... 1 Observation of Alzheimer’s Support Group OBSERVATION OF ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT 2 Observation of Alzheimer’s Support Group On February 7, 2011 I attended the Alzheimer’s support group held at St. Roberts Adult Daycare Center in St. Charles, Missouri. Tina Joyner facilitated this group of nine caregivers and three students. There were two groups conducted simultaneously; one for the caregivers, the other for the individual who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The groups were held in different rooms in the same building, and were scheduled for a one hour time period. A guest speaker, Grace, from Washington University appeared to invite caregivers to a pilot study being conducted over a one year period which was titled Caregiver Stress Project. The purpose of the study is to measure the effect of stress on the caregiver. I had arrived early and had a chance to speak with “C”, whose wife was unable to attend. He explained that she was in the final stages and had been placed on hospice in August 2010. He told me that a nurse comes weekly, and as needed, but he provides all other care for his wife. They have a daughter who stays with her mother while “C” takes care of errands and demands outside the home. “C” speaks of his wife in a loving way and describes her as being very easy to take care...
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...subject “Care plans for individuals with Alzheimer disease: Intuitively a good idea but hard to prove they are effective in practice.” It is seen that teaching based intervention for Alzheimer care are suggested by large professional organizations although it is not evident on who should undertake these models to the patients. Care plans replicas along with the guidelines usually do have the stated objectives of delaying an illness development and functional beg off (Schneider, 2016). Alzheimer is illustrated by momentous impairments in several cognitive areas, functioning as well as the behavioral burden. Premature revealing, as well as management, can avert overuse of expensive healthcare resources and permit the affected people and caregivers the time to prepare for the prospect financial, medical along with the emotional confronts. This planning proposal offers the right measures concerning the evidence-based intervention to improve outcome in the late stage of Alzheimer disease. Among the cited evidence-based intervention that the business proposes to employ in combating the new stage of the disease do include the use of physical along with intellectual activities and mingling in the running of cognitive decline of aging in patients with Alzheimer. Routine non-pharmacological involvement can have a profound outcome on cognitive aging. The three phases have been cited as being the intellectual simulation, physical exercise as well as social interaction....
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...type of dementia accounting for 60% to 80% of the cases (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014, e49). As defined by the Alzheimer’s Association (2014) dementia is an overall term for diseases and conditions characterized by a decline in memory or other thinking skills that affects a person’s ability to perform everyday activity. Alzheimer’s was first discovered over 100 years ago but research into its symptoms, causes, risk factors and treatment has gained momentum only in the last 30 years (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014, e48). Even with the development of technology, and the surge of information on the subject, there is still much to be discovered about Alzheimer’s. The exact biological changes that cause Alzheimer’s, why it progresses at different rates, and how the disease can be prevented, slowed or stopped are the main focus of current Alzheimer’s...
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...Richard Russo’s memoir, Elsewhere, provides a son’s narration of a lifetime of adventures and tribulations with his mother, Jean. The piece also provides an ideal case study of development, experiences, challenges, and transitions across the adult phases of the human lifespan, thereby allowing for an application and analysis of adult psychology theories and concepts that are commonly presented in more objective and less narrative works. First, attention will be paid to the roles and relationships that Richard and Jean Russo establish throughout their lives. Then, cognitive aging and decline will be discussed in relation to Jean’s physical and mental health and her dementia. Richard’s role as Jean’s primary caregiver will be studied through...
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...Caregivers of Dementia patients Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Caused by problematic supply of blood to the brain, symptoms include challenging communication, depression and anxiety, strokes, physical weakness or paralysis, confusion, changes in behaviour and difficulties in walking and unsteadiness. This paper discusses the problems faced by caregivers of patients suffering from vascular dementia who are above the age of 65 and possible recommendations to improve their plight through the review of the movie, Amour (a movie about an octogenarian couple, Georges and Anne, where Anne develops vascular dementia) and current literature pertaining to the topic. Georges “Put yourself in my place. Didn’t you ever think it could happen to me, too? Anne: “Of course I did. But imagination and reality have little in common.” Anne’s sudden speech arrest and frozen stare at the breakfast table with no recollection afterward are the first signs of a partial seizure. Caregivers, like Georges, who are not prepared for looking after patients are under pressure because of their increasing needs. Georges does not seem to mind this responsibility of taking care of her initially, but Anne’s condition deteriorates fast. She experiences profound right sided weakness and is bound to the wheelchair. Georges struggles to lift her from the wheelchair and make her sit on a chair or go the bathroom. Increased stress in his behaviour is...
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...Mental Health Critical Review Abstract In this critical review, the newspaper article being reviewed is Infant mental health: Giving children the best head start, is described and summarized. The topic being discussed is infant mental health and how they should be receiving satisfactory care from their caregivers at an early age. Infant mental health can be defined as a field that studies the parent caregiver relationships and inner lives of infants. In agreement with this article, five scholarly academic sources arguments and findings are observed. This paper shows a critical review of infant mental health; the brain’s plasticity through a critical period and the importance of supportive infant-caregiver relationships that produce positive experiences for infants and further their developmental capabilities ultimately, helping them grow better. It also highlights the reality that the society as a whole is involved in providing better environmental influences for infants in order to supply them with a better future. Recommendations for future research and unanswered questions in infant mental health are made in response to the need of support of caregivers and the society. The news article, Infant mental health: Giving children the best head start, emphasizes the importance of the first 1000 days of an infant’s life (2015). Adulthood is shaped and impacted by our early experiences (D’alton, 2015). Professor Kevin Nugent is an expert of early child development, specifically...
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...disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes cognitive and functional disability” (Grossberg, et al., 2009, para.6). In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, even before current technology can identify symptoms, “plaques and tangles” (2012) form in the areas of the brain that control thinking, learning, planning, and memory. Watching a loved one mentally and emotionally disintegrate is especially hard on spouses and adult offspring, who for the sake of expediency, will be referred to as Caregivers. The change in a loved one’s behavior and personality causes emotional strain for Caregivers, and one of the first signs is a loss of appetite in the patient, triggered by a diminished sense of taste and smell. The first time a meal that was once a favorite is pushed aside, untouched, the Caregiver may dismiss the behavior as inconsequential. However, as this happens more frequently, feelings of frustration, even anger arise, in both patient, and Caregiver. The Caregiver feels unappreciated and the patient feels mistreated. Soon though, the patient’s resulting weight...
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...“Understanding the research process in nursing” explain the research process as follows: Summary Step 1: formulating the research question. In this case, the question was: “Can a package of information gathering and sharing tools, introduce pre-respite, contribute in a positive way to the respite experience for the patient and family caregiver?” (39). Step 2: Reviewing the literature. This has to do with looking to see if there is any prior similar research. There were studies but none on respite care preparation so the investigation is worthwhile. Step 3: Designing the study research. Deciding what to observe and under what circumstances. What data to collect, how to gather it, from whom, when, and what to do with the information. In this study they use a before and after design to assess the effectiveness of the pre-respite preparation. Step 4: Approval and access. Ethical approval needs granting so to protect safety, rights, and welfare of study participants. Step 5: Data Collection. Patient referrals to respite care receive a letter to consent to participate. The caregivers answer a serious of questions and the researcher documents them. Step 6: Data analysis and interpretation. This deals with interpreting raw data for meaning. The information reveals in the course of a year that the caregivers found the visits useful therefore answering the original question “yes” (42). Step 7: presenting and disseminating the findings. Hospital managers receive...
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...18 Progress in Cardiovascular Nursing Winter 2008 www.lejacq.com ID: 6611 Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospitalization for persons older than 65 years and often necessitates assistance from family caregivers.1,2 Approximately 40% of older adults are readmitted within 3 months postdischarge, resulting in significant health care costs.2,3 Indeed, more than one million hospitalizations attributed to HF cost the patient and United States health care system over $27 billion a year.1 Hospitalizations related to HF are complicated by the aging process, comorbidities, and psychosocial concerns that affect successful management.2 In a study of patient outcomes post– hospital discharge, Naylor and colleagues4 demonstrated that the use of advanced practice nurses (APNs) was effective in improving outcomes for patients with HF. The feasibility of adapting this approach is limited, however; costs for home visits by an APN are high, a shortage of APNs employed in home care exists, and funding for home care has decreased with the Medicare Prospective Payment System.5 An alternative strategy for promoting self-management of HF is the use of electronic home monitoring (EHM). EHM is a form of telemedicine in which medical/nursing management interventions are provided to individuals at a distance from the health care provider.6 The primary objective of this pilot study was to examine the effectiveness of postdischarge telemonitoring by an APN...
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...Emotional and Psychological Burden on Informal Caregivers- In general, all articles explain that this is an area where more research needs to be done, especially in cancer patients. This research should extend into the bereavement period and beyond the palliative care phase. Burden is defined as a predictor of health and likely to have an adverse impact on a caregiver’s future (Nijboer). Caregivers often feel responsible, they make little use of professional services, and may become ill themselves. Lower socioeconomic status are assumed to have a higher burden, which leads to poorer health. The availability of social support and social contacts was found to be an important determinant of caregiver’s well-being. “Informal caregivers need to be recognized as equivalent members of the health care team”. In general, informal caregivers report anxiety, depression, stress, frustration, and fear when caregiving. Using surveys, it was found in one study that anxiety and depression are the leading factors that play into the burden. 55% of male and 36% of females were found to have moderate or severe anxiety (Oechsle), 36% of male and 14% of females were found to have severe or moderate depression. No significant differences found, but there was a trend that male caregivers were more stressed and depressed. Another article (William Haley) reports that particularly burdensome stressors is managing physical care, symptoms, and treatments, emotional support, and watching the...
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...Raising children can be rewarding but can also be very stressful at times. Deciding how you will raise the child, what school they will attend, how will you discipline, are questions many parents or soon to be parents ask. Adults whether it is the mother or father or the caregiver, are huge influences on a child’s life. Praising children at the right time and because of the right reason is critical. Parents and care givers need to ensure that they are properly praising the child for the right reasons. A good example would be if the child was aked to clean their room and they immediately went into their room and cleaned up all there toys. This would be an excellent example of proper praising. Unfortunately this example is not realistic and can be a frustrating situation. Some parents will bribe the child to do a task and when the child pushes back the parents will then bribe him/her. Some parents praise the child for doing some of the task asked of them. When I was a child my mother would ask me to complete a certain task. After I had completed the task, my mother would praise me for doing a good job. One day, I was asked to do a task that I always do but this time I went above and beyond. When my mother saw the work I had done, she praised me more than she did before. As a child I saw this as an opportunity to ensure I always get praised for my work. What are the advantages and disadvantges of physical punishment? . How can adults help children develop self-esteem...
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...Before I worked at the Children’s Center, I was an aid at a small town nursing home. From my experience with that job, I would have to say many of the residents in actual nursing homes, this does not include retirement homes, tended to be unable to make cognitive decisions, such as having a plan for when they pass away. These plans could include anything from being a DNR, or FULL code. In many cases, families made all the decisions for the residents. I am not in any way saying that it is wrong for families to make decisions for their elder family members. However, I think it is extremely important that the resident’s wishes are worked out before the resident is even at the state where they are unable to make decisions. If not, there are times when either families simply are not involved in the resident’s life, so they unknowingly leave the patient as a Full code, or they care for their loved one so much they have decided they want their family member around for as long as possible, regardless of if that is the best situation for the resident....
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...again. The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease has dramatically increased because people are living longer. This is a result of advancements in medical technology that are increasing the human life span. That being said, now there is more responsibility placed on the individual and their caregivers to provide a supportive environment to combat this disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that causes a gradual, irreversible cognitive deterioration. The individual experiences a significant decline in their memory, language skills, perception of space and eventually, their ability to be self-sufficient and independent. Alzheimer’s disease takes a toll on the patients as well as their caregivers. “Being a caregiver for an ill or disabled loved one is widely recognized as a threat to caregiver’s quality of life” (Poulin et al 2010). The diagnosis of this disease affects the caregivers on physical, psychological, and social levels. Family, friends, and caregivers suffer from pain and stress as they witness their loved one experiencing the progression of the disease. Background “Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for about 60% of all diagnosed cases” (Tampi 2006). The onset of Alzheimer’s disease is gradual. In the earlier stages, patients experience mild impairments, like learning new information or remembering where they left everyday things, like keys. Changes in social behavior are often among the first signs of this neurodegenerative...
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...Savages Similarities According, to a recent study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, caregivers earn about 16k-25k a year. Now, depending on where you live, that yearly salary is usually not enough to provide a comfortable or most importantly, stable lifestyle. Most patients are unable to understand or comprehend basic tasks. Additionally, caregiving is one of the most stressful and time consuming jobs you can take on. With that in mind, caregiving is not only a poor paying job but also one of the most overwhelming. Nancy Gibbs wrote that “…30% to 40% of caregivers suffer from depression.” In The Savages, Wendy Savage goes through stress after picking up her father Lenny from the airport. Wendy even begins to struggle with her mental capabilities. For example she begins to take medication to relax herself. Similarly, Gibbs and the Savages expose challenges that people may face when caring for elderly, namely the lack of support that caregivers or more specifically women receive and also the lack of information or preparation that families have. For example, in The Savages, Eduardo is the first caregiver that is introduced. In his scene the Eduardo was caring for Doris, Lenny’s girlfriend, he was being rude and degrading towards Lenny. For instance, when he removed the cereal bowl to make Leonard flush his own toilet. This scene can reflect the need for further assistance for caregivers. In this example, Eduardo is not being paid to care for Lenny and this creates a more stressful...
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...Occupational Therapy and Compassion Fatigue: How to help the caregiver get care By Randi Johnson Hanson MSRS, OTR/L The topic of “Compassion Fatigue” has been a hot topic within the caregiving profession of nursing in the past decade. Joinson (1992) defines compassion fatigue as “a unique and expanded form of burnout in which the environmental stressors of the workplace coupled with the patient’s physical and emotional needs contributes to the caregiver becoming tired, depressed, angry, ineffective, apathetic and detached”. Given the psychosocial demands of occupational therapy as a hands-on caregiving profession, it is my proposal that we look at compassion fatigue within the realm of O.T. and how to help prevent it and how to refresh and renew ourselves in order to best meet our patient’s needs. As an occupational therapist, part of our practice involves helping our patients determine what their optimal level of function is given any underlying deficits. We may see people with psychological deficits (TBI, DD, and mental illness), physical deficits and age related deficits and it is our job to get them “back to the highest level of independence possible”. As with any caring profession, as OT’s we may take on the burdens and issues of our patients as our own. Under normal circumstances, this can be helpful in planning goals and treatment modalities, but if we start to experience compassion fatigue, we may be actually internalizing the traumas of our patients to the point...
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