Caregiver Hints

Dementia is the progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Particularly affected areas may be memory, attention, language, and problem solving. (from Wikipedia)

Full entry on Dementia is here.

In the past, this condition was referred to as “senility” or “being senile”. I’m not certain, but I believe that the term senile began to have a derogatory connotation. To say someone was “senile” was associated with loosing one’s faculties and being forgetful. I remember this term is use as I was growing up. I believe the term “dementia” started as an academic or medical term for this, but seems to be gaining more popular usage in recent years.

My first introduction of the term came a few years ago with the diagnosis of my Mother’s mental state after a series of hospital stays. Also, it is very common for Assisted Living communities, or facilities, to perform mental acuity tests to determine what level of assistance the residence needs.

Diagnosis of dementia can be a sign of other health ailments, so it is best to consult a doctor about additional testing. In the case of my Mother, she had diabetes and during cases of low blood sugar, she would exhibit symptoms of disorientation and some memory loss. In her case, while this did amplify the problem, she also had regular dementia caused by micro-vascular strokes, a minor form of stroke that often has no outward symptoms, but over time can degenerate the brain’s function. Dementia, high blood pressure, or micro-strokes can be a sign of things to come, most likely more severe strokes which lead to paralysis and decrease in brain and body functions. This was the diagnosis for my Mom and the more severe stroking compounded with her other health problems was more than her body could take. Regular doctor visits are the best way to handle this, but be prepared that preventative measures may or may not be effective. This can be the toughest time during the care of an ailing family member because there seems to be little that you can do.

I will cover more of this in another posting.

NOTE: You should keep in mind that if someone is diagnosed with dementia, you may no longer be able to authorize a Power of Attorney or Will, since most legal entities will no longer allow individuals to sign such documents if there is evidence that they are not fit to make that decision. If you suspect that a family member is developing any impairment, or if your family has a history of mental disease, get this sort of paperwork done EARLY.

Probably the most difficult question a caregiver asks themselves is…am I doing enough?

What makes this a particularly tricky question is that there is really no way to gauge it. Every “patient” will have different needs, and each caregiver will have different resources. One of the dangers is that most caregivers do not have a chance to determine their available resources or do any kind of planning before their role as caregiver begins. Often, the rollercoaster ride begins when a sudden health “event” occurs. This can be a heat-attack, stroke, fall, or the onset of an illness such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. The path after that can be a domino effect of successive events that don’t allow much time for planning, or catching one’s breath.

Here is where the danger begins…and I speak from unfortunate experience. By the time most people recognize that they are over-extending themselves, they are already running on fumes and the damage to one’s personal health has probably already begun. And if you are not careful, this damage can extend to your work and relationships.

…to be continued