Finding meaningful activity for adults with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia helps make the days feel productive and purposeful. It improves self-esteem and gives a sense of independence. Gardening is one such activity.

Gardening reaps many health benefits, especially for people with a memory impairment. Planting and nurturing flowers and vegetables calms the mind while boosting the spirit. Gardening also helps the senior maintain core strength and balance, both of which are key for preventing falls.

Gardens that stimulate the senses through aromatherapy can be of special interest to adults with dementia. These are known as sensory gardens.

How to Plant a Sensory Garden for Dementia Patients

Aromatherapy has long been used in memory care communities as a tool for elevating mood, increasing appetite, improving sleep, and more. Sensory gardens can offer similar benefits. The smell of roses and peonies can be a reminder of pleasant times. Many find the texture of herbs like rosemary or lavender soothing to touch.

Sensory experiences like these can trigger memory centers in the brain. It may help the senior reconnect with memories the disease has stolen. If you aren’t sure how to start a sensory garden, this step-by-step outline can be useful:

1. Find a space: A sensory garden doesn’t have to be very large. You can even set one up in containers on a porch or patio. Just make sure the spot you choose is secure and accessible for your senior loved one. A location with neighborhood distractions might encourage wandering, so keep that in mind.
2. Monitor light: Watch the area you’ve designated for your garden to see how much and what type of light it receives in a typical day. Is it in direct sunlight? Or is it more on the shady side? This will determine what types of flowers and vegetables will thrive in your sensory garden.
3. Choose plants: Once you know how much shade or sun your garden will receive, you can start choosing what goes there. You and your senior loved one can search online to find fragrant flowers and herbs or enticing vegetables. Once you have a list, make sure each plant isn’t toxic if ingested.
4. Invest in good soil: Inexperienced gardeners may underestimate the role soil plays in a thriving sensory garden. A garden center is usually the best place for advice on local soil conditions. Call one near you to find out what you need. If your sensory garden will be planted in the ground versus in containers, call your county extension offices to inquire about soil testing. They will ensure you are planting in good dirt or offer suggestions for amending the soil.
5. Purchase plants safely: If you are trying to avoid crowds or new places to reduce overstimulation or confusion, find a local greenhouse or garden center that offers curbside pickup. You may also be able to have the plants shipped directly to your doorstep from an online nursery.
6. Read plant markers: A marker with directions is typically included with each plant. Make sure you save and follow the directions for each type of plant. It can help you and the senior determine how often to water and fertilize.

Depending upon the climate you live in, a sensory garden can encourage more quality time with your older loved one.

Memory Care at Five Star Senior Living

Gardening is just one of many activities you’ll find at Five Star Senior Living communities across the country. If you are searching for memory care for a senior in your life, we invite you to consider Five Star Senior Living.

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When a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, family members may struggle to find ways to manage difficult behaviors. A common one is agitation. It is difficult on its own, and can also cause other issues to arise, such as wandering. That’s why it’s so important to learn what might be triggering agitation and to take steps to minimize it whenever possible.

Potential Alzheimer’s Agitation Triggers

Here are a few potential causes of agitation you can explore to help your senior loved one:

• Fatigue: Adults with Alzheimer’s commonly go without sleep for long periods of time. They can also have difficulty relaxing during the day. Both can contribute to extreme fatigue which increases the risk for agitation. If this sounds like your loved one’s situation, it might be good to talk with their physician for help overcoming their sleep problems.
• Environment: Alzheimer’s makes it difficult for a person to process too much at one time. When the adult is in a noisy location, such as during a party or at a mall, the noisy, hectic environment can lead to anger and agitation. An environment that is calm is usually better. Playing soothing music may also be beneficial.
• Pain: Verbal communication skills are often impaired early in the disease. This makes it tough for the senior to let you know when they are in pain. Undiagnosed pain is a common trigger for restlessness and agitation. While it might be difficult to do, try to assess your loved one for signs of pain. Do they have a fever? Are they grimacing? Having trouble walking? You may need the intervention of a physician to pinpoint the problem.
• Change: Memory loss can make it difficult for a senior with Alzheimer’s disease to adapt to change. Because short-term memory is typically compromised in the early stages of the disease, a person with Alzheimer’s may not be able to remember new things. A change in one’s daily schedule, caregiver, or environment can increase the risk for agitation. It is usually best to create and stick with a structured daily routine.
• Fear: When memory is impaired, even once familiar faces and places can seem foreign. This can leave a person with Alzheimer’s fearful and uncertain about what is happening to them. Understandably, this confusion can trigger episodes of agitation and wandering. This fear can be a difficult trigger to overcome. Try placing family photos in the home—those from past days are generally best. While it can be frustrating to do, some days might require you to explain who you are over and over.
• Overactivity: Family caregivers have busy days. You may have no other choice than to take your loved one along when you run errands. Be aware, however, that doing too much in one day can increase the risk for agitation. Consider splitting up your stops over several days instead. Alzheimer’s experts recommend planning your outings around your loved ones best and worst times of day. For many, mid-morning is the optimum time of day for activity.

If you test each of these potential triggers without seeing any change in a senior’s agitation, you will likely need to talk with their primary care physician or neurologist for further advice.

Dementia Care at Five Star Senior Living

As part of our commitment to educating older adults and their families about dementia care, we routinely share resources and information on our blog.

If you would like to schedule a tour of one of our award-winning Bridge to Rediscovery programs at a Five Star Senior Living community near you, please contact us. We’ll be happy to make the arrangements!

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It’s heartbreaking to watch a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s disease lose their memory and struggle with daily activities. Tasks such as getting dressed or eating can become a challenge.

But when a loved one with Alzheimer’s becomes agitated, it’s especially difficult to deal with. If you don’t have any medical or senior care training, you may be at a loss about what to do.

Understanding some of the main causes of Alzheimer’s-related agitation can help you minimize anxiety and angry outbursts by avoiding stressful situations.

And if you can’t prevent a difficult behavior completely, at least you will be better prepared to manage it.

5 Reasons a Senior with Alzheimer’s Gets Agitated

1. Fear or fatigue

Older adults with Alzheimer’s live in a scary, unfamiliar world. The fatigue that comes from trying to understand their surroundings often causes agitation.

By creating a calming, distraction-free atmosphere most of the time, you may be able to decrease some of the agitation your loved one feels.

2. A break in routine

It’s hard enough for someone with Alzheimer’s to understand their everyday world when things around them remain stable. A break in routine—even seemingly positive changes like a visit from friends—can cause agitation.

To prevent agitation in these situations, explain in advance to your loved one what’s happening.

Whether it’s a trip to the doctor, a visit from the grandchildren, or a family celebration, remind your loved one what’s happening, what they can expect, and that you’ll be with them through it all. You may need to repeat this over and over depending upon how great their memory loss is.

3. Perceived threats

People with Alzheimer’s often become agitated when they perceive a threat. And what we view as normal could be seen as a threat to someone with Alzheimer’s.

To minimize this risk, strive for a stress-free, calming environment. Avoid too much noise, or even “loud” colors and patterns, which can cause agitation.

If your loved one perceives a threat, don’t try to invalidate their feelings.  Instead, tell them it will be okay and that you will stay with them until they feel better.
Speak in calming tones. Ask how you can help. You might also distract your loved one with an easy chore or some light exercise.

4. A change in caregivers

Any change can cause agitation in someone with Alzheimer’s. But one of the most disruptive changes relates to caregiving. Changing caregivers removes someone the senior has grown to trust and rely on, and introduces a new person. This is tough for a person with memory loss.

If you think about a toddler with separation anxiety, it’s easy to understand what a senior with Alzheimer’s may be feeling when a new caregiver joins the family. Consider making a slow transition to the new caregiver, and expect some agitation until your loved one settles into the new routine.

5. A change in location

There is, perhaps, no change more jarring for a senior with Alzheimer’s than a move—especially a move from a lifelong home.

Moving your loved one into a memory care community, staffed with experts trained to manage agitation and other Alzheimer’s symptoms, can ease the transition. From moving day to the weeks following, the staff will ensure your loved one feels safe and protected, while also caring for their daily needs.

Change is one of the most common causes of agitation, but a move to a Five Star Senior Living community doesn’t have to create anxiety for your loved one. Contact our expert team for advice on making this transition go smoothly.

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<!–[CDATA[When a senior loved one has Alzheimer’s disease or a similar form of dementia, their family caregiver may have difficulty structuring the day with meaningful activity. As physical and cognitive abilities become impaired, it can be more challenging to find activities for adults with dementia to enjoy. But it is important to the senior’s mental well-being to find ways to help them feel productive and empowered.

If you are caring for a senior with Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia, this information will be helpful.

Routine Helps Empower Adults with Dementia

Creating a structured daily routine helps an adult with dementia feel successful. That’s because having scheduled activities makes it less necessary for the adult to remember things. For adults with dementia, short-term memory is often lost early in the disease process.

Routine is also beneficial for reducing the anxiety and agitation that adults with Alzheimer’s often experience. The senior knows what to expect each day and takes comfort in the feeling of independence that this knowledge provides.

Creating a Daily Routine for an Adult with Dementia

Here are a few suggestions Alzheimer’s caregivers can use to create a productive daily routine for a loved one:

• Structure: Try to establish and stick to a daily routine. Have specific times each day for getting up, going to bed, eating meals, taking a walk, and running errands. This structure helps to promote independence and self-esteem for adults who are struggling with memory. That’s vital for a person with dementia who is typically at an increased risk for depression.
• Daily chores: When a person who has dementia has daily chores to complete, they feel more like a productive member of the household. Create a list of chores your loved one can do or assist with such as, folding the laundry, dusting the living room, sweeping the kitchen floor, and setting the table before meals. During warmer weather, they might benefit from the responsibility of watering container gardens on the patio.
• Life enrichment: Alzheimer’s often robs people of their verbal skills in the earliest stages of the disease. This can lead to frustration, loneliness, and even depression. A few suggestions for meaningful activities at home include art and music. Art allows people with Alzheimer’s to express themselves in nonverbal ways. Incorporating music into the daily routine is also beneficial. People with Alzheimer’s often maintain the ability to sing favorite songs long after they have lost their ability to speak. Sing-alongs, painting, knitting, and scrapbooking are just a few ideas to try.
• Physical fitness: Working physical activities into the senior’s daily routine is also beneficial. It promotes better quality of sleep, while also reducing stress and anxiety. Chair exercises can be safe and enjoyable, and help to build strength, balance, and endurance. When the weather is nice, you could take short walks together or even enjoy a nature stroll at a local park. Bird-watching is another idea. It incorporates fitness with stimulating brain activity. Be certain to have a GPS bracelet or pendant for your loved one to wear in case you are separated.

It’s important to remember that the positive feelings generated by productive days linger long after the actual memories of the day are lost. That’s what allows people with dementia to live their best quality of life.

At Five Star, we take a holistic approach to daily life. Through our Lifestyle360 program, we offer activities that target each of the five dimensions of wellness. Contact the community nearest you to learn how we help residents with dementia live their best life each day.
 

<!–[CDATA[If you are an adult child caring for a father who lives with Alzheimer’s or the spouse of an older man who has the disease, a study released in the fall of 2014 may be of interest. Researchers looked at admission trends for older adults who moved to memory care assisted living communities. While women far outnumber men in traditional senior living communities, a greater number of men are being admitted to memory care programs. Men are moving to dementia care communities at a rate that is 14% faster than women.

Memory Care Admission Trends

The study examined new move-ins that occurred from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2014. In looking at the history of what prompted each move to a memory care program, researchers uncovered some interesting information. When men moved to a memory care assisted living program, 8% of the time it was because their caregiver was unable to successfully manage their wandering at home. 30% of the time it was because the family and caregivers were concerned about their aggressive behavior.

What Indiana Caregivers Should Know about Aggression in Men with Alzheimer’s

Pinpointing a cause of aggression for people who have Alzheimer’s isn’t easy. Dementia experts believe there are a few likely culprits:

• Undiagnosed or unmanaged pain
• Overstimulation or a hectic, noisy environment
• Fatigue or lack of sleep
• Unmet needs such as hunger, thirst or the need to use the bathroom

Because exaggerated behavior is quite common among people who live with Alzheimer’s, even a seemingly small problem can lead to an angry outburst. Researchers refer to these behaviors as catastrophic reactions.

Recognizing Potential Triggers for Aggression

A few common situations that may trigger aggression in an Indiana senior living with Alzheimer’s disease include:

• Uncontrolled Pain: If a senior with Alzheimer’s is in pain and suffering, he or she may be unable to communicate that with caregivers. As a result, they may act out.
• Fatigue: Researchers believe Alzheimer’s disrupts the body’s natural Circadian rhythm. It leads to chronic sleep deprivation. Many experts believe sheer exhaustion may be a common reason for aggression.
• Overstimulation: Because of the damage Alzheimer’s does to the brain, people who live with the disease have difficulty processing information. When they are in an environment that is hectic and noisy, such as a loud party or a busy shopping mall, they can easily become agitated and aggressive.
• Difficulty Communicating: Alzheimer’s typically robs people of their verbal skills. The frustration of not being able to communicate with those around them can lead to anger and aggression.
• Medication Side Effects: An adverse reaction or an interaction between medications may be another source of aggression behavior for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Because the body processes medicine differently with age, side effects are more common among older adults.

If you are having difficulty keeping an Indiana senior with Alzheimer’s disease safe at home, a Five Star Senior Living community may be a solution. We invite you to contact the community nearest you to learn more about how we can help.

Is your aging loved one suddenly acting different? Does your normally cool-as-a-cucumber parent now suffer from anxiety? Is he or she more irritable than usual? Does your loved one seem to be depressed?

Anxiety, irritability, and depression can all be early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease. So are mood swings and paranoia.

Other Personality Changes to Look Out For

An older adult in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may become confused easily.  For this reason, they might crave routine or avoid new experiences and surroundings. They might become withdrawn, because they sense something is wrong and they don’t want others to notice.

On the other hand, some seniors in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may become more outgoing and gregarious. They might also begin to lose their sense of judgement or may not be able to determine “appropriate” behaviors in specific circumstances.

Exploring Other Causes for Personality Changes

Before you jump to the conclusion that it is Alzheimer’s disease, recognize that there are a number of other causes for personality changes. To discover if there could be another explanation, talk to your loved one and try to find out what’s bothering them.

Causes of Depression and Irritability

Depression and irritability can be caused by normal aging. Perhaps your loved one recently lost a close friend. Or maybe they are struggling to accept that the physical signs of aging are making it harder to participate in activities they used to love.  These types of events and situations can cause depression in many people.

Personality Changes Caused by Medication or Diet

Review the medications your loved one takes. Are they taking any new over-the-counter or prescription drugs? Are personality changes listed as a possible side effect? Could a drug interaction be causing problems?

Also consider your loved one’s diet. Certain vitamin deficiencies can cause personality changes. For instance, some studies have linked a vitamin D deficiency to depression.

So, Is It Alzheimer’s?

If you’ve explored other possibilities and still can’t pinpoint a cause for your loved one’s behavior and emotions, it could be time to delve deeper to see if they have other possible signs of Alzheimer’s.

Most times, personality changes will not occur in the early stages without other symptoms. Look for other common signs of Alzheimer’s, such as:

• Difficulty following story lines
• Forgetting familiar names, places, or faces
• Forgetting facts and not recalling them later
• Repeating themselves
• Habitually misplacing items

Talk with a Physician or Health Professional about a Memory Screening

If your senior loved one exhibits any of the above symptoms in conjunction with changes in their personality, consider a memory screening. While it can’t provide a definitive diagnose, it is 80 to 90 percent accurate in detecting memory problems.

If it’s Alzheimer’s, Five Star Senior Living Is Here To Help

If your suspicions were correct and your senior loved one’s doctors determine they have Alzheimer’s, Five Star Senior Living can help. Our personalized memory care program is based on a customized plan of action for each resident. Contact us today to learn more.

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