It’s important to understand what is and isn’t a normal part of aging. Many people make assumptions about what it’s like to grow “old” and how older age will affect them. Research has shown that you can help preserve your health and mobility as you age by adopting or continuing healthy habits and lifestyle choices. A few common myths about aging are:

• The older I get, the less sleep I need. Older adults need the same amount of sleep as all adults — seven to nine hours each night.
• Only women need to worry about osteoporosis. Although osteoporosis is more common in women, this disease still affects many men and could be underdiagnosed.
• It’s inevitable that older people will get dementia. Dementia isn’t a normal part of aging. Although the risk of dementia grows as people get older, it’s not inevitable, and many people live into their 90s and beyond without the significant declines in thinking and behavior that characterize dementia.

August 4, 2022 | 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM PST | Online
 
Conversations with Dr. Tam Cummings - A Monthly Education Series for the Dementia Caregiver

Dr. Tam Cummings will discuss common behaviors witnessed by dementia family caregivers including:

• Cursing
  
• Movement changes
  
• Hunting and gathering
• Accusations of theft
• Taking away the car keys
• Sundowning
• Bathroom issues, including toileting and bathing
  
• Bedtime issues
  

We will also review the five senses which addresses changes leading to potentially dangerous or annoying behaviors. Stress relief tips will be shared, and handouts will include materials to self-measure caregiver stress and self-compassion.
 
Questions can be directed to VirtualSeminars@arden-courts.org.
 
To register for this event, click the button below.

July 26, 2022 | 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PST | Online
 
New and even experienced family caregivers can feel overwhelmed by the difficult challenges of caring for others while still caring for themselves. But nearly 50 years of family caregiving research can provide some answers about how caregivers can best cope. Please join Barry J. Jacobs, Psy.D., as he discusses applicable research findings on what helps and hurts family caregivers during the long caregiving years.
 
To register for this event, click the button below.

Caring for an older family member often requires teamwork. While one sibling might be local and take on most of the everyday caregiving responsibilities, a long-distance caregiver can also have an important role.
 
As a long-distance caregiver, you can provide important respite to the primary caregiver and support to the aging family member.
 
To learn more, click on the button below.

The ABCs of Frontotemporal Dementias

July 7, 2022 | 8:00 AM - 9:15 PM PST | Online

The three domains and subsets of “young persons’ dementia” will be reviewed, allowing family caregivers an opportunity to identify the form of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) their loved one has and what to expect for the future. Often challenging to recognize as a dementia due to the person’s age, the FTDs can cause especially high levels of stress for the family caregiver. This session with Dr. Tam Cummings will address the stages, domains, unique behaviors and decline in persons living with FTD and the impact this disease has on the family caregiver.
 
Questions can be directed to VirtualSeminars@arden-courts.org.
 
To register for this event, click the button below.

Regular exercise, respite breaks and connecting with others will help you in this challenging role.
“Since my mom was recently diagnosed with dementia, I’ve been confused about what to do,” said the 50-year-old woman at a neighborhood barbecue, balancing a paper plate with a hot dog and potato salad. “Different people give me advice about helping her and making sure I’m all right, but that advice isn’t always the same. I feel like I have to figure this out on my own.”
Her confusion distressed me. There are millions of Americans in her position and tens of millions more who’ve gone through caregiving in the past. No one starting out as a caregiver, in my opinion, should have to reinvent the wheel. Yet when a parent or spouse is revealed to need care, most people feel lost about what to do. My neighbor wasn’t exactly looking for me to give her more advice — it sounded like she’d had her fill already — but was hoping for a hint at least about where to start.

Click the link below to continue reading the entire article by AARP's Barry Jacobs.