Tag support groups

Taking Care of You – Part 2: The Physical You

0 comments By News and notes, Stefanie, family care specialist Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , February 19th, 2013 @ 3:05 pm

healthThe Physical You

For caregivers, just like being proactive is helpful in reducing mental stress, thinking preventatively is a vital step to ensure your physical well-being. Caregivers often forget there are inherent dangers to themselves and their loved ones while performing the physical demands of care. Lifting in particular, can be hazardous for your back, and unsafe should you hurt someone while moving them about. Daily care training is available. Along with considering your physical limitations, prioritize your own health when evaluating your overall caregiving needs. Continue reading “Taking Care of You – Part 2: The Physical You” »

Taking Care of You – Part 1: The Mental You

1 comment By News and notes, Stefanie, family care specialist Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , February 8th, 2013 @ 10:49 am

The Mental YouTaking Care of You 

As a caregiver of someone with Alzheimer’s disease you will likely hear many words of advice that start or end with, “don’t forget to take care of yourself.”  Hmmmm.. .supportive advice, but sometimes easier said than done. To be candid, depending on your situation, taking care of yourself may in fact be an ongoing challenge. But you can do some small things along the way to help yourself and your overall family. In the next few blog posts we will talk about ways to take care of the “Mental You”, the “Physical You” and even the “Guilty You”.

The Mental You

As a caregiver, one of the best things you can do for your mental health is to be as proactive as possible. Hearing the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming in itself, but having to react to ongoing unknowns and constant surprises are much worse. Educate yourself on everything possible, starting with the disease and its progression. Continue reading “Taking Care of You – Part 1: The Mental You” »

Alz Profile: Paul Dugan, Walk Champion and Alzheimer’s Advocate

1 comment By News and notes, Profiles Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , March 12th, 2012 @ 2:10 pm

Paul and Susan were college sweethearts who had lived many adventures in their 38 years of marriage, including a stint with the Peace Corps in Afghanistan and teaching for two years in Norway, where their son James was born. The couple finally chose to settle in Reno, where they spent more than 20 years building their careers, family and community.

“My first recollection that something wasn’t right was when Susan wasn’t able to do simple addition or subtraction when balancing the checkbook,” says Paul. “Things got worse so we took her to a neurologist. He was the first person to bring up the possibility of Alzheimer’s.”

Continue reading “Alz Profile: Paul Dugan, Walk Champion and Alzheimer’s Advocate” »

On a Personal Note…Wah Ho Chan

4 comments By News and notes, Newsletter, Profiles Tagged with , , , , , , , , , January 31st, 2012 @ 2:43 pm

Wah Ho Chan, living with Alzheimer's, speaks at the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Silicon Valley

I’ve been married to Martha for 30 years. We have two daughters who are now adults and a granddaughter who just started kindergarten.

I moved to the Bay Area because of my best friend from seventh grade David. He ended up here, and when I came to visit him, I decided to stay. We were going to make movies. We took film classes at De Anza College, and then I worked there, first as an assistant and later as a teacher. I got into the Stanford film program, became a cameraman and did that work for 30+ years.

About four years ago, my wife and daughters noticed something that seemed to be more than my usual forgetfulness. I couldn’t do simple math anymore and I couldn’t figure out how to put things together that I would have done in my sleep before. Continue reading “On a Personal Note…Wah Ho Chan” »

On a Personal Note…(Bobbie Johnson)

1 comment By News and notes, Newsletter, Profiles Tagged with , , , , , , , , December 5th, 2011 @ 9:38 am
Bobbie Johnson at Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Bobbie Johnson at Walk to End Alzheimer’s

“My husband Coleman and I lived and raised our three children in Livermore, Calif. I had a wonderful career as a Registered Nurse. As part of that career I served several kinds of nursing functions. The last type of nursing was as a nurse in the intensive care unit of a trauma center at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley. In this function, I was certified as a Neurological Nurse. This meant that I was responsible for the well being of people with brain injuries.

I had other exposure to Alzheimer’s disease with my mother-in-law and others. After I retired in 2001 I slowly began realizing that I was having memory problems. At first, we all attributed it to the normal aging process. However, I was having increased anxiety about this memory loss. When this became more difficult, I contacted my Kaiser doctor to seek some tools to deal with the anxiety. She sent me to Kaiser’s memory clinic in Walnut Creek, Calif.

After the initial screening, I was given a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Continue reading “On a Personal Note…(Bobbie Johnson)” »

Alz Profile: Kathleen Zalecki, Living With Alzheimer’s

1 comment By News and notes, Profiles Tagged with , , , , , , , , October 10th, 2011 @ 1:52 pm

In January of 2009, Greenbrae, Calif., resident Kathleen Zalecki was approached by her daughters who expressed concerns about her memory. As an active almost-65-year-old who cycled regularly and was living a full and busy life, the conversation was challenging.

“My first reaction was denial and anger; what they were saying was difficult to hear and accept,” says Kathleen. “But I was eventually able to recognize changes that were becoming problematic and I agreed to get tested.”

Continue reading “Alz Profile: Kathleen Zalecki, Living With Alzheimer’s” »

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