Your Older Family Member May Need Help

For many Americans, the Holiday season is one of the few times during the year that adults and their older loved ones spend quality time together. The Holidays may be a time when families face and discuss the difficult decisions about finding care for their older relative. The Eldercare Locator has produced a guide of “10 warning signs” to help families and older Americans determine if help is needed. Any one of the behaviors listed may or may not indicate that an action should be taken and your family member’s physician should be kept informed of physical or psychological behavior changes.

Has your family member:

• Changed eating habits within the last year resulting in weight loss, having no appetite, or missed meals?
• Neglected personal hygiene resulting in wearing dirty clothes, body odor, bad breath, neglected nails and teeth, sores on the skin?
• Neglected their home so it is not as clean or sanitary as you remember growing up?
• Exhibited inappropriate behavior by being unusually loud or quiet, paranoid, agitated, making phone calls at all hours?
• Changed relationship patterns such that friends and neighbors have expressed concerns?
• Had physical problems such as burns or injury marks resulting from general weakness, forgetfulness, or possible misuse of alcohol or prescribed medications?
• Decreased or stopped participating in activities that were previously important to them such as bridge or a book club, dining with friends, or attending religious services?
• Exhibited forgetfulness resulting in unopened mail, piling newspapers, not filling their prescriptions, or missed appointments?
• Mishandled finances such as not paying bills, losing money, paying bills twice or more, or hiding money?
• Made unusual purchases such as buying more than one magazine subscription of the same magazine, entered an unusual amount of contests, increased usage of purchasing from television advertisements?

Through the Eldercare Locator, individuals and their families can get information on services available through the state and area agencies on aging and local aging service providers.

To access services, contact the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 or through the Web site at http://www.eldercare.gov.

Psychological Benefits of Art Therapy

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“Beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities…” ~ Plato As parents, when our child falls ill, or  is prone to a disorder or a discomfort; we are diligent to…      READ MORE: Psychological Benefits of Art Therapy

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Are you caring for someone who is affected by memory loss? Do you want to connect with others who are facing a similar journey? Join us for the 2012 Alzheimer’s Association® Family Forums and realize – you are not alone and we are here to help!
“In 2012 the Greater Illinois Chapter will host three Family Forums in Rockford (3/24), Bloomington (4/14), and Suburban Chicago (4/28),” explained Melanie Adams, Director of Consumer Education for the Chapter. “This inspiring, educational event is for caregivers, family members or anyone with a loved one affected by memory loss. Dynamic speakers will offer practical strategies to address every day challenges and share reasons for hope. You’ll discover local caregiver resources that are available to help provide support in a number of ways.”
Join us as we learn, reflect and connect at the 2012 Family Forums! Register now to take advantage of our early bird registration specials.

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When facing Alzheimer’s disease, it helps to connect with others who relate to your experiences. ALZConnected (alzconnected.org), powered by the Alzheimer’s Association, is a new online social networking community where people with Alzheimer’s, their caregivers and others affected by the disease can share questions and form new connections.
On ALZConnected, you don’t have to explain what it means to live with Alzheimer’s. The other users know, and are willing to offer their advice and solutions to common challenges. We’ll help you to form “connections” with other users, matching you based on common criteria. Tap into a diverse community via our message boards, or create a private group organized around a specific topic.

Go to ALZConnected >>