Memory, Movement and Your Health

Hello!

We hope that everybody has been having a great week!  We're almost to the weekend!  We pray that you have an enjoyable time with family and friends and take a part in all the special moments.

We wanted to go ahead and let our patient members know that the office will be closed on Monday (Sept. 6th) and Tuesday (Sept. 7th) for the Labor Day weekend.  We hope you all have a wonderful weekend with your family and friends!

We wanted to speak with our patient members about some things that are of quite some importance.  Memory loss, Dementia and Alzheimer's are becoming quite common names in our world today.  We have a story and a few tips we would like to share with you, so that you can be aware.  Read below, as Charlie Adams presents his story and tips from dealing with his mother's Dementia.

"It can be a very draining process, when someone you love is dealing with these diseases of the mind; but you also have to look for the moments of joy.  Those are the moments that make the work easier.  My name is Charlie Adams, my mother suffers from the effects of Dementia and this is our story.

My family and I began noticing around 2017, moments where my mother would not understand common routines that we had always done, would mix up names of people or things, and would shrink away from activities she used to enjoy.  In the beginning, we passed it off as just a little forgetfulness or nervousness of crowds.  However, going into 2018, things got progressively worse.  Names of immediate family members were being forgotten, and bouts of uncharacteristic anger were showing up.  We tried as best as we could to continue on, but it was getting harder.  At the same time, my mother was dealing with severe arthritis in her knees that finally caused her to become bedridden.  We feel that the arthritis problem contributed to her anger issues.

In 2018, my mother went in the hospital when these symptoms got worse, and we suspected a UTI.  After the treatments in the hospital, she went into a nursing home for rehab for several months.  My father stayed with her all night, every night at the nursing home.  Then, when I would get off work, my sister and I would go to the nursing home and relieve him, so that he could come home; shower, sleep and get other things done.  Daddy loved her so much, that he went through that routine every day, so that he could be with her when she needed him the most.  As wonderful as that is, I could see the effect it was having on him.  He was physically and mentally tired.

Finally, after 4 months, Mama came home.  Even though things felt better, the process was still tough, as now we had to do the work taking care of her again.  It was at this point that we had to make our adjustments on how we would proceed with her care and how we would communicate with her.  We learned how communication skills begin to decline.  You must have a lot of patience when speaking with those who have Dementia, Alzheimer's, etc., because simple conversation can get confusing for them.  When they speak about a certain object, you must pay attention to where they look, context of previous conversation, past events or activities that may be being transposed to the present, and so on.

So, I would like to share with you a few tips I've learned on how to deal with the different situations you may find yourself in, as well as some things you can to help.

1) Be as patient as possible with them in your speaking.  Simple conversations can get confusing for them.  When they speak about a certain object, you must pay attention to where they look, context of previous conversation, past events or activities that may be being transposed to the present, and so on.

2) Never argue with them!  They are always right, no matter what they may say.  Due to the diseases, what they see or what they hear is correct, and you simply have to agree and play along as much as possible.  If there is any inkling of uncertainty, it rocks their security.  When this happens, they feel the need to protect themselves and may get angry or in some cases violent.  You as the family, or you as the friend, have the responsibility to keep the peace for them.

3) When the good moments happen, cherish them.  These are the memories that will live on.  A hug, a kiss, a kind word, or even just seeing them smile, brings things back into perspective and joy into your heart.  The actions may not always be your loved one's, but they are still inside there, and seeing those happy glimpses of who they were will be with you forever.

4) Keep moving your body.  Movement helps to keep the brain active.  Walking, exercising, etc. help pump blood and therefore oxygen through the body and therefore, to the brain.

5) The last tip I want to share is to work to care for your brain health NOW.

There are many things you can do to help slow the progression of memory loss.  In today's health section we have a few suggestions.

One the main suggestions that we have for you, is to keep moving!  Body movement does two things for you, it helps to keep the body active and in turn aids the brain.  A good book to read that Dr. Dennis recommends on this subject is called "Spark" by Dr. Ratey M.D..

Another thing to watch is your carb and sugar intake.  Carbs and sugar rob your blood of Oxygen which decreases your brain's performing power.

Another benefit for you, is the supplements available to you through Standard Process.  Two that we recommend to help with brain function are Ginkgo Synergy (Read more HERE) and Ginkgo Forte (Read more HERE).