In October, I attended my RCFE (Residential Care Facility for the Elderly) re-certification classes to update my Administrator’s certificate. My choice of classes included a 10-hour course entitled Alzheimer’s Care Progress Report. Although the thought of being in class for 10 hours on a Saturday was not a thrilling one, I was eager to get an update on this important subject. Coincidentally, this class coincided with the opening of our Memory Care Neighborhood here at Pacifica Senior Living. I walked away from the class gaining some important information. Below are some insightful facts relating to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) that I thought you might find useful.
• Risk of AD in people who exercised three or more times per week, at least 15 minutes per day, was 31 percent lower than in those who exercised fewer than three times per week. Source: Group Health Cooperative
• Disruptions to sleep, rather than the total amount of sleep were consistently related to reductions in the cognitive function. Source: San Francisco Coordinating Center and California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute.
• People who are overweight (a body mass index of 25 to 29) had a two-fold increase in AD risk. And, people who are obese (a body mass index of 30 or more) had a threefold increase in AD risk. Source: Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.
• The three main stages of Alzheimer’s Disease have the following characteristics:
1. Early-stage (mild) – Memory loss or other cognitive deficits are noticeable, yet the person can compensate for them and continue to function independently.
2. Mid-stage (moderate) – Mental abilities decline, the personality changes, and physical problems develop so that the person becomes more dependent on caregivers.
3. Late-stage (severe) – Complete deterioration of the personality and loss of control over bodily functions, which require total dependence on others for even the most basic activities of daily living (ASL’s).
If you or a loved one is faced with memory impairment, and are seeking information and/or support please reach out to the resources available to you. Some suggested sites are, www.nih.gov , www.nia.nih.gov , and www.alz.org . Here at Pacifica Senior Living, we want to be a resource to the all those faced with providing care to older adults. Don’t hesitate to stop by for information on our services, and those available within the Santa Clarita community.
Source: www.helpguide.org/elder/alzheimers_disease_symptoms_stages.htm
For more information, please call 661-255-3100 or feel free to stop by anytime. We are located at 24305 Lyons Avenue in Newhall.