5 Great Brain-Boosting Activities for Aging Adults with Alzheimer’s

To boost cognitive health, seniors with Alzheimer’s should engage in mentally stimulating activities. If these activities become regular habits, seniors may be able to stave off some of the disease’s symptoms. Here are five activities that stimulate the brain. 

1. Putting Together Jigsaw Puzzles

Puzzles are a great way to engage seniors with Alzheimer’s because they challenge the ability to analyze shapes and make connections, forcing seniors to use their brains and motor skills at the same time, which helps them hone several different skill sets affected by the disease. Select jigsaw puzzles suitable for your older loved one’s abilities. There are puzzles designed specifically for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease that have large pieces and familiar, easy-to-assemble images. 

A professional home caregiver can help your loved one exercise his or her cognitive skills on a daily basis. Caring for a senior loved one can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Oshkosh Home Care Assistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care.

2. Painting with Watercolors

While brain games are an excellent source of mental stimulation, creative stimulation has unique benefits for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease. When seniors play memory games, the challenge of finding the right answers may be tiring, but with a piece of paper and a set of watercolors, there are no wrong answers. Painting with watercolors can be liberating for seniors who cannot effectively communicate with their loved ones. Even seniors who can’t verbalize their thoughts and feelings can still paint them. The process of creating art can also trigger old memories. Search for Alzheimer’s-friendly art classes that let seniors and their caregivers create art together. 

3. Listening to Someone Read to Them

While seniors with Alzheimer’s disease may have difficulty following the plot of a novel, this doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy a good book. Read to your loved one from favorite novels, newspaper articles, or stories. Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease may derive more pleasure from short texts like poems and fairy tales. If you don’t have time to read aloud, play an audiobook for your loved one. However, hearing someone read aloud in person provides a feeling of comfort and a type of uncomplicated socialization that could be beneficial for an aging adult with Alzheimer’s disease.

Seniors with Alzheimer’s often need assistance with everyday activities so they can age in place in safety and comfort. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Senior Stride Home Care, a leading provider of homecare services families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

4. Looking through Old Photo Albums

For seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, reminiscing is a powerful mental activity. Browsing through photo albums and keepsakes is one of the best ways to spark memories and foster connections. Look through the photos with your loved one, acting as a guide as he or she takes a walk down memory lane. Try gently asking if your loved one remembers certain people and events, and provide cues if he or she can’t remember. If your loved one gets frustrated, stop posing questions and start narrating the events depicted in the photo album. 

5. Making a Tactile Stimulation Box

Tactile stimulation has many benefits for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease. When they touch objects with unusual shapes, textures, or temperatures, it forces their brains to differentiate and perceive, which has tangible benefits for cognitive health and memory. You can help your loved one benefit from tactile stimulation by placing interesting objects in a box. Consider pine cones, sandpaper, seashells, and pieces of fabric. Let your loved one touch the contents of the box when he or she feels frustrated or anxious.

If your elderly loved one is living with Alzheimer’s and needs help managing the symptoms, turn to Senior Stride Home Care, a leading provider of Alzheimer’s care. Oshkosh seniors can rely on our revolutionary Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program that promotes cognitive health and delays the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. CTM also encourages seniors to engage with others in an enjoyable way and helps them build new routines to look forward to. To schedule a free in-home consultation, give us a call at 920-717-1767 today.

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Leading Alzheimer’s Specialists in Oshkosh, WI

Alzheimer’s caregivers in Oshkosh, WI, need a lot of help when it comes to caring for seniors with Alzheimer’s. Below are three of the leading Alzheimer’s specialists in Oshkosh.

Alzheimer’s Association Greater Wisconsin Chapter

The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Wisconsin Chapter works to educate the public on the signs and symptoms that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease in adults. The organization hosts annual fashion shows, walks and fundraisers to offer support in the community and assist those who are living with the disease. The association is also affiliated with research that is conducted to discover more treatment options. Educational events are also hosted by the staff to provide resources and information to those who live with the disease and the Oshkosh Alzheimer’s caregivers who want to provide a higher level of home care in Oshkosh.

Aurora BayCare Medical Center

Treatment is offered at Aurora BayCare Medical Center for seniors with Alzheimer’s. They prescribe medications to manage the disease to improve quality of life and to reduce the symptoms. Patients can take advantage of health counseling with the professional staff and undergo scheduled evaluations every six months to monitor the cognitive function of the patients. Caregiver support is also offered to those who are supervising adults who live with Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, patients can be referred to support groups for proper emotional support and encouragement.

Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute

The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute is one of the leading memory care centers in the local area that provides well-informed diagnoses and treatment of dementia for each patient. Treatment is provided to over 3,000 patients annually with 200 physicians on staff at 36 different clinics through the institute. Up-to-date research is used to offer high-quality treatment with a staff that has received guidance from the WAI and the UW Health Memory Assessment Clinic. Each medical professional on the staff stays informed and educated by attending bi-annual clinic network meetings and WAI’s annual conference.

You can also turn to Senior Stride Home Care in Oshkosh, WI, for help looking after your loved one. We provide flexible Alzheimer’s, dementia and stroke care Oshkosh families trust to help seniors boost cognitive function and overall wellbeing. Contact us at 920-717-1767 today to learn more about our services.

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Illnesses That Are Commonly Misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s

When an older adult begins exhibiting symptoms of cognitive impairment, they may receive an incorrect Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In reality, there are many treatable medical conditions that can cause similar symptoms. Following are several diseases that Oshkosh Alzheimer’s caregivers should get their loved one’s tested for.

Dehydration-

Some seniors fail to consume an adequate amount of fluids. This is especially true if they are taking a diuretic or drink an excessive amount of caffeinated beverages. Over time, cells and organs become starved for fluid. When the brain becomes affected, cognitive problems emerge.

Depression

Surveys suggest that up to 20 percent of senior adults live with depression. Loss of employment, a spouse, friends or being diagnosed with chronic medical conditions are some of the later life events that can lead to the mental disorder. Some of the many symptoms include:

  • Anxiety or sadness that lasts more than two weeks
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Generalized fatigue
  • Agitation, irritability or restlessness
  • Difficulty concentrating, memory loss or cloudy thinking
  • Indecisiveness
  • Suicidal thoughts or tendencies
  • Unwarranted guilt, hopelessness or worthlessness

Infectious Processes

Untreated respiratory, skin or urinary tract infections can all have cumulative effects that affect cognitive ability.

Hypoglycemia

Without a proper diet, blood sugar levels may drop dangerously low. In this case, seniors commonly display a wide range of out of the normal symptoms including aggression, confusion, inappropriate behavior or other dementia-like traits.

Medications

Various OTC or prescription medications produce adverse effects that include confusion or other cognitive symptoms. Sometimes, more than one medication may interact with another and cause undesirable effects. The problem may also occur if patients receive care and prescriptions from more than one physician. Live-in Oshkosh caregivers need to consult doctors to insure drug interactions won’t cause these symptoms among their loved ones.

Sleep Apnea

A lack of restful sleep combined with the oxygen deficits caused by apnea can cause a long list of symptoms ranging from general fatigue and memory loss to cognitive impairment and mood disorders.

If you currently care for a senior who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, it’s important to get a second opinion. It will also help to hire a trusted Oshkosh, WI, home care provider like Senior Stride Home Care. As the leading provider of Alzheimer’s and dementia care, we strive to help seniors age in place without compromising their independence. Contact us at 920-717-1767 today to learn more about our cognitive care and how it benefits our clients.

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