Senior caregivers provide the essential of care for the physical, emotional and financial needs of their loved ones. The CT Alzheimer's Association with Laurel Ridge Health Care Center conducted a 4-part Caregiver Course that started off the beginning of May with the basics of caregiving, communication techniques, family dynamics and legal and financial issues. Speakers included for the course Tania Paparazzo, MSW, Alzheimer's Association, CT Chapter, Dr. Stephen Jones, Director of Outpatient Ctr Healthy Aging, Greenwich Hospital, Mary Underwood, Vice President of Memory Care and Resident Experience Maplewood Senior Living, Maryanne Haynes, LCSW, Director of Social Services, Laurel Ridge, and Ann Fowler-Cruz, elder law attorney, Cohen and Wolf. Each week, participants explored the duties of the caregiver when it comes to caring for someone who has a dynamic disease, such as Alzheimer's. This included communicating with other, being an advocate, providing personal care, and addressing financial and legal concerns.
The first part of the course presented by Dr. Jones shed light on memory loss as it relates to the natural aging process and about the disease process. The human brain is a complex organ that continually adapts and rewires itself even into old age. With individuals with Alzheimer's disease, the brain has trouble with more than just remembering things. This degenerative brain disease is characterized by loss of nerve cells that are crucial to memory and other mental functions. As the disease advances, the severity of the symptoms continue to get worse, including disorientation, moodiness, confusion, difficulty swallowing and speaking, and trust issues.
Next, communication with a person with Alzheimer's is often frustration when it comes to caring for someone who suffers from memory loss. Mary Underwood offered tips on how to manage the day-to-day communications between the caregiver and the person with memory loss. Changes in ability to communicate can be subtle and then become progressively more difficult. She recommended different behavioral and communication techniques. This includes being patient and supportive, offering comfort and reassurance, avoiding confrontation and arguing, limiting distractions, focusing on the feelings instead of making everything factual, and by learning to read body language.
Lastly, legal and financial issues were discussed, which included wills, trusts, health care proxy, durable power of attorney, conservatorship, estate planning, housing, and long-term care options. Ann Fowler-Cruz discussed making provisions for the legal and financial transition for someone diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She said that the requirements of legal capacity varies from one document to another. A elder attorney can help determine what level of legal capacity is required for a person to sign a particular document.
Family caregivers and professional caregivers both benefit from proper caregiver training in order to deliver quality care to seniors. Certificates of completion were presented to Ciara Carruthers, Lauren Carruthers, Pamela Cunningham, Eric Rasmussen, Eileen McKenney, Florence Lyman, and Annie Carruthers. Recognition of these individuals is a testament to their commitment as caregivers and their dedication to help others.
Pictured here is Ciara Carruthers and her mother Lauren, Patricia McKenney, Eric Rasmussen, and Eileen McKenney with Ann Fowler-Cruz and Tania Paparazzo (not pictured is Annie Carruthers and Florence Lyman).
For more information, please visit www.alz.org.