Caring for those with end-of-life dementia can be a challenge

Caring for a person with advanced dementia or Alzheimer?s disease at end of life can be exceptionally challenging because the patient is not only dealing with physical decline and illness, but also the neuropsychiatric behaviors that are common with these diseases.Symptoms and behaviors such as personality changes, loss of communication, loss of inhibition, agitation, anxiety, wandering, sleep problems, delusions, depression, and other mood disturbances have a significant effect on the patient?s quality of life and complicate caring for them.Care Dimensions, formerly Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston, offers a dementia support program for patients with advanced dementia at end of life. We develop a personalized care plan tailored to the individual needs of the patient and their family that addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual distress that may occur with advanced dementia. Our team has special training to help assess the physical issues and manage symptoms in patients who oftentimes have difficulty communicating.Benefits of the HospiceDementia SupportProgram? Pain and symptom management? Nursing support available 24/7? Experienced hospice aides specially trained to work with cognitively-impaired patients? Care provided at home, long-term care facility, hospital, or assisted living community? Hospice volunteers trained in dementia care provide support and companionship? Complementary therapies: music therapy, pet therapy, and massage therapy offer comfort? Grief support for families? Ongoing education and resources for family and professional caregiversLending aHelping HandSocial interaction is also an important part of our care plan. Specially trained volunteers are equipped with a bag of therapy tools that help them connect through sight, sound and touch with patients who have impaired memory or difficulty communicating.Nancy Usher, a Care Dimensions volunteer who has worked for many years with dementia patients said, “When you care for a patient suffering from dementia, you must come equipped with compassion and the ability to deal from the patient?s reality rather than your own.”Caregiver EducationTo help caregivers learn more about Alzheimer?s disease and related dementias, Care Dimensions is offering an Alzheimer?s Learning Series, hosted by Solimine Funeral Homes in Lynn. This three-part series is targeted to those family members or friends that are helping a loved one live with memory loss.The first session Tuesday discusses the differences between “normal” forgetfulness and signs of Alzheimer?s disease and the changes that occur in the brain when affected by dementia. The second session on May 5 will offer practical suggestions on communicating with someone who is cognitively impaired and offer some ideas for failure free activities that family members can do with their loved ones who have dementia.The final part takes place on June 2 and will discuss how to make the home safer and less frustrating for a loved one suffering from dementia. Care Dimensions Community Educator Pam Taylor, an expert in older adults and end of life issues, will lead the series. Each session is 9:30-10:30 AM at the Solimine Community Center on 583 Chestnut Street, Suite 6, in Lynn and will include a complimentary continental breakfast. To make reservations please call Pam Taylor at 978-223-9744 or email [email protected] you are wondering if the dementia support program may be right for your loved one, please call the experts at Care Dimensions. We are the largest and most experienced hospice program in the state, serving more than 90 communities and nearly 5,000 patients and families per year. A non-profit organization, Care Dimensions is committed to helping people better understand hospice and dementia care and to make access to these services easier.Anyone can make a hospice referral or inquiry by calling us at 888-287-1255, or visit www.CareDimensions.org.Dr. Stephanie Patel is chief medical officer at Ca