EP #5: Navigating Early Memory Trouble: Coping Strategies for Alzheimer's and Dementia

Are you noticing early signs of memory trouble in your loved ones? Tune into this enlightening episode of the Comfort Keepers Davie podcast as your hosts, Jeremy Wolf and Kristi Gurule, delve into the early stages of Alzheimer's and dementia. They walk you through the common signs and offer valuable advice on what you can do even before these conditions manifest fully. You'll learn the importance of having open conversations with your loved ones and discover simple strategies that can help them cope with memory challenges, like using calendars and reminders at home.

As the conversation progresses, we turn our focus to the more advanced stages of these conditions. Kristi sheds light on how our team at Comfort Keepers steps in to ensure our clients are eating properly and attending their appointments. She emphasizes the significance of keeping the brain active with games and activities and discusses how maintaining a consistent routine can enhance memory. Moreover, we stress the need for maintaining a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle throughout one's life, not only in old age. This episode provides a wealth of information that can help you effectively handle the early stages of Alzheimer's and dementia.

Please visit our website for more information: https://www.comfortkeepers.com/offices/florida/davie/

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Please visit our website for more information: https://www.comfortkeepers.com/offices/florida/davie/

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the Comfort Keepers Davy podcast,
where we elevate the humanspirit.
Here's your host, christyGrulay.

Jeremy (00:15):
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of
the Comfort Keepers Davy podcast.
I'm your host, jeremy Wolfe,and I'm joined by, of course,
your host, christy Grulay.
Christy, I say this every timealways a pleasure to see you,
but it truly is always apleasure to see you.
How you been.

Kristi (00:33):
Good good, happy Monday, happy fall.
Right, since last we've spoke,we're now officially into fall,
which is exciting.

Jeremy (00:43):
Yeah, holiday time, let's get excited for that.
It'll be fun, fun, fun with thefamily.
So I know we've been talking alot about kind of signs to look
for in your loved ones.
There could be something goingon.
And last episode we talkedabout the various stages of
Alzheimer's and dementia and youkind of gave a broad overview,

(01:05):
went through a lot of it.
What I thought we would do iskind of hone in a little bit and
talk a little bit more in depthabout these specific stages so
that people know not only whatto look for but also what to do
when they encounter somethingthat could be an issue.
So why don't you share with thelisteners a little bit about

(01:25):
the early stages, right Likebefore you even come into the
picture, notice something goingon with mom or dad, whatever it
is.
What are some things that youcan do early on to combat this
from moving forward?

Kristi (01:39):
Yeah, so a lot of times when you start to notice that
your loved one mom or dad isbecoming a little bit more
forgetful, sometimes it's justgreat to have a conversation
with them, just a realisticconversation.
How can we help you rememberimplementing some new things in
the home?
So when I'm called and askedfor advice at this stage, this

(02:02):
is what we talk about.
So we have like a big calendarmaybe it's on the refrigerator
we have a big wall calendar,different reminders for them so
they don't get frustrated ifthey start to forget details.
After that it's usually when westart to become involved with
ourselves coming into the home.
That's when we're coming in tomake sure that parents are

(02:26):
eating, that they're eatingproperly, that they are in fact
getting it to their appointmentsand not getting lost on the way
.
That can become a reallyfrustrating and scary thing for
families to have to worry abouttheir loved one getting to
appointments.
So when it becomes, when itgets to that stage two to three,
usually if we were going toclassify somebody that's when

(02:48):
Comfort Keepers is called in tohelp.
But I do need to say thateverybody progresses differently
, right?
So there are those that I comein much later in the picture and
others, that I'm there in thevery beginning and if I am there
closer to the beginning then Ilike to implement games.
I like to do memory games,things to keep the brain elastic

(03:11):
.
You know we're hands-on,tactile connect for little
things that we can do during ourshifts with clients so that we
can make sure that they'rementally engaged.

Jeremy (03:26):
Yeah, I think this also speaks to at least with me,
where I'm at with my life.
I notice more and more that theless I do in terms of being
consistent, exercising, eatinghealthy, the more I steer from
that path, the more of thatbrain fog and confusion I tend
to get throughout my days.

(03:46):
And then when I really hone inand I say you know what, I'm
going to wake up at 6 am everyday, I'm going to run in the
morning, I'm going to exercise,I'm going to do these things,
I'm going to exercise moreclearly, and I think a lot of
the issues that elderly notalways, but a lot of the issues
that people encounter in old ageare just a result of them not
having the right preventativemethods in place.

(04:06):
So it speaks to taking care ofyourself, not just when you're
75 and have a problem, butthroughout your whole life.
Right, yeah, with proper diethabits and everything right.

Kristi (04:17):
Yeah, it all starts foundationally and I think that
once something is implemented,it needs to be very routine,
because that's something thatalso helps with memory.
We're going to remember thatwe're coming in a couple of days
a week and, even if we aren'tthere but family is doing
something, that they stick to aroutine to also help again, just

(04:39):
that foundation, re-encouragingand strengthening.

Jeremy (04:46):
Yeah, for sure, 100%.
So anything else you'd like toshare about kind of this early
stages signs to look for thingslike that, anything you'd like
to share before you wrap up?

Kristi (05:01):
Well, I think that the last thing that I'd say is that
just self-reflect right?
We don't like to say when we'rehaving a problem with anything,
right?
That tends to be the case whenyou address something that
you're seeing and they reallydon't want to cause any
additional stress on you.
So when there's denial, it'sjust be gentle, just be really

(05:24):
soft in the conversation.
I have a lot of family membersthat want to talk to me about
how do you talk to them, becausethey deny that they have the
problem that I'm seeing thatthey're forgetting things.
Just gentle reminders.
How can you be more involved intheir day to day without
becoming the parent yourself ofyour parent?
And it all starts with justreally soft conversations.

Jeremy (05:48):
All right, awesome.
So we'll wrap it up there and Ithink we can get into some of
these other stages and a littlebit more depth moving forward.
So we shall do that.
Christie, always a pleasure.
I'll see you very soon.
Thank you All right, bye.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
Thank you for listening to the Comfort Keepers
Davy podcast.
For more information, visitComfortKeeperscom or call
954-947-7927.