The 2015

Caregiving
Calendar

Harborside Academy Seniors to Seniors

Expedition
by Autumn Jones and Steven Soto

To care for those who once

cared for us is one of the
highest honors. -Tia Walker

January 2015
The words
"Alzheimer's" and
"dementia" are often
used as equivalents,
but they are not the
same. (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2012)
Dementia is a brain
disorder that affects
communication and
performance of daily
activities.
(Alzheimers.net)
Alzheimers disease
is a form of dementia
that specifically affects
parts of the brain that
control thought,
memory and
language.
(Alzheimers.net)

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To love a person is to learn the song in their

heart, and sing it to them when they have
forgotten. -Thomas Chandler

February 2015
There is
currently no treatment
for AD, but some medications can help to
slow the progression.
(NIA, 2014)
There are two
drug classes approved
by the US FDA, cholinesterase inhibitors & Nmethyl-D-aspartate.
(NIA, 2014)
Telling the
patient they have Alzheimers is often needed to address and
face the disease together, as doctors often do not let them
know. (Alzheimer's Association, 2014)

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Be there for others, but

never leave yourself behind.
-Dodinsky

March 2015
Scientists do not
know what causes Alzheimers disease.
Support groups
for caregivers are recommended as they
can improve selfconfidence and
possibly enable the
patient to stay in the
home. (Alzheimer's Association, 2014)
Many activities
can be modified to
the person's ability. In
addition to enhancing
quality of life, activities
can reduce behaviors
like wandering or
agitation. (Alzheimer's
Association, 2014)

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One of the great truths of life

is that you cant do it alone.
You need help along the
way. -Ben Carson Sr., MD

April 2015
Seeking help does
not make you a failure. It's important to
remember that respite services benefit
both the person with
dementia and the
caregiver.
(Alzheimer's Association, 2012)
Communication
can get difficult for
the patient. Having
patience and support is the key.
Limiting
unnecessary distractions is always helpful.

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The greatest gift you can give someone is your time,

your attention, your love, your concern. -Joel Osteen

May 2015
Music and
art can enrich the lives
of those with Alzheimers. It allows for selfexpression and engagement. (WebMD)
15.5 million
family & friends provided 17.7 billion hours of
unpaid care to those
with AD and other dementias. (Alzheimer's
Association, 2014)
Alzheimers
Patients should stay
physically, emotionally,
and mentally active.
Heart disease can
increase the risk of
getting Alzheimers.
(Godman, 2013)

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Have a heart that never

hardens, and a temper that
never tires, and a touch
that never hurts.
-Charles Dickens

June 2015
65.7 million
caregivers make up
29% of the U.S. adult
population providing
care to someone who
is ill, disabled or aged.
(National Alliance for
Caregiving, 2009)
Be as
educated as possible
about the
disease, and
educate those
around you. (NIA,
2014)
A low-fat, low
cholesterol diet is
healthy for the heart
and brain. (Godman,
2013)

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I am only one, but I

am one. I cannot do
everything, but I can
do something. And I
will not let what I
cannot do interfere
with what I can do.
-Edward Everett Hale

July 2015
A German
doctor named Alois
Alzheimer first
observed AD in 1906.
He observed that part
of the patients brain
was shrunken afterwards. (Godman, 2013)
Most diagnosed
are over the age of 65,
yet early-onset takes
place in 10% of cases.
(NIA, 2014)
Studies show that
early diagnosis and
maintaining a stimulating and supportive environment can be beneficial in slowing progression. (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2012)

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It is not how much you do,

but how much love you
put in the doing.
-Mother Theresa

August 2015
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Depression,
apathy, psychosis, and
disturbed sleep are the
symptoms treated for
9
Alzheimers.
(Alzheimer's Association,
2014)
By 2050, nearly
14 million Americans
1
could be living with the
disease, unless scientists
develop new
approaches to prevent
or cure it. (Bright Focus 2
Foundation, 2014)
AD commonly
progresses gradually,
lasting from two to
3
twenty years. (Bright Focus Foundation, 2014)

Those who bring

sunshine into the lives of
others cannot keep it
from themselves.
-J.M. Barrie

September 2015
SUN

An estimated
800,000 people with
AD live alone, and up
to half of them do not
have a caregiver.
(Alzheimer's Association, 2014)
Establishing a
daily routine can benefit both the caregiver
and patient.
AD leads to nerve
cell death and tissue
loss throughout the
brain. Over time, the
brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly
all its functions.
(Alzheimers Assocition,
2014)

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We make a living by what we get,

but we make a life by what
we give. -Sir Winston Churchill

October 2015
About 80% of
caregivers are family
of the patient. (Center
for Disease Control,
2009)
MRIs can be useful
for diagnosis because
they allow for accurate measurement of
the 3D volume of brain
structures. (Alzheimers
Association, 2014)
Sundowning is a

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term used when patients get restless or

agitated near sundown and sometimes
through the night.
(WebMD)

There are still those special moments

when someone says or does something
and you know youve made a
difference in someones life.
-Diane McKenty

November 2015
November is
National Alzheimer's
Disease Awareness
Month! (Alzheimer's
Association, 2014)
November is
also Family Caregivers
Month. (Alzheimer's
Association, 2014)
Purple is the
color for Alzheimers
awareness.
Respite care
provides caregivers a
temporary rest from
caregiving, while the
person with AD continues to receive care
in a safe environment.

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"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of

life, that no man can sincerely try to help another
without helping himself." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

December 2015
More than 5
million Americans are
living with Alzheimers. (Alzheimers
Association, 2014)
The 24/7
Caregiver Helpline is
1-800-272-3900.
The Alzheimer's
Association Walk to
End Alzheimers is the
worlds largest event
to raise awareness
and funds for Alzheimers care, support
and research. Go to
alz.org to find a walk
near you.

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Works Cited
All photographs taken by Autumn Jones.
Alzheimer's Association. (2012). 2012 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from Pub Med:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22404854
Alzheimer's Association. (2014). Retrieved November 29, 2014, from alz.org: http://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia
Alzheimers.net. (n.d.). Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia. Retrieved November 2014, from alzheimers.net:
http://www.alzheimers.net/difference-between-alzheimers-and-dementia/
Bright Focus Foundation. (2014, June 15). Alzheimer's Facts & Statistics. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from Bright Focus Foundation: http://www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/about/understanding/facts.html
Center for Disease Control. (2009, November 16). Caregiving for Alzheimers Disease or other Dementia. Retrieved November
29, 2014, from Center for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/aging/caregiving/alzheimer.htm
Family Caregiver Alliance. (2012, December 31). Alzheimer's Disease and Caregiving. Retrieved November 2014, from caregiver.org: https://caregiver.org/alzheimers-disease-caregiving
Godman, H. (2013, December 11). 10 Surprising Facts About Alzheimers Disease. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from Heathline: http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/alzheimers-facts#10
National Alliance for Caregiving. (2009). General Caregiving. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from National Alliance for Caregiving: http://www.caregiving.org
NIA. (2014, October). About Alzheimer's Disease: Caregiving. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from National Institute on Aging:
http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/topics/caregiving
The New York Times. (n.d.). Alzheimer's Disease In-Depth Report. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/alzheimers-disease/print.html
WebMD. (n.d.). Alzheimer's Disease Health Center. Retrieved November 25, 2014, from WebMD:
http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/alzheimers-disease-overview-facts