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Alzheimer's Aid Society Happenings! Supporting the caregiver. Remembering the cared for. |
In this issue:
- We Have a New, Redesigned Website!
- Golf Tournament - It's Almost Here!
- Info for Caregivers: Safety at Home
- Upcoming Events
- What is "Happenings!"
We Have a New, Redesigned Website!
We are proud to unveil our new, redesigned website. Our address is still www.alzaid.org. The new layout provides an easy way to find information about Alzheimer's and dementia, advice for caregivers and their loved ones, and our publications and services. Check out the new site today! We look forward to your feedback!
Here’s what’s new:
- A full presentation of our new logo and color theme. You have seen our new logo on "Happenings!" and it is now on our website too. Our new tagline “Supporting the caregiver. Remembering the cared for.” reflects the Alzheimer's Aid Society’s mission.
- "Living with Alzheimer's" – a new section which includes both the caregiver and the cared for point-of-view. This section will grow as we add articles dedicated to issues encountered on the Alzheimer's journey. We look forward to your suggestions and ideas for what information would be useful in this section.
- “Facts about Alzheimer's” discusses the symptoms, treatments, stages, diagnosis, etc. of Alzheimer's. The page for “What is Alzheimer's?” presents an excellent video that may be good for families and others who are not familiar with Alzheimer's.
- “Publications” now has an electronic version of our “Practical Guide for Alzheimer's Caregivers” in both English and Spanish.
- You can now give a one-time donation to the Alzheimer's Aid Society online or you can set up a regular donation.
- Register as an individual golfer or a foursome for the 14th Annual Golf Tournament online. You can also register just for the banquet.
- The “Volunteer” page lists the positions we have open for volunteers. Can you help?
Golf Tournament - It's Almost Here!
| The 14th Annual Golf Tournament is next month on Friday, September 15, 2017 at Teal Bend Golf Club. Go online to register your foursome today!! A big "thank you" to our title sponsor, Atria Senior Living. Get together with your friends and plan for a great day! Want your organization recognized at the Tournament? We will also include your logo on our website!! Questions? Call Max Perry at (916) 996-7202. |
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Info for Caregivers: Safety at Home
Over time, people with Alzheimer's disease become less able to manage around the house. For example, they may forget to turn off the oven or the water, how to use the phone during an emergency, which things around the house are dangerous, and where things are in their own home.
As a caregiver, you can do many things to make the person’s home a safer place. Think prevention—help avoid accidents by controlling possible problems. It is more effective to change the person’s surroundings—for example, to remove dangerous items—than to try to change behaviors. Creating a safe home environment can give your loved one more freedom to move around independently and peace of mind for the caregiver. Here are some ideas:
Add the following items if they are not already in place:
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in or near the kitchen and in all bedrooms
- Emergency phone numbers (ambulance, poison control, doctors, hospital, etc.) and the person’s address near all phones
- Safety knobs and an automatic shut-off switch on the stove.
- Childproof plugs for unused electrical outlets and childproof latches on cabinet doors. Check your local hardware store.
- Prescription and over-the-counter medicines
- Alcohol
- Cleaning and household products, such as paint thinner and matches
- Poisonous plants—contact the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or www.poison.org to find out which houseplants are poisonous
- Guns and other weapons, scissors, knives, power tools, and machinery
- Gasoline cans and other dangerous items in the garage
- Simplify your home. Too much furniture can make it hard to move around freely.
- Get rid of clutter, such as piles of newspapers and magazines. Clutter can cause confusion by too much input.
- Mark the edges of steps with brightly colored tape so your loved one can see them more easily.
- Put a gate across the stairs if the person has balance problems.
- Remove small throw rugs. Use rugs with nonskid backing instead.
- Make sure cords to electrical outlets are out of the way or tacked to baseboards.
- Clean up spills right away.
- Take down or cover mirrors in your home. Mirror images may confuse the person with Alzheimer's disease into thinking there is another person near them.
- Hide a spare house key outside in case the person with Alzheimer's disease locks you out of the house.
- If the person with Alzheimer's smokes, remove matches, lighters, ashtrays, cigarettes, and other means of smoking from view. This reduces fire hazards, and with these reminders out of sight, the person may forget the desire to smoke.
- Use night-lights in the hallway and bathrooms.
Upcoming Events
- August 16, Wednesday, at 3:00 p.m. - Alzheimer's Café in the Sacramento Rosemont area at Golden Pond Senior Living, 3415 Mayhew Road, Sacramento.
- August 17, Thursday, at 2:00 p.m. - Alzheimer's Café in Woodland at St. John's Retirement Village, 135 Woodland Avenue, Woodland. Call (530) 662-1290 to confirm.
- August 31, Thursday, at 6:00 p.m. - UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease presents "New Alternative Medicine Approaches to Brain Health" a lecture by Juliana Baldo, PhD, VA, Northern California Healthcare System. Please register online at Eventbrite.com or call 916-734-5728.
- September 15 - Annual Golf Tournament at Teal Bend Golf Course
"Happenings!" is the our monthly e-mail newsletter for the Alzheimer's Aid Society. We send it at the beginning of the month so you can stay up-to-date on events and news in northern California. We will also include tips for caregivers and highlight new scientific research. Recent issues are available on our website. Do you have a comment or feedback? Please reply to this message - we would love to hear from you.
Our mailing address is:
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Alzheimer's Aid Society of Northern California
2641 Cottage Way #4
Sacramento, CA 95825 USA
Phone: (916) 483-2002