MY SUN DAY NEWS
April 9, 2015
My Dad has dementia/Alzheimer’s and has become very argumentative, especially with my sister, who is his main caregiver. I have more patience with him than she does. How can I convey that she has to have greater understanding of his disposition?
Q. I love the home improvement shows on television, and I find myself motivated to do some āspring cleaning.ā I am limited, though, because of some physical restraints. How do I dive in and get what I need done?
Q. I have no family nearby and I donāt know how to deal with all the uncertainty around me. I focus on the bad news and the turmoil in our world. How can I fight the down feelings I have?
Q. I like to go for walks, but this season has been a challenge for me. I donāt feel motivated to exercise in my home. How can I stay active without going stir crazy?
Q. My wife recently passed away. As my health began to decline, she became my caregiver and she helped me tremendously. I want to retain my independence, and I am skeptical about asking for outside help. What can I do to help myself?
Q. What can I do to keep from getting the flu? I did get my flu shot, but a few of my friends have gotten it, even though they were immunized.
Q. The holidays came and went and I loved having my family visit me. Now that the holidays are over, I feel alone and miss the company. I canāt get motivated to enjoy life. How can I fight the blues?
With the holidays here, I am feeling burned out. I care for my parents and I have my own health issues to worry about. How do I find relief?
Can dementia be prevented? Have there been any new developments?
Q: The news about frightening diseases scares me. Catching a simple cold can stop me in my tracks. Thereās a lot of talk about Ebola, but Iāve not heard about precautions to take.
Q. How can I make sure Iām not lured into a Medicare scam? I get all kinds of calls about it all the time.āØāØ
Lately, Iāve been forgetting so many little details. Should I be concerned?
Q. I was in the hospital recently, and I just received a bill for my stay. I learned I wasnāt considered a patient, but rather I was there under āobservation.ā What happened? I am stuck with a pretty hefty bill now.
Q. Can you give a few tips on preparing for an emergency?
Q. Every time I go to the doctor, I feel rushed and it seems like I donāt have his full attention. Is it just me?
Q. I am noticing that my wifeās memory is declining. What can I do to help her? There are times she is fully engaged and other times when she is ānot here.ā I am getting discouraged.
Q. My friend had a stroke and her communication is affected. I can tell she knows what she wants to say, but she speaks very slowly or at times is unable to get the words out. The communication challenges are frustrating for both of us. I feel bad for her. Is there something I can do to help her along in this journey?
Q. I just moved to Illinois and am not used to the weather changes. How can I prepare for an emergency situation?
Q. I have noticed that my fatherās house really needs attention. I know he isnāt cleaning even though he says he is. I want to hire a cleaning service, but he wonāt agree. He has mild dementia and lives alone.
Q: My father refuses to turn his air conditioning on during the hot weather. I truly worry about him. Can you offer any suggestions on how to approach this?
My mom has been living a very healthy life until recently. She now suffers from panic attacks and canāt leave the house. Iām constantly checking on her and making sure she is okay. I donāt have much patience some days. Help!
Q. This winter has been very hard on me, keeping me indoors. I am more than ready to get out and garden now. Iām a little concerned on how to tackle this after being so sedentary all winter.
Q. I had to move my mother to a memory care community in the area. Since she moved there, I have visited her every day. Now that she is settled, she expects me to continue to visit every day, and I just canāt do it anymore. I work full time and find little time for myself and my spouse. I donāt mind visiting, but I am drained.
The idea of using a walker can be quite frightening. Yes, itās a tool designed to make ambulation safe, but it can create a feeling of dependence. For some, it may bring about of how fragile we can become as we age.
Question: My children are recommending a companion to stop by my home twice a week. I donāt see the need or really know why they insist. I can do just about everything by myself, itās just that I live alone and sometimes wish I had a little company. My children all work and live far away.
Q. I am so happy the weather is changing, and I want to start exercising. I am a little afraid to start. I donāt exercise, and I donāt want to hurt myself after a long winter of sitting around.
Q. My mom lives alone, and last month, she fell in her home. Luckily, she didn’t break anything, but we whisked her to the ER to make sure she was O.K. She hasnāt fallen again but that is my biggest fear now (and hers as well). I am constantly worried, and she refuses help when I offer suggestions to make a few changes in her home.
Q. This new year has brought some challenges my way, mostly with my time. It seems like there is always something to do, a call to make, or rushing here and there for some reason or another. I like to be active and busy, but things are out of hand, and I donāt know how to slow down.
Another other area of concern you should think about is verification of references and background checks. When I hire a careĀgiver, I not only conduct state required veriĀfications, but I conduct national background checks, drug testing at the time of interview and ongoing, a DMV check, sex offender checks, and I require three verifiable work references.
Q. I am going to hire a caregiver and a neighbor suggested someone to use. My neighbor told me that this will be cheaper than hiring someone from an agency. I have a few concerns and want to do the right thing. What do you recommend?
