Keeping Loved Ones with Dementia Safe This Summer and Important Communication Tips

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Hi everybody. Welcome back for another brand

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new episode of the truth, lies and Alzheimer's show. I'm Lisa

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Skinner, your host, and I was thinking about this, and can't

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believe that we are already halfway through this summer. So

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I thought, What a perfect time and place to get this topic in.

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So today I'm going to be talking about how you can ensure your

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loved ones with Alzheimer's disease or dementia are having a

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safe summer, especially since every time we turn the news on,

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we're hearing about these ongoing and continuous heat

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waves all over the country. So it can be potentially very

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dangerous for the elderly population, and especially if

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they are living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Now,

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throughout the many years that I worked in memory care

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communities, my favorite time of the year was summertime. The

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days were not only longer, but the weather was warm and the

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residents could enjoy a variety of gratifying activities

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outdoors. I used to love watching the caregivers help

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helping the residents plant flowers and tend to the

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vegetables that they had planted in the garden boxes that were

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built for them in our courtyard, there was also an outdoor aviary

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where they seemed to enjoy watching the birds playing and

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singing in perfect harmony with one another. Some of the

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residents would hum along with the birds. It was so cute. Now

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one could tell that these activities were creating

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invaluable moments of joy and purpose for them, the sights,

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the sounds and the smells of the outdoors can offer a person with

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Alzheimer's disease many opportunities for pleasurable

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stimulation and trigger wonderful memories from their

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past. Family members would often take their loved ones out during

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the warmer summer months for special outings such as family

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picnics or to the local farmers market. And although summertime

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presented many exclusive events that could not be done in the

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colder weather. It did not come without its own set of dangers.

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When people suffer from even moderate Alzheimer's disease and

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related dementia, their cognitive abilities continue to

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decline, sadly, but now the damage to the brain has spread

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to areas that control language, reasoning, sensory processing

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and conscious thought, making it nearly impossible for them to

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verbalize if they are being impacted by the heat that stands

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to reason, right? Therefore, it's vital for us as caregivers

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and as family members to take extra precautions during the hot

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summer months, not to endanger the residents from exposure to

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the heat. And do you know that older adults, and particularly

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individuals who do suffer from Alzheimer's disease and

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dementia, are definitely at a much higher risk during hot

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weather than younger people are. As we age, we lose the ability

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to control our body temperatures. Did you know that?

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It's a fact our bodies also have a decreased ability to perspire

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as we get older, sudden temperature changes are not easy

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to adjust to for older adults, leaving them vulnerable for

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dehydration, heat related illnesses, heat stroke and, of

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course, sunburn. Now, other reasons why seniors are more

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prone to heat stress than the general population, and this is

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according to the Centers for Disease Control, are the just

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this for the sheer fact that a lot of them live with chronic

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medical conditions, including cognitive impairment, which can

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increase the risk of heat related illnesses, as well as

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medications they may be taking that can interfere with the

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body's ability to regulate. Eat. So to ensure that people with

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Alzheimer's disease and related dementia can still enjoy outdoor

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activities and always stay comfortable and safe during the

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summer heat, there are many protective measures that can be

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put in place, so I'm going to share these with you. Number

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one, make sure to keep them hydrated by offering plenty of

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fluids and cool foods, staying hydrated can keep body

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temperatures down and prevent dehydration. Drink plenty of

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water, at least eight glasses per day, you can infuse the

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water with fruit, if your loved one prefers flavor, and this is

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an important point to realize you want to avoid soda, caffeine

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and alcohol. People with dementia often don't know that

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they're thirsty. It's not registering to them that they

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are thirsty, so if they show no interest in drinking fluids, you

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can try offering them popsicles, fruit or smoothies. Instead, to

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keep cool, it doesn't necessarily have to be water.

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You want to keep them as cool as possible. The hottest time in

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the day is typically between 11am through 3pm so in order to

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minimize their risk of heat exposure, avoid outings during

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these peak Sun Times and opt to stay in a cooler air conditioned

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environment. This can help prevent heat stress and heat

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stroke, as well as prevent sunburn and keep your loved one

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from becoming agitated and aggressive due to being

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miserably hot and extremely uncomfortable. Make sure your

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loved one and the person you're caring for is dressed in

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lightweight, light colored, loose fitting clothing in

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natural fibers such as cotton. Have them wear hats, sunglasses

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and carry lightweight umbrellas to keep them from the direct

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sun. Try to schedule your doctor's appointments during the

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early morning hours and limit the amount of time they spend

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outside. Provide them with cool showers or sponge baths. Provide

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them with cooling fans that are easy to carry and are available

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to take along and go for walks during the early morning hours

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of the day. Also, it's imperative that you pay close

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attention to any of the following warning signs that

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your loved one might be in distress. So here's what to look

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for that might signal that they are experiencing heat

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exhaustion, that they feel faint or dizzy. They are sweating

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excessively. They are cool, pale, and have clammy skin. They

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may feel sick to their stomach or act even start vomiting. They

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have a rapid and weak pulse, and

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even if they can't tell you that they're experiencing muscle

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cramps, perhaps their body language will be a tell that

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they are experiencing some pain in their legs. So what you want

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to do immediately, get to a cooler, air conditioned place,

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drink water if they're fully conscious, and have them take a

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cool shower or use cold compresses to bring that body

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temperature heat down. Now here are some signs to look for if

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they are experiencing an actual heat stroke, they you might not

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know this because they may not be able to actually communicate

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it to you, but they are experiencing a throbbing

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headache. They seem more confused and with a heat stroke,

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there's no sweating, so pay attention that body language and

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change in their behavior. Again, I can't emphasize this enough,

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their behaviors are their way of telling you that something is

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bothering them. So if you notice a change in behavior, there's

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some. Thing going on. Also indications of a heat stroke are

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that their body temperature rises to above 103 degrees, and

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their skin is red hot and dry. With heat stroke, they can also

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be experiencing nausea and or vomiting, just like with the

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exhaustion. And contrary to the heat exhaustion, where I

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mentioned that they would be displaying a rapid weak pulse

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with their having a heat stroke, it's a rapid strong pulse they

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may actually lose consciousness. So what do you want to do if you

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notice the symptoms, especially heat stroke, call 911, move that

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person to a cooler place, cool them down using cool cloth or a

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bath, and don't give them anything to drink if you suspect

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they're having a heat stroke during extremely hot and humid

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weather. Our body's ability to cool itself is challenged when

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the body heats too rapidly to cool itself properly, or when

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too much fluid or salt is lost through dehydration or sweating,

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our body temperature rises, and you or someone you care about

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may experience a heat related illness like the ones I just

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described to you, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, it's

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important that you recognize the symptoms of excessive heat

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exposure and the appropriate responses the Centers for

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Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC does provide a list of

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warning signs and symptoms of heat illness and recommended

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first aid steps. So here are some of the other symptoms and

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steps. So heat cramps. Heat cramps may be the first sign of

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heat related illness and may lead to heat exhaustion or

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stroke. The symptoms to watch for painful muscle cramps and

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spasms, usually in their legs, but it could be in their abdomen

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and they might be sweating very heavily. For first aid, you

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could apply firm pressure on the cramping muscle or gently

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massage to relieve the spasm. Give sips of water unless the

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person complains of nausea, then stop giving the water. Seek

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immediate medical attention if cramps last longer than one hour

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again, these instructions are according to the Centers for

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Disease Control and Prevention, and it's on their website, the

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CDC website, now the symptoms to look for, once Again, for heat

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exhaustion, is heavy sweating, weakness or tiredness, cool,

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pale, clammy skin, a fast, weak pulse, muscle cramps, dizziness,

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nausea or vomiting, headache, fainting, first aid, it's

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recommended by the CDC that you move that person to a cooler

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environment, preferably a well air conditioned room, and you

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want to loosen their clothing then apply cool wet claws, or

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have your person Sit in a cool bath, offer them sips of water,

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but once again, if person vomits more than once, you want to seek

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immediate medical attention. If they vomit symptoms worsen or

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last longer than one hour, and then a few more symptoms that

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weren't mentioned before for heat stroke include a throbbing

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headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, body temperature

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above 103 degrees Fahrenheit, hot, red, dry or damp skin,

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rapid and strong pulse, they can faint or lose, actually lose

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their consciousness. So according to the CDC, what you

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want to do is immediately call 911, or get the victim to a

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hospital. Immediately. Heat stroke is an extremely severe

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medical emergency. Delay can be fatal. Move the person to a

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cooler, preferably air conditioned environment, reduce

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their body temperature with cool claws or a bath. Use a fan if

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the heat index temperatures are below, the high 90s, and a fan

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can make you hotter at higher temperature. And in this

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scenario, do not give fluids. This is side note here, and I

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mentioned it just a second ago, but they emphasize it. Using a

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fan to blow air in someone's direction may actually make them

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hotter if the heat index temperatures are above the 90s.

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So that's really good information to know for

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information on all of these heat related illnesses, see the

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC website. So

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those are some great tips that we can pass along to ensure that

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your loved one or the person that you're caring for with

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dementia, stays as safe as can be under the extreme hot weather

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conditions that we're all experiencing across the country.

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I want to share with you a couple more tips that I ran

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across, and I think that these are really important things to

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be aware of too. This actually is a fabulous list to share with

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people who support living with dementia. Not only is each

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nugget meaningful in content, but reading it through their

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perspective helps us grow empathy for their situation. We

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want to thank Cindy keen for sharing this really valuable

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information. So it starts off saying, If I get dementia, I'd

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like my family to hang this wish list up on the wall where I

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live. I want them to remember these very important things.

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Number one, every time you enter the room, please announce Hi, my

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name is you say Tom their your name, and then tell them their

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name. Number two, never ask, Do you know who I am? Because that

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can definitely cause anxiety. Number three, I really want my

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friends and my family to embrace my reality. Number four, if I

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think my spouse is still alive, or if I think we're visiting my

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parents for dinner, let me believe those things, I'll be

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much, much happier for it. Number five, don't argue with me

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about what is true for me versus what is true for you. Your

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reality is different from mine, number six, and if I'm not sure

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who you are, please don't take it personally. My timeline is

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confusing to me.

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Number seven, if I can no longer use utensils, please do not

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start feeding me. Instead, switch me to a finger food diet

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and see if I can still feed myself. Remember, help them and

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encourage them to retain as much of their independence as

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possible for the stage they're at in their dementia. Number

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eight, if I'm sad or anxious, please hold my hand and listen.

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Do not tell me that my feelings are unfounded. Number nine, I

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don't want to be treated like a child. Talk to me like the adult

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that I am. Number 10, I still want to enjoy the things that

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I've always enjoyed, so please help me find a way to exercise,

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read and visit with my friends. Number 11, ask me to tell you a

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story from my past. Number 12, and if I become agitated, take

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the time to figure out what's bothering me. Number 13, treat

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me the way that you would want to be treated. Number 14, make

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sure there are plenty of snacks for me in the house, even now,

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if I don't eat, I get angry, and if I have dementia, I may have

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trouble explaining to you what I really need. Number 15, don't

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talk about me as if I'm not in the room. I am aware of my

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surroundings and what's going on in those surroundings. Number

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16, I don't want you to feel guilty if you cannot care for

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me, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it's not your fault, and

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you're doing the very best. You can find someone who can help

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you, or choose a great new place for me to live, 17 if I live in

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a dementia care community, I would love for you to visit me

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often 18. Please don't act frustrated if I mix up names,

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events or places. Just try to take a deep breath. It's really

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not my fault. It's my brain changing due to the brain

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disease that I have, 19, make sure I always have my favorite

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music playing within earshot. Number 20. And if I pick up

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items and carry them around, you can help me return those items

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to their original place. Number 21 don't exclude me from parties

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and family gatherings. Number 22 know that I still love receiving

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hugs and handshakes. Number 23 remember I am still the person

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you know and love. And those are some exceptional tips if you

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have a loved one, or if you're caring for somebody who's living

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with dementia. And these are told from the perspective of the

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person living with the brain disease, as their brains are

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changing and they're progressing through the illness. So that's

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what I have for you today. I hope this has been really

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valuable. Just make sure that you're paying attention if

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you're in a hot weather situation to all the things we

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talked about to minimize the risk, or even prevent the risk

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of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, and some really fine

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tips of things, to say things, not to say things, to do things

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not to do All these tips are always really helpful in helping

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increase the quality of life for people living with Alzheimer's

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disease and related dementia. All right, so come back for

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another new episode of the truth, lies and Alzheimer's next

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week, and I'll be here for you. I hope that you'll be back for

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another brand new episode with some more really helpful

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information that I just absolutely love sharing with all

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of you. So for now, hope you enjoy the rest of your week and

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stay healthy and cool. Bye for now.