Moving a Relative & Other Transitions in Dementia Care is an expansion of our original book, Moving a Relative with Memory Loss (2000, 2006). This comprehensive guide is intended to support families from the beginning to the end of the caregiving journey. We are honored to have a panel of experts helping us address many other transitions that families face during the caregiving journey. These include decisions about safety, bringing in home care, preparing for hospitalization and end of life, talking with a relative about giving up driving, moving from out of state and more. A large section of the book is devoted to moving decisions and logistics, incorporating the content of the original book as well as new information. Case studies of real situations are sprinkled throughout the book, along with many practical suggestions. At the end is a comprehensive worksheet to take along with you when you visit residential care homes.

Moving a Relative with Memory Loss: A Family Caregiver's Guide, a 55 page booklet, was written to help families think about some of the issues involved in moving a relative with memory loss. It offers practical ideas for making the move an easier process. Topics include: Keeping a Relative at Home, Locating Residential Care Homes, Talking to Your Relative About the Move, Planning the Move, Moving In, Common Emotional Reactions for New Residents and Families

[Content] All about the authors; Introduction; Talking with your relative; Becoming a detective: problem solving; The 4 A's: anxiety, anxiety, anger, and aggression; Why won't she take a bath; Taking the stress out of dressing; Eating; Mouth care; When you gotta go: helping a relative in the bathroom; Over and over again: repetitive behaviors; There's no place like home: when your relative wants to go home; Walking, pacing, wandering, or exercising; When you don't see things the same way: paranoia, delusions and hallucinations; And hours to go before we sleep: sleep and sundowning; Physical intimacy and sexual behavior; Glossary; Resources.

This practical guide provides general caregiving tips and helps you decide when and how to transition your loved one to a dementia care community. Caring for someone with dementia is challenging, especially when it comes time to think about other living arrangements. What do you need to know about dementia, including its different stages? What do you do if the person you're caring for seems to have trouble recognizing you? When is it time to move a person living with dementia into a senior living community? And how can you maintain your relationship with your loved one when you are living apart? Gerontologist and dementia care consultant Rachael Wonderlin has written a compassionate book to help friends and family members of those living with dementia answer these tough questions—and more. In practical, down-to-earth language, The Caregiver's Guide to Memory Care and Dementia Communities walks the reader through key points about dementia care, including • common terminology used by health care workers • strategies for taking care of your loved one • advice for when and how to transition to a dementia care community • understanding how dementia care communities are structured and what to keep in mind when evaluating them • how to help your loved one receive the best possible care while they're living apart • recommendations for handling obstacles involving communication and behavioral issues • information on technology, hospice care, programming and activities, and at-home safety A dedicated section called "Putting It into Practice" in each chapter helps you apply the principles to your own experience, while worksheets present you with questions to consider as part of the caregiving and assessment process.

For most Americans, staying "mentally sharp" as they age is a very high priority. Declines in memory and decision-making abilities may trigger fears of Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative diseases. However, cognitive aging is a natural process that can have both positive and negative effects on cognitive function in older adults - effects that vary widely among individuals. At this point in time, when the older population is rapidly growing in the United States and across the globe, it is important to examine what is known about cognitive aging and to identify and promote actions that individuals, organizations, communities, and society can take to help older adults maintain and improve their cognitive health. Cognitive Aging assesses the public health dimensions of cognitive aging with an emphasis on definitions and terminology, epidemiology and surveillance, prevention and intervention, education of health professionals, and public awareness and education. This report makes specific recommendations for individuals to reduce the risks of cognitive decline with aging. Aging is inevitable, but there are actions that can be taken by individuals, families, communities, and society that may help to prevent or ameliorate the impact of aging on the brain, understand more about its impact, and help older adults live more fully and independent lives. Cognitive aging is not just an individual or a family or a health care system challenge. It is an issue that affects the fabric of society and requires actions by many and varied stakeholders. Cognitive Aging offers clear steps that individuals, families, communities, health care providers and systems, financial organizations, community groups, public health agencies, and others can take to promote cognitive health and to help older adults live fuller and more independent lives. Ultimately, this report calls for a societal commitment to cognitive aging as a public health issue that requires prompt action across many sectors.

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.

Evidence-Informed Approaches for Managing Dementia Transitions provides evidence-informed approaches and future directions for supporting a higher quality of life for people living with dementia. Through a person-centered lens, this book equips care providers to better help people living with dementia align their expectations and hopes with the trajectories they can expect in their journey. It highlights the various transitions that those with dementia will experience and describes best practices for optimal adjustment to each. Topics covered include problem identification, driving cessation, loss of financial autonomy, acute hospital admission, moving to assisted living residences and long term care homes, and palliative and end of life care. This is a must have reference for researchers, clinicians, and mental health professionals (psychologists, counsellors, social workers, mental health nurses) as well as policy makers and other health and social care providers working with individuals with dementia. Emphasizes empowerment and quality of life for all those living with dementia Explores strategies for managing the ups and downs of the dementia journey from diagnosis to end of life Recommendations are couched in evidence and extensive experience of the authors