New caregiving strategies for a new year
At CaringKind, we like to say,
“If you’ve seen one case of Alzheimer’s,
you’ve seen one case
of Alzheimer’s.” But we also know
that caregivers share some universal
experiences along their Alzheimer’s
journey. With a new year on the horizon,
it’s important to remember common
caregiver pitfalls and consider
new approaches to those problems.
PITFALL: Your mom has, once
again, accused you of hiding the remote
control. You insist you haven’t,
and go back and forth until she’s
worked up and you’re exhausted.
NEW APPROACH: Instead of arguing
with her, tell her you’re sorry
and must have hidden it without realizing,
and move on. The issue is
a small one. By keeping the peace,
you’ll keep the arguing and stress
levels to a minimum.
PITFALL: You’ve been fi ghting a
cold for a week. You think about making
a doctor’s appointment, but fi gure
it’s not worth the stress of fi nding
someone to watch your dad. Your
cold turns into pneumonia and you’re
unable to care for him for weeks. Now
you need to hire someone to stay with
him while you recuperate, which is
very costly.
NEW APPROACH: Take care of
that cold right away. Ask a relative
or friend to sit with your dad while
you go to the doctor. It’s even worth it
to pay a fee for a professional to care
for him for a few hours. You’ll get the
care you need to stay healthy.
PITFALL: You have several items
that need repairs around the house.
Your husband, who has dementia,
was a “Mr. Fix-It,” but can no longer
tend to these problems like he
used to. You hire a handy man to do
the work and your husband becomes
hurt and angry.
NEW APPROACH: Try to anticipate
these feelings and understand
that he may feel his responsibilities
are slowly narrowing. You may want
to tell him that, since he has so much
experience with these repairs, he
should supervise the project, greeting
the handy man and explaining
what needs to be done. This will allow
him to retain some of the control
and his pride. You may also want to
give the handy man a heads up so he
is aware of the situation.
PITFALL: You have enrolled
your wife in CaringKind’s MedicAlert
NYC Wanderer’s Safety Program
because lately she’s been going
COURIER L 44 IFE, DEC. 21–27, 2018 M B G
out for walks and getting lost. You
feel a sense of relief, which is shortlived
because she absolutely refuses
to wear the identifi cation bracelet.
She says it makes her feel old and
helpless. She doesn’t wear the bracelet
and you continue to worry about
her safety.
NEW APPROACH: Have your
grandson give the bracelet to your
wife as a gift. Chances are, she will
be so touched by the child’s thoughtfulness,
she’ll agree to wear it. And,
instead of the jewelry making her feel
old, she may even brag to her friends
about how caring her grandson is.
Remember that the dementia experts
at CaringKind can help you
fi nd an out-of-the-box solution to any
problem. Call us 24 hours a day, 365
days a year at (646) 744–2900. We are
here for you.
Jed A. Levine is the President and
CEO at CaringKind.
Wellness
Hearing loss is quite common and can impact
people’s lives in profound ways. Although
there are some treatments that can improve
one’s ability to hear and communicate, many people
are interested in learning about the ways they
may be able to prevent hearing loss in the first
place.
Medical experts from the American Speech-
Language-Hearing Association advise that hearing
loss can be caused by different factors. Learning
about these causes can help individuals make
smart decisions at a young age to prevent future
hearing loss when possible. In certain circumstances,
hearing loss may be unavoidable. In
such instances, audiologists, or doctors specializing
in hearing, can help:
Conductive hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss refers to problems
with the ear canal, ear drum, or middle ear and
its bones, states the Hearing Loss Association of
America. Some of the causes of conductive hearing
loss include:
• Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear
in which fluid accumulation can interfere with
the movement of the eardrum and ossicles.
• Impacted earwax also can cause hearing
problems.
• Fluid in the middle ear may obstruct hearing.
• Otosclerosis, which is a middle-ear disease,
can make it difficult for the tiny bones in the
middle ear to move. Surgery can correct the problem.
• Malformation of the outer ear, ear canal, or
middle ear structure can impact hearing as well.
Sensorineural hearing loss
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs due to
problems of the inner ear. It is often referred to
as nerve-related hearing loss. Some of the causes
include:
Aging. This is a common cause of hearing loss
that may not be reversible. Age-related hearing
loss is called presbycusis and is marked by muffled
or unclear speech. Treatment with assistive
hearing devices can help improve hearing.
Trauma to the ear or head. Wearing protective
gear during sports or other activities can
protect against neurological damage that may
cause hearing loss.
Damage to the inner ear. This damange can
result from prolonged exposure to loud noises,
states the Mayo Clinic. These noises cause wear
and tear on the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea
that send sound signals to the brain. When these
hairs or nerve cells are damaged or missing, electrical
signals aren’t transmitted as efficiently,
and hearing loss occurs. Using hearing protection
and turning down the volume can help.
Ménière’s disease. Ménière’s disease is an
inner ear problem of unknown origins. It usually
starts in people between the ages of 30 and
50. Dizziness and ringing of the ear are common,
and hearing loss comes and goes. Some loss can
become permanent.
Viruses and diseases, as well as family history,
also may play a role.
In some instances, hearing loss may be the result
of a combination of factors. Anyone finding
their hearing has become less acute should visit
with an audiologist. One resource to visit is www.
asha.org/profind. The doctor can then prescribe
a treatment plan to help improve hearing.
Care
Chronicle
Jed Levine
With a new year on the horizon, consider some common caregiver pitfalls that may have
led to hurt feelings on either side, and consider new approaches to those problems so past
arguments don’t follow you into 2019.
Learn about the causes of adult hearing loss
By learning about what impacts hearing loss, people can
make changes to prevent damage.
/profind
/profind