Senior Q & A - December Edition
Senior Q & A: Answers to Common Questions about Senior Living
Q. What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia?
A. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are often used interchangeably as many people believe that one means the other. In fact, the distinction between the two diseases often causes confusion on the behalf of patients, families, and caregivers. Dementia is an umbrella term for a set of symptoms, including impaired thinking and memory. It’s a term that’s often associated with the cognitive decline of aging. However, issues other than Alzheimer’s can cause dementia. Other common causes of dementia are Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Alzheimer’s, however, is a very specific form of dementia. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s include impaired thought, impaired speech, and confusion. According to the Center for Disease Control, Alzheimer’s disease is a common cause of dementia causing as many as 50 to 70% of all dementia cases.
Q. What exactly is a health care directive?
A. A health care directive allows a person to inform medical professionals and family members about what kind of care they want should they become unable to communicate those wishes on their own. The directive includes a number of different documents, and the names of the documents depend on the state in which a person lives. Common names for the documents are: a living will (also called a health care declaration), durable power of attorney for health care (which allows a person to choose a trusted person to make medical decisions on their behalf), an advance directive (which includes power to act on one’s behalf for non-medical decisions), POLST forms (for documenting wishes in a medical emergency), and a do not resuscitate (DNR) order, which alerts emergency personnel that the person does not wish to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the event of a medical emergency.
Q. What is glaucoma?
A. Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. While glaucoma can strike anyone, the risk is much greater for people over 60. It’s often associated with a buildup of pressure inside the eye. The increased pressure, called intraocular pressure, can damage the optic nerve, which transmits images to the brain. If damage to the optic nerve from high eye pressure continues, glaucoma will cause permanent loss of vision. Glaucoma tends to be inherited and may not show up until later in life. Without treatment, glaucoma can cause total permanent blindness within a few years. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. It’s estimated that over 2.2 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it.
Q. What’s a good way to determine the best level of care for a senior?
A. If you’re in the process of trying to determine the level of housing or personal care that’s best for yourself or a senior loved one, alternativesforseniors.com provides a helpful Evaluation Tool for you to use. The clearly stated, brief questionnaire lets you select one choice per category that best describes the situation of the person in need of housing or care, then you hit a ‘submit’ button for your recommendation. Easy as that. The website also offers a powerful and easily-to-use search function that helps you find a senior apartment, independent-living, assisted-living, or other continuing-care community in your area. You can also call a Senior Specialist at Alternatives for Seniors at (888) WE-ASSIST (888-932-7747) to ask questions and receive free placement assistance.
BLOG Date: Monday, December 8, 2014
Wroter: Ryan Allen