Paranoia And Dementia: They Often Go Hand-in-Hand

Posted on January 19, 2008

Dementia and paranoia seem to go together hand-in-hand. Just try to imagine how frustrating and frightening it must be to live in a world where your things constantly disappear, someone else is in control of your money, conversations often don’t make sense, and you wake up every morning in a strange place. This is the world of the dementia sufferer. Is it any wonder that suspicions and “paranoia” often accompany Alzheimer’s disease and the related dementias?Three years after being diagnosed with “dementia” Annie G. still knows her home, but she tends to confuse what she sees on the television with reality. As a result, she is frightened of the nightly battle with criminals that she believes is occurring right outside her door. She hides her valuables, and then forgets where she hid them. When she can’t find her treasures she is convinced that thieves have entered during the night and stolen them.John W. was in charge of the family finances from the day he married more than 50 years ago. John doesn’t realize it, but he has a dementing illness, and his wife has taken over the household affairs. Until she took a Post Office box, John regulary rummaged through the mail, moving, losing or throwing away vital paperwork. John is losing interest now, but for quite a while he was angry with the mailman for losing his mail.Is it a wonder that people with Alzheimer’s Disease or another dementia might become paranoid and lose trust in their environment and the people who care for them?Things That May Help:Don’t Argue - Arguing with a confused person’s “fact” may increase agitation and anger, and may lead to a catastrophic reaction. Instead, acknowledge the feeling: “I know it’s frightening when you can’t find your _______. I’ll help you look for it.”Make a List of Favorite Hiding Places - Never throw out the trash without first checking for hidden items.Try Distraction - A new activity in a different room may divert attention from the anxiety of the moment. This rarely works if emotions have escalated, however.Keep Spares - If certain items are disappearing time after time, keep extras on hand to use until you find the “lost” item. Buy in pairs or even triples if possible.Try to Keep Caregivers Consistent - New faces may be targets for suspicion because the explanation of who they are and why they are there is forgotten.Avoid Unnecessarily Announcing Appointments or Events - If your elder worries excessively about missing an appointment, wait until it’s time to get ready to go.Reduce or Eliminate Clutter - Remove excess items from closets, cupboards and drawers. “Lost” items stashed in a shoe are easier to find if there are only two pair to check.Remove or Lock Up Valuables - This will protect aides and family members from suspicion.Advise Family Members and Home Workers About Typical Behaviors - Let them know that they may be accused and that they should not take accusations personally.Schedule a Medical Check-Up - Rule out other medical and psychiatric problems or the possible side-effects of medications already prescribed. In some cases where paranoid behavior is causing major problems additional drug treatment may be appropriate.Listen Carefully - If your elder with dementia has a new behavior or a new concern, listen. Sometimes things really are stolen. Sometimes abuse is real.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

The Necessity Of An Adult Bib

Posted on January 19, 2008

Reverting back to a helpless child as an adult is one of the most humiliating and helpless things anyone could ever experience. Wearing adult diapers and adult bibs, being unable to walk more than 20 feet or so without resting, becoming forgetful, and relying on others to care for youabsolutely dreadful for everyone involved. Yet the use of the chores that millions across the world face each and every day that they care for people at the special needs.I’ve always figured that, when I get older, I was going to live alone in isolation. That way I could just slip away as opposed to being a burden on anyone else. I won’t have to live being spoon fed, with the contents dripping down the front of my adult bib. I would much prefer dying than not being able to care for myself and having to wear an adult bib.That is of course the typical reaction of a young person, but as the grim realities of age creep up on them, their attitude tends to change a bit. Is having to wear an adult bib enough reason to end it all? I wouldn’t think so. What about adult diapers? Humiliating yes, but for many, life continues. And in that way, one by one the ravages of age creep up on you until it is not just adult bib and adult diaper, but senility and dementia, brittle bones and feeble mind, liver spots and arthritis. Wow, this has gotten really depressing hasn’t it? I guess it basically comes down to the fact that you do the very best you can with what you have. As many people with faith would say, God will never give you anything that you cannot handle.But just the same I think I would love quietly in seclusion in my late years. That way, as long as I am reasonably fit, I continue to live, but there is a built in safeguard to keep me from becoming a living vegetable by degrees. There is nothing so humiliating about an adult bib if you are the only one there eating, but as soon as it gets to be too much, or life starts to become too tired, I’ll be able to do it.Jump off a cliff if I’m feeling frisky, run in front of a car if I’m mischievous, or if I’ve mellowed in my days, simply overdose on sleep pills and call it a night

Aging Problem Can Be Effectively Dealt With Natural Skin Care Tips

Posted on January 19, 2008

Skin problems are unfortunately very common in every human life. The skin being the largest part of a body is in fact the easiest way to get infected. Besides, most part of the skin remains exposed to heat, dust and air especially our face. This leads to various common and major skin problems like aging or wrinkling.Factors like heredity, the damage caused by ultraviolet rays of the sun have a significant influence on the aging process. Since diet plays a large part in on human skin, the first step for overcoming aging problem is to make dietary changes. The key for maintaining a youthful glow is a lifetime dedication to healthy lifestyle and constant skin care. The fact is that beauty treatments related to skin will not help if a healthy lifestyle is not maintained.The aging of skin may be inevitable. But there are certain natural skin care tips to slow down wrinkles or avoid flabby skin. One common therapy is using of skin creams. It may be a part of your daily regime, but the best way to start an anti aging effort is from inside our body.First of all, it is necessary to check our water intake. There are varying opinions about how much water an individual needs for good health, but the general consensus remains that probably we aren

Stay Young Longer

Posted on January 19, 2008

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Posted on January 18, 2008

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