Understanding & Understanding & Ministering to Ministering to Family Members with Family Members with Dementia & Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease Presented by Frank Miller, Presented by Frank Miller, Chaplain Chaplain Education Consultant with Education Consultant with Heritage & ARC Home Health & Heritage & ARC Home Health & Hospice Care Hospice Care
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Understanding & Ministering to Family Members with Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease Presented by Frank Miller, Chaplain Education Consultant with Heritage.
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Understanding & Understanding & Ministering to Ministering to
Family Members with Family Members with Dementia & Dementia &
Alzheimer’s DiseaseAlzheimer’s DiseasePresented by Frank Miller, Presented by Frank Miller,
Chaplain Chaplain
Education Consultant withEducation Consultant with
Heritage & ARC Home Health & Heritage & ARC Home Health & Hospice Care Hospice Care
The BasicsThe Basics
DementiaDementia vs vs
Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s DiseaseDisease
DementiaDementia
Refers to Refers to symptomssymptoms that include that include changes in memory, personality, changes in memory, personality, and behaviorand behavior
Does Does notnot mean “crazy” mean “crazy” Changes in brain function are Changes in brain function are
significant enough to interfere significant enough to interfere with daily functioning in a person with daily functioning in a person who is awake & alertwho is awake & alert
DementiaDementia
Alzheimer’s Disease is most Alzheimer’s Disease is most common cause of dementia (50-common cause of dementia (50-60% of all cases)60% of all cases)
Other diseases causing dementia Other diseases causing dementia are stroke; depression; problems are stroke; depression; problems with thyroid, liver, kidney, and with thyroid, liver, kidney, and vitamin deficiencies; brain tumors, vitamin deficiencies; brain tumors, brain injury, some infections, etc…..brain injury, some infections, etc…..
Dementia is NOT…Dementia is NOT…
OccasionalOccasional forgetting of names, forgetting of names, location of objects, finding the location of objects, finding the “right” word, what you were going “right” word, what you were going to do when you entered a room, etc.to do when you entered a room, etc.
““10 Warning Signs of 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s”Alzheimer’s” www.alz.org/AboutAD/Warning.aspwww.alz.org/AboutAD/Warning.asp
Alzheimer’s DiseaseAlzheimer’s Disease
First described by a German First described by a German physician, Alois Alzheimer in 1907physician, Alois Alzheimer in 1907
Dr. Alzheimer did an autopsy of a Dr. Alzheimer did an autopsy of a woman in her 50’s and found woman in her 50’s and found brain had beta-amyloid plaque & brain had beta-amyloid plaque & neurofibrillary tanglesneurofibrillary tangles
Alzheimer’s Disease is Alzheimer’s Disease is notnot reversible. reversible.
Normal brain
Alzheimer’s brain
Stages of Alzheimer’sStages of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s Association: 7 stages Alzheimer’s Association: 7 stages from “no impairment” to “very from “no impairment” to “very severe decline”severe decline”
May groan, scream, mumble, or May groan, scream, mumble, or speak gibberishspeak gibberish
Refuses to eatRefuses to eat Fails to recognize family or facesFails to recognize family or faces Difficulty with all essential Difficulty with all essential
activities of daily livingactivities of daily living Requires considerable care & may Requires considerable care & may
need to be institutionalizedneed to be institutionalized
AlzheimerAlzheimer’s disease ’s disease
affects affects every every
individual individual differentldifferentl
yy
Care of Dementia Care of Dementia PatientPatient Diagnosis as soon as possibleDiagnosis as soon as possible Use of available medicationsUse of available medications Identify other health problems that Identify other health problems that
might be contributing to dementiamight be contributing to dementia– Other diseases, medications, Other diseases, medications,
www.alz.orgwww.alz.org Alzheimer’s AssociationAlzheimer’s Association
North Central Texas ChapterNorth Central Texas Chapter101 Summit Ave #300101 Summit Ave #300Fort Worth, TX Fort Worth, TX 817-336-4949817-336-4949
Long-term planningLong-term planning
Know end-of-life wishes of patientKnow end-of-life wishes of patient Implement Durable Power of Implement Durable Power of
Attorney & Living WillAttorney & Living Will Investigate assisted living Investigate assisted living
facilities & nursing homes facilities & nursing homes (Memory Care facilities are best (Memory Care facilities are best equipped for Alzheimer’s equipped for Alzheimer’s patients)patients)
Long-term planning Long-term planning (cont)(cont) Respite for caregiverRespite for caregiver
– Other family membersOther family members– FriendsFriends– Paid caregivers (agency, privately hired, Paid caregivers (agency, privately hired,
respite through Alzheimer’s Association)respite through Alzheimer’s Association) Home Health Care (skilled)Home Health Care (skilled)
– Medicare pays 100% for patients who Medicare pays 100% for patients who qualifyqualify
– May also be covered by some insuranceMay also be covered by some insurance
On the surface, there’s On the surface, there’s not much JOY in not much JOY in Alzheimer’sAlzheimer’s
The FactsThe Facts Disease of losses—short-term Disease of losses—short-term
memory at first and then memory at first and then long-term memory laterlong-term memory later
No cure!No cure! Progressive!Progressive! We aren’t sure what causes it!We aren’t sure what causes it! It is a disease of grief after It is a disease of grief after
grief after grief!grief after grief!
Jolene Brackey, author of Jolene Brackey, author of Creating Moments of JoyCreating Moments of Joy says… says…
““We are not able to create a perfectly We are not able to create a perfectly wonderful day with someone who has wonderful day with someone who has dementia, but it is absolutely dementia, but it is absolutely attainable to create a perfectly attainable to create a perfectly wonderful moment; a moment that wonderful moment; a moment that puts a smile on their face, a twinkle in puts a smile on their face, a twinkle in their eye, or triggers a memory. Five their eye, or triggers a memory. Five minutes later, they won’t remember minutes later, they won’t remember what you did or said, but the feeling what you did or said, but the feeling you left them with will linger.”you left them with will linger.”
How do you create a How do you create a moment of joy for moment of joy for
someone with someone with dementia?dementia?
What brings joy to What brings joy to you?you?
For the person with For the person with Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease
and short-term and short-term memory loss, life is memory loss, life is
made of up of made of up of moments.moments.
Remember…Remember…
As the disease progresses, the As the disease progresses, the person with Alzheimer’s disease person with Alzheimer’s disease becomes younger and younger becomes younger and younger in his mind.in his mind.
He/she may not recognize family He/she may not recognize family members because in the age of members because in the age of his mind, the loved ones were his mind, the loved ones were children.children.
Live their reality…Live their reality…
Never force our reality on a Never force our reality on a person with dementia.person with dementia.
If your elderly husband insists he If your elderly husband insists he is 30 years old, is 30 years old, ACCEPTACCEPT it. it. – It is HIS reality.It is HIS reality.– His wife was young & wrinkle -free.His wife was young & wrinkle -free.– The children were in grade school.The children were in grade school.
Thou SHALT adjust the truth Thou SHALT adjust the truth
(in this situation)…(in this situation)… You will You will nevernever be able to reason be able to reason
with a person with Alzheimer’s with a person with Alzheimer’s disease.disease.
An 82 year old woman keeps An 82 year old woman keeps trying to find her mother. It is trying to find her mother. It is cruel to tell her that her mother cruel to tell her that her mother died years ago. Each time she died years ago. Each time she hears this news, she will grieve hears this news, she will grieve her mother’s death.her mother’s death.
Example…Example…George, who mowed a golf course George, who mowed a golf course
for a living, gets up early every for a living, gets up early every morning and insists that he must morning and insists that he must go to work. Instead of telling him go to work. Instead of telling him he is 83 and is retired, you tell him he is 83 and is retired, you tell him it has been raining and his boss it has been raining and his boss called and told him to take the day called and told him to take the day off.off.
Now, he can enjoy his day off Now, he can enjoy his day off instead of arguing with instead of arguing with you about going to work. you about going to work. (joy!)(joy!)
We need to change We need to change because the person because the person
with dementia with dementia cannotcannot change.change.
The only person I can The only person I can make make change is ME.change is ME.
CommunicationCommunication
90% of what the Alzheimer’s 90% of what the Alzheimer’s patient understands is non-patient understands is non-
verbal communicationverbal communication
Touch is Touch is communicationcommunication Basic need of lifeBasic need of life Craved from the first moments of Craved from the first moments of
lifelife Our hands portray what is inside Our hands portray what is inside
of usof us
Your mood is their Your mood is their mood.mood.
If Momma ain’t happy, If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!ain’t nobody happy!
Find a way to put Find a way to put yourselfyourself in a good moodin a good mood
Quiet music has a calming Quiet music has a calming effecteffect
Communication Communication StrategiesStrategies Be calm, positive, matter-of-factBe calm, positive, matter-of-fact Reduce background noise & Reduce background noise &
distractionsdistractions Talk to person face-to-face, at eye Talk to person face-to-face, at eye
levellevel Touching the person may hold Touching the person may hold
attentionattention
Communication Communication Strategies (cont)Strategies (cont) Demonstrate taskDemonstrate task Praise non-verbally (hugs, smile, Praise non-verbally (hugs, smile,
pat on back)pat on back) Use short, simple sentencesUse short, simple sentences Keep it positive--try to avoid Keep it positive--try to avoid
negative words such as “negative words such as “no, no, don’t, can’t”don’t, can’t”
Communication Communication Strategies (cont)Strategies (cont) If person is fixated on one subject If person is fixated on one subject
such as his old job, communicate such as his old job, communicate using person’s long-term using person’s long-term memory. memory. “I understand you were “I understand you were a very good farmer.”a very good farmer.”
Avoid questions that require Avoid questions that require short-term memoryshort-term memory
We must We must find the find the ways to ways to “tickle” “tickle” those those
long-term long-term memoriesmemories
Make a connection…Make a connection… Instead of asking, “How are Instead of asking, “How are
you?”, compliment them and start you?”, compliment them and start a conversation.a conversation.
Tap into their greatness…Tap into their greatness… ““I understand that you made the I understand that you made the
best chocolate pie in town!”best chocolate pie in town!” The answer may be “yes” The answer may be “yes” OROR she she
may launch into a memory of her may launch into a memory of her chocolate pies. (joy!)chocolate pies. (joy!)
Busy hands are happy Busy hands are happy hands…hands… Create things for the person to do Create things for the person to do
even if doesn’t need to be done—even if doesn’t need to be done—sorting laundry, shucking corn, sorting sorting laundry, shucking corn, sorting nuts and bolts, rolling yarn into ballsnuts and bolts, rolling yarn into balls
Have no expectations…allow mistakesHave no expectations…allow mistakes
(joy!)(joy!)
Maintaining the Maintaining the independence of the independence of the
person with person with Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease
will make the will make the caregiver’s life caregiver’s life easiereasier
and maintain dignity as and maintain dignity as well as stimulate the well as stimulate the
brain.brain.
Odd behaviors are Odd behaviors are common with common with