Helpful dementia caregiver resources and information
Alzheimer’s Disease: An Irreversible Brain Disorder
Fantastic article on Alzheimer’s. Find it here.
Activities for Seniors Living with Dementia
List of dozens of crafts and activities to try with your loved one. Find it here.
Alzheimer’s LA Caregiver Tips Video Series
Fantastic information for caregivers presented in short, professionally done videos. If you are a caregiver, start with this amazing 10 part video series!
Episode 1: Caregiver Stress
Episode 2: Wandering
Episode 3: Therapeutic Fibs
Episode 4: Anger, Frustration & Fighting
Episode 5: Bathing
Episode 6: Guilt
Episode 7: Legal Planning
Episode 8: New Diagnosis
Episode 9: Hallucinations
Episode 10: Warning Signs
More Caregiver Tips
Tips from dementia caregivers on bathtime, meals, hydration, toileting, and more. Find it here.
Mayo Clinic (Dementia)
Information on dementia symptoms, causes, and complications; disorders linked to dementia; and dementia-like symptoms that can be reversed. Visit their website here.
NIH – National Institute on Aging
This site has lots of general info on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. It’s especially helpful for family members of newly diagnosed individuals. Here’s a link to their Alzheimer’s Fact Sheet.
Teepa Snow’s Youtube Channel
Teepa has years of experience working with dementia patients. Watching her videos renewed my patience with my mom as they taught me how to look at dementia in an entirely new way. Her videos explain how the brains of dementia patients work, along with practical advice on what to say and do. They are wonderful! Here’s the link to Teepa’s channel.
The Conversation Project
Download a Conversation Starter Kit to help you have a conversation with your loved one about their wishes regarding end-of-life care. It’s a tough topic, but so important to do this as early as possible.
Careblazers Youtube Channel
Dr. Natali creates short helpful videos for caregivers! She’s awesome! Visit her Youtube Channel HERE.
A Film Producer Raising Awareness and Money for Alzheimer’s Disease
Female producer, Tariya Wells from Idaho, USA is producing a sci-fi movie that will raise awareness and money for Alzheimer’s support, care, and research programs. The movie is about a city girl who travels to rural Idaho to learn more about her biological father who had Alzheimer’s and claimed he had an alien encounter where he found all the answers to the world’s problems and the key to finding happiness.
The movie is called Under Three Moons and the production company will be donating 60% of movie profits to help those whose lives have been affected by Alzheimer’s Disease. It is a family-friendly movie which can be enjoyed by all.
Tariya was 25 when she learned that she and her brother had different fathers. By the time she got to meet him, he was already sick with Alzheimer’s. Tariya found him alone, scared, confused, and without support in a sea of hoarded mess. He had been forgotten and she immediately changed that and turned his life around. Many happy memories were made.
“My goal as the writer was to draw on my own experiences with my father, to create a sci-fi classic which indirectly addresses the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s. There is a common misconception that Alzheimer’s patients are crazy, a lost cause and that Alzheimer’s is nothing more than a death sentence”, Tariya says.
Because we are giving away most of our profits, we have turned to crowdfunding because the return on investment is less attractive to investors. Crowdfunding is a fundraising platform where backers of the project buy things that are of little or no cost to the producers, such as digital posters, signed screenplays or having their name in the movie closing credits as a financial supporter.
“This movie has a positive message. It will raise awareness for Alzheimer’s. It has romance, mystery and of course, there are aliens! We want the audience to leave the room believing that just because something cannot be seen, that it doesn’t mean it is not there” Tariya says.
Under Three Moons has an award-winning cast and crew, including an Emmy nominated cinematographer. Crowdfunding perks start at $2.
If you would like to contribute to the crowdfunding campaign for Under Three Moons, please visit this link here:https://igg.me/at/underthreemoons
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My Caregiver Toolkit Essentials
Cricut Maker (or Explore)
I call this thing my secret caregiver hack! Mom loves to make crafts and the Cricut allows me to prepare them for her in a snap! It saves SO MUCH time! Also, the crafts she does with Cricut cut pieces look so nice, and she’s always proud of her results. ❤️ I have the Cricut Maker, and it was really easy to get set up and going with it.
Alzheimer’s Clock
I gave this clock to my mom for Christmas, and it has been the best thing ever! Not only does it prevent her from asking me what day it is about 10,000 times a day, it also reduces her anxiety. After having it for about a week she said, “I love my new clock. It makes me feel not so lost all the time.” ❤️ We have this one: American Lifetime Day Clock. It was super easy to set up, and it’s easy for Mom to read.
Cleanup Helps
I’ll spare you the details, but I encourage you to have these basic supplies on hand to make those inevitable poop 💩 cleanups a little more manageable.
- N-95 Masks to reduce the smell
- Disposable gloves