BrightStar Care of Austin Celebrates Alzheimer's Awareness Month
Since November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, here are some thoughtful tips for communicating with someone with Alzheimer's or dementia:
- Never argue, instead agree
- Never reason, instead divert
- Never shame, instead distract
- Never lecture, instead reassure
- Never say "remember," instead reminisce
- Never say "I told you," instead repeat/regroup
- Never say "You can't," instead do what they can
- Never command/demand, instead ask/model
- Never condescend, instead encourage
- Never force, instead reinforce
Just like the rest of our bodies, our brains change as we age. Most of us eventually notice some slowed thinking and occasional problems with remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion and other major changes in the way our minds work may be a sign that brain cells are failing.
The most common early symptom of Alzheimer's is difficulty remembering newly learned information because Alzheimer's changes typically begin in the part of the brain that affects learning. As Alzheimer's advances through the brain it leads to increasingly severe symptoms, including disorientation, mood and behavior changes; deepening confusion about events, time and place; unfounded suspicions about family, friends and professional caregivers; more serious memory loss and behavior changes; and difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking.
People with memory loss or other possible signs of Alzheimer’s may find it hard to recognize they have a problem. Signs of dementia may be more obvious to family members or friends. Anyone experiencing dementia-like symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. If you need assistance finding a doctor with experience evaluating memory problems, your local Austin area Alzheimer's Association chapter can help. Early diagnosis and intervention methods are improving dramatically, and treatment options and sources of support can improve quality of life. Two helpful support resources you can tap into are ALZConnected, Alz.org’s messages boards and online social networking community, and Alzheimer's Navigator, a web tool that creates customized action plans, based on answers you provide through short, online surveys.
How BrightStar Care Can Help
BrightStar Care® is your solution for professional care for early, middle, and late-stage dementia care. Our mission is to provide your loved one living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia the individualized care and support they need to:
- Live with Dignity and Purpose safely and securely in their own home
- Enjoy Optimal Health and emotional well-being
- Maintain Connections to the people, places, things, and memories that matter most to them
Customized Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Services
- We customize our range of care services to the specific needs of those living with dementia and their families. The BrightStar Care RN Director of Nursing evaluates each client, creates a personalized plan of care, oversees our specially trained caregivers, and regularly reviews care notes with you to make sure we are meeting your expectations.
- Full Support Service — Our caregivers provide personal, companion, and specialized memory care, including transportation and light housekeeping. In addition, our nurses can provide skilled care and medication management as needed.
- Hourly, Live-In, and 24/7 Care — We can provide care for just a few hours a day to round-the-clock support with a live-in, or 24/7, if overnight care is required.
- Respite Care — Need a break? We can provide care so family caregivers can have an evening, a full day, a weekend, or even a week or more to recharge and refresh.
Learn More About BrightStar Care Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care
BrightStar Care is ready to help
Call our local Austin office for more information 512-452-9800.
BrightStar Care of Austin proudly provide Home Health Care and Support for Seniors, including 24 hour in home health care, and support in independent and assisted living communities. We provide all levels of home care from companion services to Skilled Nursing. Medical Staffing, Home care, In-Home Skilled Nursing, In-Home Physical Therapy for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients, Companion and Personal Care for Elders with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. We also provide Home Child Care, Sitter and Nanny services for Children and Support for New Mothers. We Support Veterans as a partner of the VA/Veterans administration provider network and area a Home Care Provider for U.S. Department of Labor, Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation, and a DOL DEEOIC provider. We Accept most Long Term Care Insurance benefits, provide Hospice care, Live-in care, CNA, Caregiver, RN, LPN, RN Supervision, Compassionate Care, and Compatibility Guarantees. We are an ALS Society partner, Alzheimer Association member, Colorado Health Care Association member, providing care for developmentally disabled and individuals of all ages with mental health and behavioral health diagnosis. Other services inlcude safe discharge and transportation from the hospital or rehab facility, Post Op care both short and long term, Pre Operation and preparation help and assistance, client monitoring for out of town family members. Proudly serving Central Austin, Eastern Travis County, North Austin, East Austin, West Austin, Lake Travis, South Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, and Tarrytown.