10 warning signs of dementia, as opposed to 10 signs of "normal" aging of the brain. Also, what you can do now to prepare yourself, and helpful tips when communicating with a loved one with signs of a neurocognitive disorder.

1. 10 Warning Signs
of dementia

2. Welcome

3. 6th
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth
leading cause of death in the
United States
5 million
Number of Americans
who are living with
Alzheimer’s disease
Why Dementia is a “Big Deal”

4. 1 in 3
Older adults who will die
with some form of dementia
(meaning that 2 out of 3
will not)
2/3 Ratio of women among
Alzheimer’s disease patients
Why Dementia is a “Big Deal”

5. 60% Ratio of dementia
caregivers who are women
15 million
Americans who care
for an individual with
dementia
Why Dementia is a “Big Deal”

6. 51%
Ratio of people with Alzheimer’s
living at home and being cared for
by a family member, a paid
caregiver or both
64%
Ratio of Alzheimer’s caregivers
caring for a parent, while 18% are
caring for a spouse
Why Dementia is a “Big Deal”

7. 38%
Ratio of caregivers providing more
than 30 h/week of unpaid care for
a loved one
25%
Ratio of caregivers who quit their job
as a result, in addition to 30% who
had to cut their hours
Why Dementia is a “Big Deal”

8. Covering several forms of
neurocognitive disorders
Dementia, an “ Umbrella Term”

9. Reversible vs. Irreversible
• Brain Tumor
• Depression
• Dehydration
• Surgery
• Metabolic Disorders
• Side effects from medications
• Infections
• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Head Trauma
• Circulatory Disorders

10. Reversible vs. Irreversible
• Brain Tumor
• Depression
• Dehydration
• Surgery
• Metabolic Disorders
• Side effects from medications
• Infections
• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Head Trauma
• Circulatory Disorders
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Lewy Body Disease
• Vascular Dementia
• Huntington Disease
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Frontotemporal

11. Most Common Forms
• Alzheimer’s Disease (60 to 70% of cases)
• Vascular Dementia
• Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Parkinson’s
Disease-related dementia

12. Versus normal aging
of the brain
10 Warning Signs

13. #1 Memory Loss
• Forgetting recently learned
information
• Forgetting important dates or
events
• Asking for the same
information repeatedly
• Increasingly needing to rely
on memory aids
What is normal? Occasional forgetting of appointments or
names but remembering them later.

14. #2 Challenges in Planning or Problem Solving
What is normal? Making occasional errors when balancing
a checkbook.
• Inability to work with numbers
• Inability to follow a familiar
recipe
• Inability to keep track of monthly
bills
• Inability to concentrate for long
periods of time

15. • Difficulty in completing daily tasks
• Trouble driving to a familiar location
• Difficulty managing a budget
• Difficulty remembering the rules to a
favorite game
What is normal? Occasionally needing help to use the settings on
a microwave or record a television show.
#3 Difficulty completing familiar tasks

16. #4 Confusion with Time or Place
What is normal? Getting confused about the day of the week
but figuring it out later.
• Losing track of dates
• Difficulty understanding when
something will be happening
• May forget where they are
• May forget how they got there

17. What is normal? Vision changes related to cataracts.
• Difficulty reading
• Difficulty judging distance
• Difficulty determining color
or contrast
• Difficulty driving
#5 Trouble Understanding Visual Images
or Spatial Relationships

18. What is normal? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.
#6 New Problems with Words
in Speaking or Writing
• Calling things by the wrong name
• Struggling with vocabulary
• Problems finding the right word
• Difficulty following or joining a
conversation

19. # 7 Misplacing Things
and Losing the Ability to Retrace One’s Steps
What is normal? Misplacing things
from time to time and retracing steps to find them.
• Misplacing items in unusual places
• Losing items
• Inability to retrace one’s steps
• Accusing others of stealing

20. #8 Decreased or Poor Judgment
What is normal? Making a bad or foolish decision once
in a while
• Changes in judgment and/or decision making
• Giving large sums of money away
• Falling for scams
• Lack of grooming

21. #9 Withdrawal from Social Activities
What is normal? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and
social obligations
• Difficulty keeping up with
a sports team
• Inability to participate in
or to complete a favorite
hobby

22. #10 Changes in Mood and Personality
What is normal? Developing very specific ways of doing things and
becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted
• Confused
• Suspicious
• Depressed
• Fearful
• Anxious
• Easily upset outside of
comfort zone

23. Plan for the worst,
hope for the best…
What Can We Do Now?

24. While there is no known cure,
it is suggested that healthy
life choices may slow the
progress of the disease.
• Eat well, sleep well
• Exercise your body (it will
oxygenate your brain)
• Exercise your mind
• Socialize!
What Can We Do Now? Live Healthy

25. • Take charge of your medical
history
• Ask questions, speak up
• Be mindful of medicine side-
effects and interactions
• Be honest with your doctor:
don’t keep your memory
concerns a secret
• Keep your children updated
What Can We Do Now? See Your Doctor

26. • Start sharing medical and
financial information with
your children
• Make your end-of-life wishes
clear and documented
• Have a solid network:
attorney, accountant, etc.
• Become knowledgeable about
home health agencies in your
area, and about senior living
options
What Can We Do Now? Establish Trust

27. • Possibly the most painful element
of neurocognitive disorders is the
frequent built-in element of
denial.
• Try your best to remain honest
with yourself and others about
matters that impact your safety,
such as poor driving, living in a
house in disrepair, or giving
excessively to “charities.” Try not
to feel embarrassed.
What Can We Do Now? Be Honest

28. If your spouse has received a
diagnosis of dementia:
• Stay close to children and
friends.
• Don’t be a “hero” trying to
handle it alone. Watch for
burnout.
• Join a support group.
• Be better informed about all
options, especially if something
should happen to you.
What Can We Do Now? Get Help

29. When dealing with a loved one
experiencing memory loss
Communication Tips

30. Communication Changes
• Difficulty finding the right words
• Using familiar words repeatedly
• Describing familiar objects rather
than calling them by name
• Reverting to speaking a native
language
• Speaking less often
• Relying on gestures more than
speaking

31. 15% Words… 85% Nonverbal

32. Empathic Listening
1. Be non-judgmental
2. Give undivided
attention
3. Focus on feelings and
not just the facts
4. Allow time for
reflection
5. Use restatement to
clarify messages
The best and most beautiful
things in the world cannot be
seen or even touched. They
must be felt from the heart.
Helen Keller

33. Don’ts…
• Speak to the person as if
they were a child
• Scold the person
• Speak to the person in
negatives
• Startle the person
• Assume that every person
with dementia is alike

34. • Call by name (avoid pronouns)
• Simple and short sentences
• Wait for a response
• Watch your non-verbal hints
• Speak to the person as if they
understand
• Respond to the person’s feelings
• Be flexible
Do’s…

35. Early Stage
• No assumptions
• Speak directly to the person
• Listen to feelings
• Time to respond
• Explore the method of
communication
• Laugh
• Be honest and frank

36. Middle Stage
• Patience and support
• Eye contact
• Avoid criticism or correction
• Do not argue
• Do not overwhelm the person
• Speak slowly and clearly
• One at a time
• Yes or no questions
• Visual cues
• Written notes

37. Late Stage
• Dignity and respect
• Positive physical approach
• Nonverbal communication
• Look for feelings behind the
words
• Use sensory as a form of
communication

38. A comprehensive approach
At Cross Keys Village

39. Residential Living

40. • Active, independent, healthy lifestyle
• Apartments, cottages and larger Bridgewater homes
• Better environment than your current
neighborhood for “Aging in Place”
• Village Services
• Technology
• A solution to many health-related “what if’s”
including memory-impairment worries
• Other service lines are available on campus, which
is especially valuable to couples
Residential Living

41. Personal Care

42. • What used to be called Assisted Living
• Neighborhoods matching residents’ abilities
• A great social program for a population at risk of
isolation and loneliness
• Medicine management and some “light-duty”
nursing services
• Team members are regularly trained on all aspects
of Memory Care
Personal Care

43. Adult Day Services

44. • A wholesome day in a safe environment
• A welcome break for caregivers
• Economical when compared to the cost of home
care
• Team members are regularly trained on all aspects
of Memory Care
• Some Villagers use this program for their spouses
Adult Day Services

45. Health Care Center

46. • Round the clock nursing care
• Short- and long-term care
• Excellent rehab department
• Team members are regularly trained on all aspects
of Memory Care
• A great solution for couples when one member is
much more frail than the other
Health Care Center

47. • Round the clock nursing care
• Short- and long-term care
• Excellent rehab department
• Team members are regularly trained on all aspects
of Memory Care
• A great solution for couples when one member is
much more frail than the other.
Health Care Center
But Please Remember…

48. • A CCRC is not a conveyor
belt
• Villagers have a much better
chance of “Aging in Place”
than their friends who stayed
in their home
• Most of our Health Care
residents come to us from
the hospital of from the
outside
• A CCRC is definitely worth
investigating if you are
worried about future memory
loss
Please Remember…

50. “People will forget what you
said, people will forget what you
did, but people will never forget
how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou

51. Questions