Try, Try Again

Hello everyone, If at first you don’t succeed…well, you know the rest: Try, try again! How often do we ask residents to join us for exercise class or another activity, have them say “no”, and we say “ok” and move on to the next person. Then after a few “no thank-you’s” from them, we give […]

All Hands on Deck

Hello everyone, To change how everyone in your settings manages behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with dementia, we need all hands on deck! Your identified champions are your leaders and role models. These individuals play a vital role in implementing the strategies we want all staff to use when working with residents with behavior and […]

What To Do When Nothing Else Works

Hello everyone, You’ve tried distractions, music, walking, going outside, changing caregivers and adjusting schedules. Nothing seems to work with this resident who consistently has challenging behaviors related to dementia. Some caregivers may even tell you that they can’t handle the person anymore. What do you do? The answer may just be—YOU. You may be the […]

Addressing Resident-to-Resident Aggression

Hello everyone, “That Myrtle woman…she’s sitting in my chair! That’s where I sit for lunch. Get up you stupid woman. Get out of my chair!!” Sound familiar? Many older adults who move into long term care communities are moving from a home where they either lived alone or with a spouse. Suddenly, they are put […]

Rest Easy

Hello everyone, We know that evening hours can sometimes be difficult for people with dementia, so this week we have a few ideas for how to help residents relax and get to sleep more easily. Have a staff or a family member give the person a gentle hand or back massage using a lightly scented […]

Delayed Onset PTSD in People with Dementia

Hello everyone, This weekend, as we honor the sacrifices of the thousands of soldiers killed in wars fought on behalf of our country, we are also reminded of the living soldiers who must still deal with the aftermath of battle, many of whom suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. In a review published a […]

The Power of Laughter

Hello everyone, Think about the last time you had a really good laugh. A tears-flowing, belly-aching, almost-pee your pants laugh. Remember how you felt after that laugh? It should be no surprise then that a recent study found that exercise programs that included laughter as a core element benefited older adults. The study found “significant […]