What if the caregiver needs help? Get peace of mind

Welcome to the place where I share dementia tips, strategies, and information for family members caring for a loved one with any type of dementia (such as Alzheimer's disease, Lewy Body dementia, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, etc.)

In today’s quick video I encourage you to come up with a backup safety plan just in case something were to happen to you. A Care Course member recently told me she was afraid that if she fell, her husband with dementia wouldn’t know what to do. In this video I go over 2 safety tips to consider putting in place immediately.

Join me for the 5 day Make Caregiving Experience here. We start on Monday.

We start Monday, March 7th! See you there! You don’t have to attend live- you will get a replay link for each day.

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In case you haven’t met me, my name is Natali Edmonds and I am a board certified geropsychologist. That means that I am a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with older adults. In my job, I help people with dementia, and their caregivers, by visiting them in their own homes and helping them cope through the many struggles of caring for someone with dementia. I have always wanted to help more people than is possible for me in a work day. One day, while hiking a trail, I came up with the idea for Careblazers and I decided to see if posting videos online could provide help to the many other Careblazers in the world who don’t get to have help come directly to them in their homes. I do this in my spare time. I hope that this work helps you in some way on your caregiving journey.
#careblazer #dementia #dementiacaregiver

[pjsmith]

My brother, 65, was with our 89 year old mother with Dementia. She lives in a condo with my sister, 59, who works from the condo home, except for one day a week - Tuesdays.
My husband and I are also caregivers.

My brother collapsed right in front of my Mom. She has lifeline, but doesn’t know her address or phone #.
She called 911 but couldn’t give any info - fortunately my brother was conscious again and while laying on the floor and in terrible pain at the point of dying ( had heart attack ) he gave the address and directions.
He made it through alive.

[gatitam]

It's funny how you always touch on something that's heavy on my mind, I was thinking about hospice & you explained it (which my husband is now in), & now this I'v been feeling very bad lately I don't have a Dr so I don't know what, I only worry about my hubby, what's going to happen to him if something happens to me. Thanks yo you AGAIN, Hospice has my back, I don't feel so alone anymore. Your a Blessing 🙌

[_JanetLouise]

important thing to follow up on .... thanks

[graciellastokes]

Thank you, Dr Natali, for creating this valuable channel. The information you share is a lifeline and so very appreciated. It is comforting to know that I what I am experiencing and feeling is not uncommon . I am most grateful for the strategies to manage and rise above my challenges to help my beloved father with dignity respect and love .

[lauriemclean]

Once while caring for my LOWD I got up too fast to go help her & fainted. When I came to, she was just looking down at me curiously with no idea anything was wrong or what to do. If I had been injured in the fall, she would have been trapped with no way to get out to look for help. Thankful we were OK and nothing worse happened.

[orthodudeness]

Timely, for me. did have things in place as you mention. We have 2 people close by, which is 5 miles away. And another very good friend 2 1/2 hours away.
Person 1, closer, person 2 farther. Person 2 we have set up her phone using our Amcrest camera so she can view a large portion of the house remotely, from anywhere there is a cell phone connection. She has been an alert aid for me couple of months ago, linda fell, I was outside working, person 2 called me and informed. NO injuries, went perfectly.
Person 1 has no such access. Just a neighbor that is close. Person 1 and 2 both were immensely helpful...while you were posting this video on Saturday.
I have no need to drink alcohol, as in an addiction. I have in the past years not drank anything as such.
For the past 2 years, I did notice that a drink in the evening while making dinner was soothing and relaxing. BECAUSE, before making dinner, I would first have to put the house back in order from
Linda's messing about all day. She has access to nothing more than magazines, do beds etc. Simple stuff, but it gets "properly placed" everyday by her. That takes anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to do, as a lot of things are in totally weird places.
So, 2 years of eating hugely healthy meals " yummy fatty tasty", some from Blue Apron etc. Couple that with everyday booze in the evening to settle my mind, a bomb went off..so to speak.
Severe pain, Thursday night 1:30 am. I got up went and sat reading about Appendicitis. While I'm doing this I wonder "why doesn't she sundown now?" Anyway, pretty part, 2:30 am I vomited my entire Lasagna dinner, bummer.
Pain stated to easy, every hour till about 5:30 am Friday morning. Got back to bed about 6am. Got up about 10am and took the day off. No pain.
Sat down to have some chips and a plain pepsi about 5:30pm. Ate about 6 chips, had 2 sips of pepsi....BAM.
Pain worse than ever. Notified person 1 and 2.
Drove to the ER. AFTER, locking all things away and locking gates, setting out proof of Linda's vaccine, her medicare info etcetera, in a place person 1 and 2 can get to, but Linda can not.
ER is 35 minute drive. Fire station with EMT staff is half way to the hospital. I almost stopped, but thought it would add more time getting to the ER after fiddling around there.
Now today, Sunday, I think maybe if I would have stopped at the fire station, and been taken in the meat wagon, ER service may have been faster.
I got to the ER on my own at 7PM. I was taken to an Er rom at 1:30 am Saturday morning.
Riverbend Hospital, great place huge. Just how it goes at the ER sometimes.
So they decided I probably had Gall stone problem. They did a Ultra sound, said I have Gall Sludge.
Pain has eased a lot. I went by Trader Joe's yesterday and got vegan burgers, vegan this vegan that. Manuka honey, everything I read about online about Gall bladder diet.
IT SUCKS!!! BUT....I feel better after veggie burger and veggies last night. To drink? Water.
Going to be water forever now.
Going to see my PCP soon. Probably want to yank my Gall bladder and frame it I suppose. Crap.
Anyhow, person2 drove down to riverbend 2 1/2 hours, got here long before i was checked out. Wonderful back up person 2.
Person 1 was in text contact the whole time.
Person 2 stay with us at home on Friday night, as we got home at 2:45 am, I guess that would be Saturday morning.

IT UP!!!
Don't wait.
People to help, cameras, camera that someone has access to check in at least the living room from their cell phone. Phone calls with no answer aren't real great.
Camera allows for peace of mind for you and your friends who back you up.
Now, 4pm Sunday, I'm doing the work I was going to do on At least I feel better.

Person 1 and 2 have Harry and David goodies on the way to them. They should get a million bucks.

[marieapplesgate]

My local police department has service where someone will call every day to make sure you answer the phone. It may be through a community agency in other areas.

[corriehordyk]

My husband has been going through periods of ??? Dementia like behavior. The doctor says no and the symptoms are not at all consistent in any way. However, that said it is very disconcerting for both of us. Right now we are in a period of lucidity and hope it lasts. Supposed to see a neurologist but....? My biggest problem is that I have no idea how to care for myself.