home |  about us |   support |   events |   donate |   volunteer |   info & referral |   memory walk |   education |   advocacy |   Alzheimer's Disease Chapter  Office Central  Arizona Northern Arizona Southern Arizona Southern Nevada Medical Scientific Advisory Committee

Medical Issues/Care:

Put together a list of questions or concerns you may have about the dementia diagnosis and other medical issues and make an appointment with your doctor to discuss them.

Next doctor’s appointment _______________________________________

Here are some sample questions you may have:

How frequently will my loved one need to been seen by the doctor?

Would my loved one benefit from medications for Alzheimer’s Disease?

Would my loved one benefit from a research study?

What should I expect as the disease progresses?

How will Alzheimer’s Disease affect my loved one’s other health problems?

Can we discuss the need for a living will and/or medical decisions that may need to be made for my loved one as the disease progresses?

I have a copy of my loved one’s living will and/or medical power of attorney

Copy given to doctor _____________________________ (date)

Copy given to another family member or friend______________________

If you don’t have a routine doctor to follow your loved one’s care, think about getting a doctor interested in geriatrics (working with older adults) or a neurologist.

Call the Alzheimer's Association Helpline (602) 528-0550 if you need a referral to a doctor.

Financial/Legal Issues:

Make an appointment with an (Elder Law) attorney to discuss future financial and legal concerns. You can call the Alzheimer's Association Helpline at (602)528-0550 for a referral.

Here are some sample questions you may have when meeting with the attorney:

When my loved one can no longer make financial and/or health care decisions, who can make those decisions and what type of paperwork will be needed?

If something happens to me, who else could make decisions for my loved one?

Is it too late to purchase long term care insurance for my loved one?

How will I pay for my loved one’s future care?

Where can I get financial help now or in the future?

Will my loved one qualify for Medicaid services?

Education and Support for Caregivers:

Attend an "Orientation to Alzheimer’s Disease" Class (offered monthly by the Alzheimer's Association – Call (602)528-0545 for the location closest to you.

Attend a support group – you may need to try a few to find the one that is right for you. These groups provide support to caregivers but more importantly provide practical information and daily living tips for dealing with the disease. Call the Alzheimer's Association at (602)528-0545 for a list of groups.

Get additional written information and/or videos from the Alzheimer's Association, local library or book store. ("The 36 Hour Day" by Peter Rabins and Nancy Mace is often an excellent first book to read)

Call the Alzheimer's Association at (602)528-0545 about videos that you can check out and watch at home.

You may find that communication with your loved one becomes more difficult. Read "Tips on Communicating with Confused Persons" to help you to avoid confrontive situations. Call the Chapter Helpline to obtain a copy (602)528-0550.

Think about who should know about your loved one’s diagnosis and how they should be told. The Chapter has an excellent brochure on this topic.

You will need a break, so begin now to ask for help from your family and friends.

Safety issues for your loved one may happen immediately; think about changes you will need to make related to:

Driving

Living alone/being left alone

Cooking/household chores (including lawn care)

Handling money/paying bills

Taking medications

Long Term Planning:

Options for care for the person with dementia generally consist of four types:

In home help

Adult Day Health Care

Assisted Living/Residential Settings

Nursing Homes (skilled nursing facilities)  Nursing Homes are certified by Medicare and Medicaid. To obtain the latest inspection and complaint reports, follow this link.

In home help includes:

Limited volunteer services including friendly caller, friendly visitor, companion, shopping and home repair

Personal care

Home health aid

Sitter/Companion

Housekeeping

Home Repair

Adult Day Health Care centers provide a structured setting in which people with Alzheimer’s Disease and other disabilities may enjoy group activities and benefit from other social and health related services such as:

Activities

Meals/snacks

Assistance with medication

General health assessment/monitoring

Bathing

Transportation

Assisted living settings provide housing and care for persons with Alzheimer’s Disease. Most of these options are paid for privately however, others are covered by Arizona Long Term Care Services (ALTCS). Options for care include:

Supervisory Care Home

Adult Foster Care

Residential Care

Continuing Care Community

Arizona Model Facilities (Dementia Specific Care)

Referrals: Call the Chapter Helpline for possible referral (602)528-0550

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

Difficult Behavior:

Read "Tips on Communication with Confused Persons" and learn that early changes will affect your loved one’s personality, mood and behavior. (You can obtain this from the Chapter)

If your loved one’s behavior changes suddenly or becomes unmanageable, call your doctor to check for medical reasons.

Call the Alzheimer's Association Helpline (602)528-0550 to discuss possible behavioral health referrals.

A variety of written materials are available at the Alzheimer's Association that may also help you to learn how to intervene with difficult behaviors.

Caregiver Issues/Concerns:

Common emotional reactions of families to the diagnosis include fear, grief, anger, guilt, confusion, uncertainty, loss of faith, depression, denial, helplessness, loss of dreams.

Role changes may lead to learning new responsibilities and taking on more. Dealing with changes in significant relationships will be challenging.

Concern about allowing loved one to be as independent as possible verses taking over for that person. The caregiver may need to adjust their expectations of their loved one. Likewise, the caregiver will need to determine if the person is doing too much or not enough.

Common coping strategies may include denial, withdrawal, using one’s faith more readily, confiding in others, grieving, humor, and information seeking.