Post-Christmas: Worried about a loved one’s memory?

Post-Christmas: Worried about a loved one’s memory?

 Many family members only see each other during the holidays. As parents and relatives get older, seeing them after one year can bring to light some of the physical and/or mental health changes that have been taking place.
This article comes to us from Unforgettable.org. Check them out for plenty of tips, ideas, and interesting articles related to memory and dementia:

For those living with dementia it is easy to be forgotten.

For the family and professional carers it can seem overwhelming and hopeless.

Unforgettable can help on every step of the journey with practical advice, specialised products and a supportive community.

Post-Christmas: Worried about a loved one’s memory?

Spending time with a loved one at Christmas is often the first opportunity family members have to notice symptoms of memory loss. Here’s what to do if you’re worried about someone’s memory.

It may have been a few months since you spent time with family members, but when Christmas comes round, you often find you’re living in each other’s pockets for days (especially if you get stuck indoors with cold, wintry weather and a box of Roses).

So it’s no surprise that it’s often during and after the Christmas break that you may notice changes in a loved one’s memory. Where before they may have seemed quite lucid and able to cope with everyday tasks, suddenly you’re noticing that they’ve deteriorated.

And over the Christmas break, you may find that your normally sharp and ‘with it’ relative seems confused, unsure, withdrawn or even a little depressed, raising concerns that all may not be what it seems.

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8 questions if a loved one is visiting from a care home this Christmas

 

8 questions if a loved one is visiting from a care home this Christmas

 This article comes to us from Unforgettable.org. Check them out for plenty of tips, ideas, and interesting articles related to memory and dementia:

For those living with dementia it is easy to be forgotten.

For the family and professional carers it can seem overwhelming and hopeless.

Unforgettable can help on every step of the journey with practical advice, specialised products and a supportive community.

8 questions if a loved one is visiting from a care home this Christmas

If your loved one with dementia lives in a care home you might be wondering whether to bring them home for Christmas, and whether that’s even the best thing for them. Here’s eight questions to ask yourself before making a decision.

You may hate the idea of the person you love spending Christmas in a care home, but although emotions might be running high, it’s important to think carefully and calmly and weigh up all the pros and cons before deciding what to do.

1. How long have they been in the care home and how settled are they?

If your loved one has been in residential care for some time and seems quite content, they may really enjoy a day out, or even an overnight stay. However, if they always seem restless when you visit – perhaps they keep packing their bags or asking ‘when are we going home?’ – taking them out may seem like the ‘right’ thing to do…but may result in them becoming angry and aggressive when they return. If you’re still adamant they should come home with you, then any upsetting behaviour when they return may be a price worth paying… or maybe not.

2. How well do outings generally go?

Be honest: Even if it’s stressful for you, does the person you love seem to enjoy getting out…

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Social and Health-Care Policy for the Elderly in Denmark

This information comes to us from the Global Action on Aging, based in New York City. The copyright at the bottom of the page is for 2002, so my best guess is that this is an old article. However, I wanted to post it here because it gives some insight into the care policy in Denmark.

Social and Health-Care Policy for the Elderly in Denmark

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Daily life with dementia: Holiday and Vacation

This information comes to us from Dementia Guide, part of the National Social Services Board. These are some important considerations to help you plan and enjoy your holiday with a person with dementia.

Holiday with dementia

Going on vacation together can provide shared experiences and a break from everyday life for both people with dementia and caregivers. To make the holiday a good experience, it is important to prepare thoroughly. The person with dementia may find new surroundings confusing or respond inappropriately. As a caregiver, you may use as much energy to ensure that the person with dementia will have a good journey, you do not even get anything out of the holiday. Therefore, it is important that you carefully consider what kind of holiday that is most suitable for you. Continue reading

Keeping active!

We are having gorgeous weather today in Copenhagen. It’s getting to be that time of year when everyone wants to be outside in the sunshine and warm temperatures. In this post, I have compiled a few resources to give you inspiration to be active and engaged in your life and to HAVE FUN!

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