Who Needs the County Fair . . .

. . . when we have the Encinitas Center Carnival!

Here's a video we created that captures some of the fun and excitement. Be sure to turn up the volume!

How to Communicate with Your Loved One

This is part two of a conversation in sharing best practices for improving communications with someone with dementia, as recommended by Dawn DeStefani. Dawn manages The George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Center in Chula Vista and recently presented these tips to caregivers at a forum sponsored by Partners in Caring of San Diego County.


Earlier we discussed how to be a great listener. Today we’ll discuss how to be a better communicator using words.

Set yourself up for success. Approach your loved one from the front to avoid startling her and starting off on the wrong foot.

Be aware of tone and body language. Although you are focused on what you say, your loved one will notice friendly gestures. Speak clearly in a relaxed tone of voice to put him at ease.

Keep it simple. Difficult words or long sentences may overwhelmed someone with Alzheimer’s.

Wait for a response. Remember the last post, when we recommended patience? Here’s where it can be displayed. Give your loved one more time to absorb what you’ve said and to respond.

Be clear. Avoid expressions that can be taken literally, like “have a seat,” which can be confusing.

Focus on the keyword or idea. Emphasize the most important word in your message either verbally or nonverbally (pointing).

Account for hearing or vision problems. Make sure your loved one is wearing a working hearing aid and clean glasses, if either or both are prescribed.

Don’t reason or argue. Resist the urge.

Avoid quizzing. Don’t test their memory with expressions like, “Don’t you remember ----“ It’s not helpful and increases their frustration.

How to Help Your Loved One Communicate

Last week we had the pleasure of attending a caregiver forum sponsored by Partners in Caring. One of the presenters was our very own Dawn DeStefani, who runs the George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Center in Chula Vista. Dawn spoke about ways to best communicate with someone who has dementia. This week we’re going to share her tips, including today’s on how to help a loved one “talk” to you.

The key is to be an excellent listener. Consider employing the following practices:

Show patience. Your loved one can sense when you’re impatient or agitated, which just increases their own frustration. Schedule “cushions” to accommodate minor setbacks and that will help you be patient.

Provide reassurance. If your loved one is having trouble communicating, tell him it’s fine and encourage him to keep trying to put his thoughts into words.

Focus on the positive. Instead of correcting, focus on what your loved one has said and try to find meaning in her message. Smile and be positive…it really does help.

Agree instead of argue. This one is especially difficult because it goes against our norm. If they say the sky is green, do your best to let it go rather than argue it’s blue.

Offer alternatives. If your loved one can’t find the right words, offer a guess as long as he appears to want the help.

Concentrate on feelings. Even if you can’t comprehend the content of a message, often you can uncover the feelings behind it by observing tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and body language.

Reduce distractions. Try to talk in a quiet, calm place.

Scenes from Our Senior Prom

Click on the image for a larger version of this collage.

Senior Prom for high schoolers is a special occasion and this prom for our seniors was too. The staff at our Chula Vista adult day health care center thought of everything reminiscent of prom -- from special hats and corsages for the ladies (made during a special arts and crafts project) and paper vests for the men. We even had some caregivers in a support group join us to partner up on the dance floor. There was a special photo area and, of course, the crowning of the king and queen. Thanks to signer Ian Campbell for the entertainment and to everyone that attended for an afternoon full of dancing. Almost everyone was on the dance floor cutting a rug at one point or another.

Hat's off to our South Bay staff! We can't wait for next year's prom.

For more photos, become a fan of our Facebook page by "liking" us.

More News on the Alzheimer's Front

Here’s today’s rundown of recent news from the international conference in Paris and research publications.


Lifestyle changes can help reduce Alzheimer’s. A new, theoretical analysis finds that about half of the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are potentially changeable, and that reducing them could substantially decrease the number of new cases of disease worldwide. The study, presented at the International Alzheimer’s Association conference and published today in a medical journal, is the first known analysis that tries to quantify and compare how risk factors are associated with Alzheimer's.

For Alzheimer’s patients, antidepressants no better than placebos. Two antidepressants commonly prescribed to people with dementia appear to be no better than a sugar pill at easing the symptoms of depression in Alzheimer’s patients, according to a new study published today in the Lancet. Zoloft (sertraline) and Remeron (mirtazapine), which are both available as generics, also generated more—and more severe—side effects than placebo, leading the researchers to suggest that these and other antidepressants should be reserved for dementia patients whose depression fails to respond to more conservative treatments, such as psychotherapy.

Predicting Alzheimer’s: Would you want to know? This is a topic we’ve tackled on this blog before, but it was a major area of discussion in Paris. Nice Q&A on whether it’s good to know you have an incurable disease years before it hits its stride.

What's New[s] in Alzheimer's

There’s a lot of news about Alzheimer’s research coming out of an international conference taking place in Paris. We thought today we’d highlight some of the findings here, just in case you don't have much time to sift through the wealth of news yourself.

1. Brain swelling may be common with Alzheimer’s drugs. An experimental drug that may reduce the beta amyloid protein in Alzheimer’s patients also causes brain swelling in some beta testers.
2. Eye test for Alzheimer’s could revolutionize diagnosis. Researchers find the blood vessels in the retina are different for those with Alzheimer’s.
3. More evidence that football is bad for your brain. NFL players are much more likely to develop MCI, an early stage of Alzheimer’s, based on a voluntary study. In fact, 35% of former players showed signs of dementia by the average age of 61; in the general population, only 13% have Alzheimer’s.
4. Aspirin may have improve memory-thinking skills. Though the anti-inflammatory may reduce the risks, much more research is needed.

Remembering The Car Show

We just posted a cute video from the South Bay Cruisers' Car Show at The George G. Glenner Alzheimer's Family Centers in Chula Vista. The ending still makes us smile.

Alzheimer's Brought Dad and Daughter Together

So often when we hear of relationships being strained by dementia that we fail to realize sometimes they actually are strengthened.

This week's selection for National Public Radio's Story Corps that aired today is about a daughter who never got along well with her straight-as-a-pin father until he developed Alzheimer's Disease. Dad was a former Marine who ran a very tight ship, and daughter wanted life on somewhat looser terms. So she left home at 18 but  later in life became close to her father, maybe because now his life was a bit more messy too.

Charles Brooks was 78 when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. And his condition brought a change to his relationship with his daughter.

"All of a sudden, he turned to me — because he knew that if he had every single drawer out from the dresser on the floor, I really couldn't care less," Betsy says. "So he didn't really hide from me."

In fact, the pair spent more time together, Betsy recalls.

"We would sit on the back porch and eat pistachio nuts and share a beer," she says. And I could tell him my secrets. And I got to enjoy all the good that was in him."

It's a beautiful story. Give it a listen.

Great Dental Tips for Alzheimer's Patients

To get an idea of how easy it is for someone with dementia to develop dental health problems, try this experiment: chew a cracker and then do nothing. Don’t try to dislodge the mushy mess with your tongue and saliva. Hard to do, isn’t it? We instinctively want to clean our mouths to remove embedded food. However, those with advanced dementia often lose the ability to self-cleanse. That is why the elderly need to visit a dentist, and usually more frequently, to ensure they maintain good dental health.


The cracker experiment was related by Rose Hall, a registered dental hygienist in San Diego, who works with elderly patients at Dr. Jon Peterson’s office. In an interview and subsequent email exchange, she offered great insights and tips to caregivers to help keep their loved one’s teeth and gums from decay and disease, which can lead to tooth (and weight) loss and infections that compromise already fragile health.

“Geriatric patients often have dry mouths because of medications that cause less saliva. Saliva is cleansing and has minerals to help prevent cavities. Older patients have gum recession, which exposes the root of the tooth. Since the roots are not as strong as enamel, the patient is at risk for more cavities. “Most older patients leave plaque along the lower third of the tooth at the gumline. Caregivers should angle a soft bristle brush 45 degrees at the gumline and brush gently with

The type of toothbrush used can also help. Consider an electric toothbrush or one with a bigger handle for easier maneuvering. There can be resistance to brushing, especially in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s, so brush the teeth where the loved one is comfortable, be it in bed or another room besides the bathroom. Also, consider brushing from behind to minimize getting sprayed, and use gloves to keep fingers from infection and from contaminating clean areas.

“For Alzheimer’s patients, it is good to Tell, Show and Do,” Rose Hall continued. “Tell them what you are going to do, show them the brush, and then do the steps in the same way that you explained them. Also, they may need to hold a favorite item for comfort. Interdental cleaning (spaces between the teeth) also is needed which includes flossing and other tools if possible.”

Some people dislike dental visits, and that includes elderly patients. However, Hall says, it’s important that caregivers continue to take their loved ones for regularly check-ups and cleanings to prevent cavities.

When It's Time to Transition: Staff

This is the third and final post in a series

Earlier we discussed questions to ask about a facility's environment and services specific to dementia care. Today we're suggesting areas to consider asking -- yourself or residential home officials -- about staff. Once again, we thank CAHR for providing this checklist.

• Do people, particularly the direct care staff, have special training in dementia care? How many hours? And at what frequency?
• What role does the staff have in the care planning process?
• What role does the resident and family or legal representative have in the care planning process?
• Does someone with special training with dementia patients coordinate the activity program? Are they full time? Do they have assistants?
• Is staff assigned to work with the same residents?
• What is the ratio of direct care staff to residents at each shift?
• Who supervises staff? What are their qualifications?
• What special training does the administrator and supervisors receive in dementia care?