For those reading this who wake up every morning and head into their place of business, retirement may sound like a dream come true. However, not having a place where people are counting on them, or where they are making a difference in the lives of others, can make a senior feel unimportant. Volunteering can provide anyone, but especially an older adult, with a feeling of accomplishment and community.

Why Volunteer at a Senior Living Community?

At a senior living community, like Bethesda’s communities throughout the St. Louis area, volunteers are often needed and always welcome.

But volunteering does not only benefit those receiving the service. The act of volunteering provides the volunteer with:

• A sense of purpose
• The feeling that they’re making a difference in the world or in the lives of other people
• Social interaction, which keeps them from feeling isolated and lonely
• Something positive to focus on and put energy into
• Physical activity, which improves health and mobility

Especially during retirement, when a senior may have more time, volunteering is worthwhile. There are many benefits of being a senior living volunteer, including:

• Senior volunteers may live longer than their counterparts who don’t donate their time due to an increase in socialization, physical activity, and sense of purpose.
• Donating time gives senior volunteers opportunities to keep their skills sharp and to indulge in their own interests.
• Older adults who volunteer tend to get more exercise and are less apt to lose their mobility.
• Volunteers can make friends by getting “out and about” in the community.
• Volunteering helps keep the minds of older adults sharp.

Skilled Nursing Volunteer Opportunities

There is no shortage of need for volunteers at a skilled nursing community. If you like to play games, you can call the numbers in a bingo game or set up an art activity. If you’re good with numbers, you can help out in the office. If you’ve got a sense of fashion, you could volunteer to do residents’ hair or give manicures. Other opportunities include transporting residents from their rooms to the dining area.

Become a Hospice Care Volunteer

Hospice care volunteers play a special part in the lives of seniors and their families. These volunteers make patients more comfortable by doing things like reading to them, listening to music, hearing their life stories, or simply keeping them company and providing support during a difficult time.

Hospice care volunteers, like those in Bethesda’s No One Dies Alone program, sit vigil and provide a peaceful presence at the bedside of hospice patients. This allows family members to tend to other responsibilities and recharge, knowing their loved one is not alone.

Senior living volunteers can also assist with fundraising or clerical work, or by donating their time to bereavement services.

Start Making a Difference at Bethesda

If you’re interested in making a difference in the life of a senior, there are plenty of opportunities available to volunteer at Bethesda’s skilled nursing, assisted living, or hospice care communities.

Ready to make a difference? Become a Bethesda volunteer today!

The post Why Should You Volunteer at a Senior Living Community? first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

But that doesn’t have to be the case.

In some cases, seniors don’t heal properly — not because they’re too old or too fragile to get better, but because an important step in the healing process was skipped. Rehabilitation under the supervision of trained professionals is key to maximizing a senior’s recovery from a variety of maladies ranging from fractures like broken hips, overall weakness from illnesses, joint repairs or replacements, strokes, or injuries from falls.

Senior rehabilitation centers and providers can also help seniors regain functions important to living a normal life that we often take for granted, like effective communication skills and even swallowing.

Types of Senior Rehab:

• Physical therapy (PT) helps to improve balance, mobility, flexibility, strength and alleviate pain.
• Occupational therapy (OT) assists patients with skills necessary to perform acts of daily living, such as getting dressed or preparing a meal. It also can help improve fine motor skills, as well as  instruct them how to use adaptive equipment.
• Speech therapy (SLP) is used to help improve communication, swallowing and address cognitive issues and memory problems. It’s often recommended for patients who have suffered a stroke but can help augment healing in many other conditions as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program.

In addition to producing better long-term outcomes, senior rehab helps reduce pain and improve balance, flexibility, and motor skills. The type of rehabilitation that best suits your senior loved one and the amount of time it will take to complete will be determined by both the nature of their health concern and their overall strength and condition.  Each patient should have a care plan that is individualized to their specific needs and created by the rehabilitation professionals helping them work toward independence and recovery.

A patient who suffered a serious stroke will likely require 24-hour care in a hospital setting. For them, inpatient rehabilitation opposed to an outpatient senior rehabilitation center would be a necessity. It will help the patient slowly build up their strength and dexterity, with the goal to eventually graduate to a lower level of care. On the other end of the spectrum, a senior who suffered a minor fall could benefit from occupational or physical therapy, which would allow them to enhance their mobility, strength, and dexterity, and help avoid similar falls in the future. These treatments can be delivered either in the comfort of the senior’s home or in an outpatient clinic setting.

Rehabilitation care plans can also include training for a spouse, child, or other caregiver to teach them techniques to help their loved one return home and maintain the skills they learned in rehab. Part of an individualized patient assessment can also include looking at the home setting to make recommendations from a professional about modifications for comfort or safety.

If your senior loved one has suffered from a debilitating illness or injury or if they experience chronic pain, weakness or a lack of flexibility and balance, make sure to ask their physician if rehab treatments could benefit them.

It’s important to be proactive about rehab after a hospital stay. The cost of a month in a skilled nursing rehab facility can cost $8,000-$9,000. You could pay that out of pocket if it’s not covered by health insurance. If your senior loved one enters a rehab facility within 30 days of an inpatient hospital stay that lasted at least three days, their care could be covered by Medicare. Consult with your insurance provider to learn about the options for your loved one.

Still not sure what kind of rehab care would be best for your senior loved one?

Here are some questions to ask their doctor:

• What therapy services will my senior parent require?
• What services will Medicare or health insurance pay for?
• Will my senior loved one be safe if they’re discharged home?
• Will Mom or Dad need help with cooking and housework?
• Can they dress themselves and bathe?
• What is the expected length of recovery time?

Want to learn more about senior rehabilitation centers and services? Visit our website!

The post The Importance of Rehab for Seniors first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

• Fear of new surroundings. Our home is our sanctuary — the place where we feel the most comfortable. When you’ve lived in a house for several years or even decades, you could probably navigate your entire home wearing a blindfold. You know where every squeak in the floor is located and the decorations and layout are exactly the way you like them.
• Sentimental value. Your home is filled with the memories of a lifetime that make it a special place. Think about it — when you sit in the family room, don’t you think back to when your children or grandkids were young, excitedly opening their presents on Christmas morning?
• Worrying about the future. Some people view that moving a senior out of their home for additional care and services as the “beginning of the end” — an admission that your senior loved one’s health or cognitive function is in decline and they are unable to take care of themselves anymore. Many caregivers blame themselves, thinking that if they worked harder or prioritized differently, maybe their senior loved one wouldn’t have to make such a “drastic move.”

For all these reasons and more, your elderly loved one may protest the move. They might accuse you of thinking they are a burden or of trying to avoid responsibility for them. Emotionally, it can be a lot to take. Still, you know deep down inside that it’s the right thing to do.

So, how do you move forward?

First, it’s important to remember that moving your elderly parent into an assisted living or skilled nursing environment doesn’t have to be perceived negatively. You’re not moving Mom or Dad as a punishment or out of convenience; rather, you’re doing it for their safety and well-being. Knowing that they’re going to be eating well, taking their medication as prescribed and on time,  and not worrying about home maintenance or falling victim to financial scams against seniors should at least somewhat ease your mind and any caregiver guilt.

In their new location, Mom or Dad will meet people their own age with whom they have things in common, which is preferable to sitting in their empty house hoping someone will come visit them. Many senior living communities host social events that give your senior loved ones plenty to look forward to. And family is welcome to visit as frequently as desired.

Second, it’s important to be able to get the help you need to take care of a senior loved one. After all, if you get sick or are unable to do your job, who will take care of them? We must respect our physical and mental limits in order to take care of our most important responsibilities. We can’t surrender to guilt. Instead, we must learn how to navigate it effectively.

Tips for dealing with caregiver guilt:

• Don’t keep it bottled up inside you. Talk about it and acknowledge it. Once you take on the problem, then you’re better equipped to handle it.
• Stop expecting perfection. No one can do everything by themselves. We need rest and a mental break. Don’t beat yourself up for the things you can’t do, instead focus on the things you’re good at and the ones you have accomplished. Stay focused on the main goal of making sure your senior loved one has the best quality of life possible. Celebrate the good times and the decisions that work out and, most importantly, accept that you’re doing the best you can!
• Ask for help. Maybe it’s asking your siblings or your kids to pitch in and help. Or, possibly, it’s just asking your spouse or a friend to lend an ear and let you vent about what’s on your mind. Either way, you shouldn’t feel obligated to take on all the work by yourself. Often, people don’t realize what you’re going through if you don’t let them in on it. Plus, it helps us feel better about our decisions when we run them past people whose opinions we value.
• Think of yourself. Make time for the things you enjoy and give yourself a break. It’s important to clear your mind to make sure you don’t get burned out so you can continue to be a person your senior parent can depend upon.

The bright side about caregiver guilt is that it’s temporary. Many seniors become comfortable with their new surroundings quickly and – whether or not they admit it – begin to enjoy the freedom from responsibility and the social opportunities that come with the change. While things might seem like they’re turned upside down now, it won’t be long before the tough time passes, and you’ll realize you did the right thing.

As you transition your senior loved one to best suit their needs, contact Bethesda for more information on senior living communities.

The post How to Navigate Caregiver Guilt When Moving Your Elderly Parent first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Photo by Thinkstock

Don’t get trapped by this kind of thinking. Even when we carry a diagnosis, we have to continue to live our lives as we normally would. We are more than our diseases and care plans.

People who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can live as long as 20 years or more post-diagnosis. With that in mind, family, professional caregivers and community members need to be familiar with the tools that can help people with Alzheimer’s still live their lives to the fullest.

One of these tools is art.

A symbolic and emotional communication system, art doesn’t rely on linear memory and rational language. Rather, art engages our intuition and imagination. The building blocks for expression include movement, gesture, words, patterns, sounds, color, rhythm, texture and smell.  As access to rational language falters, a person’s imagination can soar. By including the arts, caregivers can stay connected and foster the “personhood” of someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

MEMORY VS. IMAGINATION

You don’t need to be an artist to use art for expression: this tool is available to everyone. Over the last 20 years, I have encouraged care partners to communicate with people who have dementia through creativity. The shift from expecting and correcting memory to opening and connecting through imagination can be profound, especially for family members. After years of distance, the arts can help families rekindle an emotional connection with their loved one.

In one workshop for caregivers, I was demonstrating how they could use open-ended questions to free up the imagination of people with dementia. I suggested the caregivers ask things like: “What would you like to name the person in this picture?” versus, “What’s his name?” Or, “When would you like this story to take place?” versus, “What year is it?”

I noticed that one gentleman in the workshop got a worried look on his face, so I asked him if he was okay. He replied, “Yes, I’m just realizing that I’ve been driving my wife crazy for the last two years—insisting that she remember things.”

That man was Charlie Farrell. Since our conversation, he has created the Carolyn Farrell Foundation to help family caregivers use the arts to communicate with loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOUR LOVED ONE BE MORE THAN A DIAGNOSIS

So, how can you learn these techniques? There are a variety of resources available to families and my own work with improvisation and creative storytelling has free online storytelling tools at timeslips.org.

Some long-term care communities have arts or music therapists in-house, or partner with local arts organizations.

But the arts are more than a program to be added to an otherwise hectic day in the life of long-term care staff or family caregivers. They are a communication system that opens our emotions and invites us to share who we are with each other.

Copyright© 2015 Next Avenue, a division of Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

This blog was originally written by Anne Basting and published by Next Avenue, and has been updated slightly to accommodate a 2023 publish date. The original article can be found by clicking here.

Want more information on senior dementia care or caring for someone with Alzheimer’s? Visit our Alzheimer’s and Dementia blog.

The post Communicating & Engaging Imagination: Why the Arts Are Key to Dementia Care first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Families can often only do so much to lift their loved ones’ spirits, especially if they are unable to make frequent visits. These limitations are why volunteering at skilled nursing communities during the winter holidays is needed more than any other time of year.

VOLUNTEERS VS. VISITORS

Skilled nursing communities encourage family members and friends to safely visit their loved ones as frequently as possible. While these visits are important, residents without any close or living family members miss out on those connections. This is where volunteers can be vital. Volunteers can frequently engage multiple seniors—even entire communities—with performances or holiday crafts, or just pleasant and familiar conversation.

PERFORMERS ENTERTAIN

Performances—particularly live music—are a great way to improve seniors’ moods. Most skilled nursing communities allow a wide variety of performers to volunteer.

Schools & Children’s Groups

Often, just a quick sight of a child can make a resident smile. Children’s choirs, bands, and other school-based performing groups can be uplifting entertainment at a senior living community and provide valuable connections between our oldest and youngest generations.

Professional Musicians

Many skilled nursing communities often do not have the budget to hire professional musicians on a consistent basis. As a result, volunteering your band is a great way to give back! Perhaps the senior living community can encourage friends and family members to attend, giving your band publicity for other opportunities.

CRAFTS ENGAGE

Leading a group of seniors in making crafts provides an opportunity for socialization and will help residents feel productive. There are plenty of affordable senior-friendly craft ideas online to consider, including:

• Button ornaments
• Snowman mason jar candles
• Puzzle piece snowflakes

Happier Seniors = Healthier Seniors

Emotional health is just as important as physical health. Often, seniors who are happy and optimistic are more likely to live healthier lives. This is why volunteering at skilled nursing communities is important and beneficial to seniors. Not to mention, it’s also a fulfilling experience for those who are willing to donate their time! Not only will you leave feeling good about helping others, you’ll have countless stories you can pass onto your loved ones!

Contact Bethesda to learn more about our volunteer opportunities and other ways to give back this holiday season and throughout the year.

The post The Need for Holiday Cheer at Skilled Nursing Communities first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Once it is determined that your loved one can no longer stay in their own home, the next task is to consider what type of St. Louis senior living best meets their needs. The search can be made much easier with a clear understanding of the different living and care options available for seniors:

• Independent living
• Assisted living
• Long-term care/skilled nursing

Each offers a different level of independence and care based on your loved ones specific needs.

Independent Living

Independent living is an ideal St. Louis senior living option for seniors who are able to live on their own but want to eliminate some of the least desirable aspects of home ownership, such as housekeeping and maintenance. Residents live independently in their own apartments or villa homes and enjoy the socialization of living with other like-minded seniors.

Meal plans often are included, as well as housekeeping and maintenance. A full activities calendar can keep a resident very busy. There is no direct medical care available in an independent living community, but residents are welcome to hire in-home care.

Bethesda has communities located throughout the St. Louis metro area. Their independent living communities include:

• Bethesda Barclay House in Clayton
• Bethesda Gardens in Kirkwood
• Bethesda Orchard in Webster Groves
• Bethesda Terrace in St. Louis
• Village North Retirement Community in St. Louis
• The Oaks at Bethesda in Oakland

Assisted Living

Assisted living is for seniors who are able to live comfortably, but just need a little bit of help with daily tasks like dressing or remembering to take their medication. Residents are assessed by the staff to determine the level of care they require. On-site staff provides 24-hour assistance to the residents, who live in their own apartments, eat and enjoy activities together.

At many assisted living communities, as well as at independent living and long-term care/skilled nursing communities, frequent bus tours are offered to local attractions of interest.

Bethesda has assisted living communities in the St. Louis area, including:

• Bethesda Hawthorne Place
• Assisted Living at Charless Village

Long-Term Care & Skilled Nursing

These seniors are in need of 24-hour care. Some residents are fairly self-sufficient, but most can’t dress, bathe, eat or take their medications by themselves. Most skilled nursing communities have a dedicated area called memory care designed specifically for seniors living with dementia.

Bethesda’s long-term care/skilled nursing communities include:

• Bethesda Dilworth in Oakland
• Bethesda Southgate in St. Louis
• Christian Extended Care & Rehabilitation in St. Louis
• Barnes-Jewish Extended Care in Clayton
• Alton Memorial Rehabilitation & Therapy in Alton

Each community offers memory care and rehab & therapy services.

Which Senior Living Option is Right for Your Loved One?

You need to research each St. Louis senior living option thoroughly to find the community that best meets the needs of both your loved one and you. You will want to consider how easily they can transfer from one living environment to the next if the need arises. In St. Louis, there are organizations that offer all of these options, as well as community based services.

Whether in independent living, assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing, Bethesda offers the right amenities, services, programming, and staff to make every day full of purpose. See for yourself and tour any of our communities! Contact Bethesda at 314-800-1911 today to schedule your tour today.

The post The Best St. Louis Senior Living Option for the Modern Older Adult first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Let’s look at what is provided in an assisted living community and what is offered at a nursing home.

What to Expect at Assisted Living

An assisted living community is a good fit for a senior who is still capable of performing many tasks and activities relatively independently but just needs a little help.

Some communities offer specifically for seniors who are appropriate for assisted living but are in need of memory support. Assisted living communities offer physical and occupational therapy services, and a medical professional is either on-site or accessible 24-hours-a-day. Personal care assistive services are available for what are referred to as “activities of daily living.” The services include help with personal hygiene and grooming, dressing, and movement assistance.

Assisted living residents may also receive help with managing medications, housekeeping, laundry, and shopping. Maintenance in the assisted living apartment is provided by the senior community’s maintenance staff.

Residents usually live in apartments with a bedroom, bathroom, small kitchen, and living area. The apartments can be furnished with items the senior brings from home.

How is a Nursing Home Different?

A nursing home provides comprehensive care and support for seniors who have more extensive needs than residents in assisted living.

Nursing home residents live in private or shared rooms, and the facilities are typically much larger in terms of resident capacity. These homes also provide 24-hour personal care assistance, including medication disbursement and activities of daily living.

Seniors who would benefit from a nursing home are those who need constant care due to chronic conditions or deteriorating health. Other needs might be the inability to feed oneself, or an injury that needs extensive rehabilitation if skilled nursing is offered in the facility. Some nursing homes provide skilled nursing care. In fact, many nursing homes are more commonly referred to as skilled nursing facilities (SNF).

Skilled nursing is a high level of medical care provided by licensed health professionals. This level of care often involves short-term rehabilitation, such as rehabilitation from an injury or recovery from surgery. Medicare provides some coverage for the cost of these stays; sometimes for as many as 100 days.

If your senior loved one would benefit from relocating to an assisted living community or skilled nursing community, Bethesda can provide support. Our communities across the St. Louis area provide all of the comforts of home, with the added security of 24-hour care. In addition, our in-home care services are available to St. Louis area seniors. Contact us to learn more.

The post Differences Between Assisted Living and Nursing Home Care first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Home health services can make it possible to stay in their home longer, and admission into a skilled nursing facility (SNF) may eventually be needed. Let’s take a look at home health care and skilled nursing facilities to see what they offer and when they may be appropriate for your senior.

Home Health Care

Over the years, technology has improved and allowed home health care to experience tremendous growth. An array of services can be delivered to the senior in their home, including:

• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Recovery from surgery
• Pain management
• Blood pressure issues
• Cardiovascular care
• Wound management
• Medication management
• Home safety evaluations
• Training on medical equipment
• Nutrition assessment and counseling

With home health care, the senior doesn’t have to travel to a physician office, outpatient clinic or hospital to receive care. They aren’t sitting in a waiting room listening for someone to call their name. The health care professionals who arrive at the senior’s door to offer medical or therapy services are there solely for them.

Medicare covers the cost of home health delivered by a certified home health agency for anyone who qualifies via a referral from a physician, but there are items that are not covered.

Medicare.gov provides information on coverage for home health services.

The American Council on Aging explains Medicaid coverage for seniors with limited assets and low income who need skilled care.

Skilled Nursing Facilities

A SNF provides 24/7 skilled nursing care and supervision when the senior’s condition requires it.

A SNF provides a secure, medically managed environment for a senior, and includes assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, and preparing food. The care is provided by nurses, therapists and certified nurse assistants.

Home Health Care and Skilled Nursing – Working Together

In some cases, the two work hand-in-hand. An example — a senior living in their own home has suffered a fall and is need of rehabilitation after surgery and hospital discharge. The senior is then admitted to a SNF for short-stay rehabilitation. Once the short-stay rehabilitation program at the SNF is complete, they return to their homes, where they continue to undergo rehab from therapists through home health care.

Medicare.gov also provides information on skilled nursing coverage.

Medicaid also covers extended stays in SNFs for seniors with limited assets and low income who need skilled care. Information on this coverage can be found at Medicaid.gov

Bethesda offers both in-home and in-community support for seniors across the St. Louis area. Contact us today to learn more about our communities and services, and how we can help your senior loved one.

The post Home Health Care and Skilled Nursing – Two Viable Options for Seniors first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

Create a Safe Home Environment

If your loved one is living with you, you should prepare your home to make it safe for them. In addition to the conventional senior home safety tips, those living with Alzheimer’s disease will benefit from additional safety measures to keep them from wandering off or hurting themselves:

• Have your loved one wear an ID bracelet or other form of identification in case they get lost.
• Install child-safety devices on all windows and doors, so your loved one cannot leave the home or get at dangerous cleaning materials.
• Remove all weapons from the home so your loved one will be less likely to try to access them if they mistake you for an intruder.
• Put all medications in a medication lock box so your loved one can’t accidentally take too many.
• Inform your local police if your loved one tends to wander so officers can return them home safely.

What to Do If Your Loved One Becomes Violent

Those who are living with Alzheimer’s disease can get violent or aggressive, though many don’t. If your loved one does get violent, you need to make sure that they don’t harm themselves or you:

• Don’t unnecessarily touch or physically restrain them. Unnecessary touching or attempts to restrain your loved one can worsen their agitation and may cause them to physically try to hurt you. Back off and give them space. If they try to leave the home or hurt themselves, you will have to step in and gently restrain them.
• Make sure their needs are being met. Your loved one may lash out if they’re frustrated or if their needs aren’t being met. Figure out what caused the agitation and do what you can to remedy it.
• Play relaxing music. Playing some of your loved one’s favorite music can help calm them down. If music helps them, consider music therapy.
• Don’t yell. Raising your voice can be threatening—especially if your loved one becomes agitated by loud noises. Speak softly and be positive and reassuring.

If you find that you cannot take care of your loved one alone, don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed; you only want what is best for them. Skilled nursing can help you care for them by deciding what method of care is best for them.

Learn more about Skilled Nursing and Memory Care options at Bethesda.

The post Safety Tips for Those Living with Alzheimer’s Disease first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.

All interactions between caregiver and loved one sometimes devolve into survival and not enrichment. This often results in a negative atmosphere affecting that affects everyone. If left unchecked, the resulting tensions will often lead to behavioral issues from both individuals.

Avoid Slipping Away from Socializing

If care partners (the person with Alzheimer’s and his or her caregiver) are unsure how to act around each other, they are in danger of falling into a world of isolation. They may worry about what others think or feel their situation is one that no one understands. Care partners can become so uncomfortable that they may withdraw from family, friends, and society.

Changing these tendencies is important to the health and well-being of both individuals because meaningful human interaction, whether in a one-on-one situation or in a group setting, is important to everyone’s happiness.

Give Loved Ones Purpose and Confidence

The Best Friends Dementia Bill of Rights states that every person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s has the right “to experience meaningful engagement throughout the day.” Whether this engagement is activity or socially based, it’s always important to empower the individual to be successful.

For instance, if the person is having a conversation with a friend but can’t remember a detail, subtly filling in the missing fact can help. Or, if he or she is searching for the peanut butter to make a sandwich, placing it on the counter might reduce any agitation.

Finding Happiness Every Day

While a caregiver will routinely look back at how things were, it’s vital to appreciate that the person with Alzheimer’s is the same person they were in the past. It’s the disease that’s making the individual act different and typically, the things they enjoyed before will still bring them happiness.

With Alzheimer’s disease, it’s important that engagement is adapted to meet the changing needs of the individual while focusing on the things that enrich the person’s life and bring happiness. For it to work, the caregiver must accept how things are and discover ways to incorporate meaningful activities on a daily basis.

These men and women still want to be included in activities and to do things for themselves. To foster this need throughout the disease progression, the caregiver needs to provide subtle assistance when appropriate and remain creative in finding ways that create purpose and enrich a loved one’s day.

Enrich Their Lives with Meaningful Activities

Keeping a loved one involved with meaningful activities rather than sitting him or her in front of a television for hours generally results in fewer behavioral complications. It also leads to more meaningful engagement and improved lives for both individuals.

Whether it’s refolding the same basket of clothes several times or helping prepare dinner, keeping loved ones with Alzheimer’s active will improve their mood and keep them involved.

This responsibility can create a lot of pressure for the caregiver, so don’t forget that every caregiver also deserves meaningful engagement on a regular basis. Helping the caregiver find time to step away and engage with other people will also help protect their well-being. See our Caregiver Tips section for more information around caring for your senior loved ones.

The post Creating Meaning in Alzheimer’s Care for Loved Ones & Caregivers first appeared on Bethesda Health Group.