Parkinson's Disease
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Taking Care of Your Brain Health 💡🧠
Taking care of your brain health is just as crucial as maintaining physical wellness. By incorporating a few simple habits into your daily routine, you can keep your mind sharp, enhance cognitive function, and protect against cognitive decline. Essential Tips for Optimal Brain Health: Eat a Brain-Boosting Diet : Incorporate a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, are particularly beneficial for cognitive function and brain health. Stay Physically Active : Engage in regular physical activity to increase blood flow to the brain and support neuron health. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days to…
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Progress Over Perfection
When did I get so tired? When was the last time I slept through the night? Do I even remember what it feels like to be rested? At this point, soaking in a hot tub for 15 minutes would feel like a mini vacation! I know I need help. There has to be a better way. Earlier today, I took both Mom and my mother-in-law, Jean, to their doctor’s appointments. As best friends, they enjoy spending time together, so I scheduled their checkups with the same physician to save time and reduce confusion. Mom is living with vascular dementia, and Jean is battling Alzheimer’s. Neither of them likes going to…
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The Diagnosis isn’t the End
When someone is told they've got Dementia, they don't immediately lose all memories & become a shell of their former self. Receiving the news can be devastating, but it doesn't immediately change your thoughts, behaviors, or memory. My handsome son and my mom. There are upwards of 100 conditions that fall under the Dementia Umbrella. Some of the most common are: Alzheimer's Frontotemporal Dementia Vascular Dementia Parkinson's Lewy Body Dementia Multi-Infarct Dementia Huntington's Disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Alcohol-related Dementia Down Syndrome with Alzheimer's HIV Associated Dementia Childhood Dementia They all impact reasoning, memory & activities of daily life, but there are different symptoms associated with each different disease. Most are a…
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The Dr. said “Dementia”, Now What?
Your doctor said those words and left you reeling. Perhaps he told you there is no cure, and it's terminal. Your mind is racing so much that it's hard to formulate all the questions. What now? Is there anything that will slow it down? Are there medications that will help with symptoms? What am I supposed to do? It's not contagious, right? (No.) And many more questions you haven't even considered yet. It's upsetting to be left with what seems to be so many missing pieces to the puzzle. I get it. I've been with family and friends when they received the diagnosis. It's never fun, and it's always upsetting.…
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A Fun Interview?
Betsy Wurzel Chatting with Betsy on Passionate World Talk Radio Being interviewed can be stressful. Being interviewed on live radio multiplies the nerves, usually. This was NOT the case in a recent interview I had with Betsy Wurtzel on her program #ChattingwithBetsy. Betsy speaks on Passionate World Talk Radio which broadcasts to 174 countries. She was, and still is a caregiver, just like me. We are both Christians and we both have a strong desire to help other caregivers so we connected right away. Here's the link to the live broadcast of Chatting with Betsy: https://bit.ly/3Anfwxi If you are a caregiver, I highly recommend you check out her show as…
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Myths About Parkinson’s
My Dad had Parkinson's disease. I had never been around anyone who had Parkinson's before dad. I knew next to nothing about it except the famous Parkinson's shake. As a result, I didn't handle everything perfectly. (I probably wouldn't have done it perfectly even with all the information in the world!) But, there are things I could have done better. All we can do is keep learning and applying our new knowledge for the benefit of others. To that end, I felt the need to write some Myth Busters about Parkinson's disease specifically. First, here's an old pic of my sweet Mom and Dad before the diagnosis. Myth #1 Since…
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10 Reasons You Should Be Coloring
Did you wake up one morning and say to yourself, "I think I'd like to be a caregiver cause that sounds like fun!" Yeah, I didn't think so. Most of us became caregivers because our loved ones needed help. Not necessarily because we WANTED to, it typically was because they needed us to. If you have a different reason or situation, let me know. Regardless of how or why, here we are, caring for another human. We're all doing the best we can in a position few feel qualified to do. Many of us did or are still doing a pretty good job of raising our kids, but caregiving for…
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12 Simple Activities Requiring Little or No Money
Research has shown that providing activities during the day will cause less need for a long nap and better nighttime sleep.
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10 Ways to Delay Alzheimer’s
Are you older and get your exercise by hunting for your cell phone and car keys? There’s likely no reason to be concerned. Senior moments, as they’ve been dubbed, happen to all of us. If those moments expand to the point of disrupting normal life, then there may be cause to see a physician. “Memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging,” says Beth Kallmyer, Alzheimer’s Association Vice President of care and support. “It may be a symptom of a form of dementia such as Alzheimer’s.” Dementia Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of brain conditions that impair memory, reasoning, and thinking. Under…
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12 Most Common Warning Signs of Dementia
Before we begin, it’s important we understand what Dementia is, and what it is not. Dementia is a term referring to an inability of the brain to function properly. It affects all areas of life since our brains are our body’s control center. When the control center is damaged, “normal” functions become more difficult, even impossible. Dementia is a term encompassing many different diseases including Alzheimer’s, Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, Downs Syndrome, and many more. Dementia is NOT A NORMAL PART OF AGING. It is a disease. While there are many different warning signs of Dementia, the following are the most common symptoms. 1) Memory loss or Mild…
