Long Term Care Planning for the Three Phases of Life

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    From the category archives:

    Elder Law Articles

    Having heard a lot about agitation, I’d like any extra advice I can get

    February 22, 2012

    “Love cures people. Both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.”  — Karl Menninger The above is a good quote to keep in mind. Dealing with agitation and/or dementia can be a marathon struggle. Choose your battles wisely and know that just because a person’s behavior might be bothersome to you, [...]

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    What can I do to my mother’s environment to lessen her agitation?

    February 21, 2012

    Human behavior is greatly affected by one’s environment. Therefore, you must pay special notice to what goes on in the surroundings of a person who has dementia. That person is liable to have heightened chances of feeling fear or insecurity so he or she needs to feel safe to minimize them. Because there are so [...]

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    Are you thinking of buying into a comfortable retirement community?

    February 20, 2012

      Are you thinking of buying into a comfortable retirement community? ——————————- That is often a good idea but, think again carefully. ———————————- The new Illinois Medicaid law taking effect on January 1, 2012 dramatically change the treatment of entrance fees at Continuing Care Retirement Communities Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) are communities that provide [...]

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    What are the effects of pain on agitation?

    February 17, 2012

    Confusion and/or agitation almost always increase when pain is present. Furthermore, if there’s a sudden increase in confusion or agitation, it should be a tip-off that something wrong is going on physically. Dementia does not typically progress that rapidly. There is a cycle of pain that gives us a picture of how pain can affect [...]

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    Sometimes words don’t seem like enough when trying to communicate with someone with dementia

    February 16, 2012

    Nonverbal communication is important, more so perhaps with someone who has Alzheimer’s or dementia than with others. That goes for communication in both directions: from you and to you. Body language can be responsible for up to 80% of all communication. It is very important therefore, when communicating with our loved ones to do more [...]

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    How can I minimize my loved one’s agitation while trying to communicate with her?

    February 15, 2012

    An important part of any type or relationship is communication. An often tough task becomes increasingly difficult, however, when a person with dementia is involved. Both processing and expressing information become more difficult, which can lead to frustration, which can ultimately manifest itself as agitation. Anything from mere pacing to lashing out can be a [...]

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    Besides medication, how can one deal with agitation?

    February 10, 2012

    First, it’s important to be on common terms when discussing any word, concept or issue. This holds true for agitation. Many of us have experienced agitation at some point in our lives. When we get so emotionally overwhelmed, it leads to unrest. Let’s look at the meaning of agitation, as cited in several authoritative resources: [...]

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    Implementation by the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services of the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) © 2011

    February 9, 2012

    I.          Introduction This is an article summarizing the implementation by the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services (Department) of the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA). Much has been written about these rules over the last several years by various members of the Elder Law Section Council and also other Section Councils. This [...]

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    I want to better understand my loved one’s agitation but don’t know how

    February 9, 2012

    We must make an effort to try to determine what a person with dementia is trying to communicate when he or she displays agitation or other “symptoms.” Many professionals who work with dementia patients think that there is a cause of reason to every behavior. “If we spent as much time trying to understand behavior [...]

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    If I’m suspicious, should I have my loved one evaluated for Alzheimer’s risk? By whom?

    February 8, 2012

    The quick answer: yes. A doctor must be consulted for a full evaluation as soon as you notice the first symptoms of dementia —more than just mild forgetfulness or confusion. This type of professional check-up will help determine why the symptoms are present. Are they due to depression? Poor nutrition? Drug use or alcohol abuse? [...]

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