effects of medications that relax bladder muscles and cause drowsiness. 

Maintain bladder health

Dealing with urinary incontinence in dementia patients is not as challenging as you imagine, provided you take measures to maintain their bladder health. Simple dietary changes can take them a long way. Avoid feeding spicy or acidic foods, ditch carbonated drinks and caffeine, and include more fiber in their diet. Limiting liquids before bed is a practical way to prevent leakage during sleep. Create an appropriate exercise routine for the patient and ensure they follow it consistently.

Invest in incontinence underwear

Memory loss is a reason the elderly miss out on toilet schedules and suffer from leakage frequently. You cannot prevent these incidents, no matter how diligent you are as a caregiver. Investing in Zorbies Washable incontinence briefs is the best way to deal with mishaps. Your loved one can be more independent and confident during outings by wearing these undergarments. The best thing about these products is that they are as comfortable as regular briefs. 

Ensure good hygiene

Remember to ensure good hygiene for your loved ones because leakage may leave their skin moist and cause infections. Wash the area with a pH-balanced perineal cleanser several times a day. Pat the skin dry and apply medicated powder to protect it from moisture overexposure. You can also use a gentle cream to prevent dryness and rashes due to repeated washing.

Boost the patient’s confidence

Urinary incontinence is embarrassing, even for seniors with dementia. The patient may feel anxious and depressed after a leakage. But you can do your bit by boosting their confidence. The situation makes you vulnerable to caregiver burnout, so invest in self-care to steer clear of the stress. You can consider mental health counseling for yourself and the patient to help them learn to live with the condition.

There are treatment options for incontinence in seniors suffering from dementia.  Discuss the symptoms and patterns with a healthcare provider, and seek the best treatment plan to manage the condition.

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At a time when staying indoors has been necessary for many vulnerable people, it has never been more important to create interactive and engaging indoor activities that can be enjoyed safely. Live-in care company, Elder, have complied a variety of activities which are ideal for those living with dementia and their carers.

1. Scrapbook

Photographs and other memorabilia can be highly beneficial to utilise as part of reminiscence-based activities. Select a range of images, whether it be those that include the person’s family, favourite holiday destinations, famous people, or even magazine cut outs that will be familiar to the person.

Once you have a range of images, you can begin creating the scrapbook. We recommend using photocopies so you can do the activity time and again. Sit down together in a comfortable environment which is free from loud noises and distractions and let the person with dementia explore each image in their own time.

Asking gentle questions surrounding each image as this can be great for evoking memories and encouraging recognition of people and places.

Once you have completed the scrapbook, you can bring this out to utilise as part of other reminiscence activities, and to browse through together at a later date.

2. Cooking

Cooking a meal that is familiar to the person with dementia can be brilliant for boosting wellbeing. The act of preparing and eating a meal together is not only engaging and interactive, but as our senses are closely linked to memory, the smells and tastes can help to trigger memories.

For example, if the person visited the seaside a lot as a child, cooking or eating fish and chips could elicit happy memories of time spent here. Remember to consider that appetite can change as someone progresses along the dementia journey, so the person may be over faced with lots of food, start with a smaller meal and you can always add more.

3. Watch an old film

Watching a familiar film can help to boost wellbeing and mood, as films have been shown to not only evoke memories but also encourage socialisation. Asking questions about the film, such as, ‘when did you first see this film?’ ‘which cinema did you like to go to when you were younger?’ can be highly beneficial for sparking conversations.

It’s important to be patient when asking questions and not always expect the ‘correct’ answer. Engaging and getting involved in the conversation can be just as important, so give the person with dementia plenty of time and gentle encouragement.

4. Music

Listening to music can be a great reminiscence activity for someone living with dementia. Listening to specific songs they like or are familiar with, such as their wedding song, or a song that came out when they were young or used to dance to, not only helps to boost mood and evoke happy memories but can also encourage movement, and if abilities allow, dancing.

This can be fantastic for enhancing mood and encouraging expression, whilst getting gentle physical exercise.

5. Painting and Drawing

Creative and artistic activities are wonderful for boosting mood, self-expression, and for providing a sense of achievement for someone living with dementia. It’s important to choose an activity which is suited to the persons personality and preferences as well as abilities so as not to cause frustration.

Activities can be anything from painting a still life, to colouring in or making decorations together. It’s important to remember that it is the taking part in the activity, which is most important, and ‘finishing’ it, is not vital. Display the artwork or decoration to help boost wellbeing further and provide a sense of accomplishment.

Art therapy can be particularly beneficial when based on the persons memories or passions, so choose objects or activities which will help to spark memories and conversations.

There are many simple and safe activities that are suitable for carers and those living with dementia which can be fantastic for boosting overall mood and wellbeing, whilst encouraging cognitive stimulation and physical activity.

The post Wellbeing Boosting Activities for those Living with Dementia and Their Carers appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Essex-based charity, Dementia Adventure, is offering free online support to the thousands of dementia carers and families across the UK who may feel isolated and unsupported during the coming weeks.

The charity’s free dementia support sessions aim to provide practical hints and tips to help carers remain occupied and stay connected during isolation.

Family, friends and neighbours can join online with experts from the charity from the comfort of their own home. During the interactive live webinars people will have the opportunity to speak to qualified dementia trainers and connect with others in a similar situation.

The webinars sessions will cover:

• Understanding dementia and the common symptoms
• Continuing to see the person, not the condition
• Strategies to overcome communication barriers
• Practical tips to connect with a person with dementia
• Information about support available

Find out more or register here

About Dementia Adventure

Dementia Adventure is a national UK charity, based in North Essex.  The charity thinks differently about dementia. They focus on the individual, not on the illness and look at what people can do, not what they can’t, concentrating on ‘the possible’.

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Now the charity is calling for volunteers to help make a genuine difference to their community by volunteering. The volunteer recruitment drive is kicking off on the Isle of Wight in Godshill in April 2020, with more sessions scheduled for volunteering opportunities throughout the UK during 2020.

Volunteers can get involved by directly supporting people with dementia on one of the charity’s local specialist holidays, giving active holidays back to those who might not consider it an option. Traditional models of respite that separate families don’t always appeal but with the dedicated help of volunteers Dementia Adventure is able to provide small group, supported holidays for people with dementia and their partners, family, friends or carers to enjoy together.

Full training is provided to become a Holiday Supporter or Community Ambassador.

For more information call 01245 237548 or email carol@dementiaadventure.co.uk

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In most cases, at sundown, clients wanted to ‘go home’.

I have spent hundreds of afternoons ‘bringing home’ dementia patients, testing and utilising non-pharmacological methods and this has also brought me ‘home’ as a person. I will be forever grateful to all the white-haired ladies and gentlemen who took me on this precious journey with them.

Do you know someone who could benefit from learning how to better communicate with someone affected by and living with Dementia? This year why not gift them a 4-week Dementia communication course with myself, to commence after Christmas?

4 week courses take place in Battle, East Sussex and prices start from £250

Home is a feeling: You don’t have to lose your loved ones to Dementia

Words: Malwina Aisha – Dementia Practitioner

To find out more please visit Malwina’s Facebook or Linkedin pages
or contact her directly via email – malwinagawron @live.com – for more information and to book.

The post How to transform the lives of those living with Dementia appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Research by UK scientists shows that if it wasn’t for aluminium, Alzheimer’s Disease might not have emerged as widespread as it is today.

That is the conclusion reached, following research at Keele University UK led by Professor Christopher Exley, a world leading authority on aluminium.

The scientific study also suggests a remedy to rid the body of the toxic metal and reduce the risk of developing this form of dementia.

His team has shown that regularly drinking silicic acid found naturally in silica-rich water like Acilis by Spritzer can be an antidote to toxic aluminium by helping to remove the metal through urine and sweat.

View Professor Exley’s research findings in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in which he says: “Essentially without aluminium in brain tissue there would be no Alzheimer’s disease.”

https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease-reports/adr170010

Words: Rex Garratt, Silicawaters.com

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What causes stress?

We are all familiar with the causes of stress – work, relationships, money. Less obvious but also important are anti-nutrients (caffeine, alcohol), poor diet, poor sleep, dehydration, pain, as well as beliefs and perceptions. In short – 21^st Century Living!

The stress hormone cortisol

Levels of the stress hormone cortisol naturally follow a circadian rhythm, rising rapidly after waking, falling during the day, before dropping to lowest levels in the middle of the night.

Higher production of cortisol has a number of effects,including increasing availability of glucose in order to ready the body for action, in other words, to facilitate the ‘fight or flight’ response. As well as increasing the body’s readiness for action, cortisol suppresses processes that are not needed immediately e.g. the demanding immune system.

This is why stress can increase susceptibility to coughs and colds. Once the challenge has passed, the human body should release and relax. However, in today’s environment, there is often no recovery, but ongoing stimulation of the stress response.

Detrimental effects of cortisol on brain health

Increases in cortisol levels have been reported in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, and a correlation has been found between increases in cortisol levels and the severity of cognitive defects. In addition, long-lasting increases in cortisol have been found to:

• Increase inflammation
• Cause high blood pressure and other vascular issues
• Increasing blood sugar
• Affecting sleep, reducing both sleep quantity and sleep quality
• Affect gut health

When experiencing stress, it can be difficult to make good lifestyle and diet choices – sugary foods may be used as a ‘pick me up’. In addition,there may be no time to cook, alcohol is used to relax, bedtimes are pushed later,and we rob time from sleep. Stimulants such as coffee are used after a poor night’s sleep to get going in the morning.

How can you break this cycle and manage stress?

Nature

Studies have shown that watching wildlife (e.g.birds), spending time in nature, or even watching natural history programmes can reduce stress and anxiety and improve mood. So,try swapping high tension drama for David Attenborough on the television.

Breathing

Certain types of breathing can stimulate ‘the relaxation response’. For example, breathing in through your nose for approx. 7 seconds, pausing, and then breathing out slowly through your mouth for approx. 11 seconds. Repeat at least once daily.

Get medical health

If some of your sources of stress originate from medical problems, then getting them resolved can be highly effective at helping you to stay calm and relaxed. For example, if you have been suffering from back pain no matter what you do or where you go then it may also be causing stress and irritation at your situation, so you should be getting it looked at as soon as possible. Likewise, if you have been encountering erectile dysfunction and your private life has been affected as a result, then visiting an ED Clinic Delray Beach or one elsewhere can help to give you peace of mind and reduce stress.

Happiness & gratitude journal

This relates to the fact that our thoughts, perceptions and beliefs can trigger the stress response or equally the relaxation response. A gratitude and happiness journal is a notebook that you can keep next to your bed and complete daily (only takes a couple of minutes). The key to this exercise is finding some positives from the day.This technique has been shown to increase happiness (and by association reduce stress levels) within 7 days!

Emotion

Our emotional response to stress is important. Sometimes easier said than done, but try taking a “whatever” approach to stressful situations. Shrug and breathe out deeply as you say this. It works!

Blood sugar balance

Blood sugar crashes cause the release of cortisol, which increases blood sugar levels again when they crash. However, if poor diet is causing blood sugar crashes through the day then levels of cortisol will be elevated for long periods – contributing to increased feelings of stress. Stress can be supported by eating a diet that keeps blood sugar balanced and which provides adequate nutrients for the adrenal glands, involved in the stress response. This is a low sugar diet, high in vegetables with adequate protein and healthy fats.

Specific nutrients

There are a number of nutrients that are important for helping the body cope with stress – some nutrients are calming such as magnesium and pantothenic acid, others support the adrenal glands that produce the stress hormones, e.g. B vitamins, vitamin C (pantothenic acid is also used by adrenal glands). Foods that are good sources of magnesium and B vitamins include nuts and green leafy vegetables. In addition, black tea contains L-theanine which increases levels of brain calming chemicals, which may be why “a nice cup of tea” is offered as comfort. Alternatively purchasing supplements from https://mykratomclub.com can give customers safe natural supplements that are an alternative to caffeine. Kratom may be an effective reliever for chronic pain by attaching to opioid receptors. However, it is important you read reviews to make sure you are choosing the right ones to incorporate into your wellness routine.

To ensure you keep your brain and mind healthy, a holistic approach must therefore be taken. Diet should be a key priority, making sure that you are consuming the correct nutrients from good food sources, and supplementing to cover any shortcomings. Healthiness goes hand in hand with happiness, so stay mindful, active, and reap the benefits!

References

1. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/mid-life-stress-increases-dementia-risk-2054147.html

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There are at present approximately 850,000 cases of dementia in the UK and this looks set to rise to over a million by 2025. Nearly 40,000 of those suffering are under the age of 65 yrs old which by today’s standards is considered young. Additionally almost two thirds of the cost of dementia is paid for by the families and carers, saving the economy a whopping £11 billion per year. These statistics make for fairly depressing reading, leaving the patient and the carer fending for themselves, often powerless in the grip of these conditions. I’m pretty appalled that as a country we spend less on dementia than cancer and cardiovascular disease and at present there is no cure. As dementia is one of the main causes of disability in later life it is one of the top five concerns of my patients and clients. Many not only fear getting the disease, particularly if they have watched a family member suffer, but worry that they will be a burden to loved ones and family in the future. ” Physical disability is one thing, but I’m terrified of losing my mind. I suppose it’s the ultimate loss of control” said one client of mine. Recently I’ve popped in to see some wonderful centres and spoken to volunteers who are trying their very best to raise money and support where they can. In my local town these vital centres are being threatened by cuts. To be frank if we’re not mad about this we should be.

Despite the wonderful work going on, once dementia is diagnosed, the outcomes can be fairly bleak. To date all the drug research hasn’t yet come up with a magic formula. Aricept and Memantin go someway to help stall symptoms, but it’s not really what was hoped for and the side effects can be grim. Although we have had huge progress in HIV, cancer and heart disease, dementia is lagging behind in every avenue. It’s not just that it can be fatal but, sufferers can lose the very essence of themselves and the ability to lead independent lives. Some, no longer know their past, recognise loved ones which is not only highly distressing for the sufferer but for those around them. In all this darkness and gloom, is there any good news? Certainly looking at diet and lifestyle may go some way to help not only stopping symptoms in the first place but also preventing current symptoms getting worse. Looking at dementia as a multi factorial disease rather than a singular issue may be the key to lighting the way out of the darkness.

Where did I leave my specs?

Really, anyone over 40 yrs old needs to take note and look for early warning signs of cognitive decline. However, before you all panic at that day last week when you couldn’t find your specs, early alzheimer’s is rare. There are other conditions like the menopause and hypothyroidism that can make you forgetful and foggy in the head. As of course can something far more common like insomnia or any kind of sleep deprivation. However in these conditions, the symptoms will rectify themselves once the problem is identified and supported. The good news (if there is any) is that dementia takes years to develop so we can do much to prevent it worsening. If you feel that you are having too many ‘senior moments’ or forgetting names it’s all too easy to laugh it off as getting older. Such signs certainly don’t mean you have dementia but being in denial and battling symptoms can be detrimental. I often go into a room and go blank as to why I’ve gone in there but I know (to the best of my ability) that I don’t have dementia. More significant symptoms in the over 65’s can include: facial blindness, decreased interest in reading or having conversations, difficulty following a film with complicated plots, decreased vocabulary, struggling to find the right word, mixing words up, fuzzy thinking, anxiety about driving, getting overwhelmed, sleep disruption and forgotten learned languages. If you are over 65 yrs old and have any worries, please do see your GP, it’s most likely nothing to worry about but always best to check. Often it’s one of the most scary appointments to book, it seems people fear talking about cognitive decline more than other diseases of ageing. But early diagnosis can certainly give you some time to look at what you can do in order to change your outcome.

Different types of dementia

There are varying types of dementia, these are the most common:

• Vascular – reduced blood flow to the brain, multiple small strokes. Overlaps with Alzheimer’s
• Frontotemporal – less common than Alzheimer’s. Changes in behaviour, memory problems and difficulty speaking
• Lewy Body – common, visual hallucinations, delusions, increased sleeping, flinging of limbs during sleep
• Alzheimer’s- amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles
• Subjective cognitive impairment – patient passes tests but notices subtle changes in cognition.
• Mild cognitive impairment – tests show memory, speaking etc are abnormal but patient can function

How important are our genes?

The most common gene associated with late onset Alzheimer’s (over 65 yrs old) is apolipoprotein APOE. This has three forms: Apoe E2, Apoe E3, and Apoe E4. Apoe E4 seems to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. Apo E4 is the gene variant and the strongest known genetic risk for Alzheimer’s. Many people don’t even know they are carrying the gene until they are tested. Just to be clear people contract dementia whether they have the gene or not. So the gun is loaded if you carry the gene, but the trigger still needs to be pulled. Carrying the gene does not mean you automatically get dementia.Your genes are not your destiny and only 1% of the population develops Alzheimer’s due to a genetic mutation. The real risk for us is not then determined by our genes but by our lifestyles and is not inevitable.

Can diet and lifestyle changes help?

Without getting judgemental and finger pointy I am pretty peeved that most of the alzheimer’s and dementia information says very little about diet and lifestyle. If they do it’s fairly basic stuff and not much discussed. Your choices or so it seems are two fold; drugs or alternative therapies – one site mentioned coconut oil – talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous. (For those that are wondering, no, coconut oil will not cure dementia) Looking at things from a slightly different angle, dementia has been called Type 3 Diabetes. When blood sugar is high, insulin is called up upon to bring it down. The body must degrade the insulin further to stop the blood sugar dropping too low. Its does so by an insulin degrading enzyme (IDE). Co-incidentally IDE degrades amyloid (present in Alzheimer’s) as well but can’t do both at the same time. So if IDE is breaking down insulin it can’t break down amyloid. Therefore one could conclude that that high levels of insulin may cause Alzheimer’s. If only it were that simple. Targeting the amyloid plaque found in alzheimer’s has not been the magic bullet we thought. Potentially going one step further and finding out what is triggering the plaque in the first place could be more relevant to finding solutions.

Rather than just sit and just wait for the inevitable, looking at diet and lifestyle may help not only prevent symptoms but reduce those already there. One of my patients who came with his son said to me how helpless he felt. At that point they had been given dire outcomes and had nothing to lose by looking at diet and lifestyle. Four years later, with no medication after a fairly poor prediction, the father has better cognition and symptoms have stabilised ie he has not worsened as predicted and has passed all his cognitive tests.

Two key components for reducing the likelihood of Alzheimer’s is dealing with inflammation and raised insulin. There is now weighty research on the role of insulin resistance and cognitive decline, how stress impacts cognition and how your diet can effect inflammation. Additionally with all patients I see with dementia their gut microbiome is remarkably altered (and not in a good way.) It is vital in my opinion to look at dementia, not as a singular issue of the brain but as a multi factorial issue. As it is with lifestyle medicine all patients are different but there are some similar patterns and changes of diet and environment that can go a long way to help better outcomes. As this is a complex medical issue I’ve devised a three month programme tailored to the needs of the patient/carer/family in order to work out a plan of action that best suits the sufferer. If you would like more details about this please call me for a free fifteen minute chat to see if the programme would be suitable and discuss reasonable outcomes and expectations.

If you would like further information please contact Kate on 01323 310532/737814 or email katenut@aol.com. For more information on Kate go to www.katearnoldnutrition.co.uk

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If you, or anyone you know, would like to join one of Clifton House’s singalong, please email: 
office@ clifdenhouse.co.uk

About Clifden House Dementia Care Centre
Established 40 years ago, Clifden House Dementia Care Centre in Seaford specialises in providing residential and respite dementia care. It enables the individual to lead an active lifestyle with privacy, dignity and security clifdenhouse.co.uk

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by Nial Joyce, Clifden House Dementia Care Centre
 
Nial Joyce runs a leading specialist dementia care centre in Seaford – Clifden House Dementia Care Centre. Visit www.clifdenhouse.co.uk for more advice and recommendations.
 
*Information sourced from The Alzheimer’s Society

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