Capable Care Solutions LLC

04/06/2022

Meal prep!

Using functional, purposeful activity to is still important to help those living with dementia fully engage in life.

They may need cueing, set up, and supervision, but promoting independence at their current skill level can improve overall functionality and reduce feelings of depression or anxiety.

03/27/2022

This concept applies in dementia as well! The environment often has a huge impact on participation and engagement levels.

When we reduce clutter and modify the environment in a way that matches abilities, we are allowing those with dementia to exist at their most functional levels throughout disease progression.

Think about how you feel when your home is a mess—unmade beds, toys strewn everywhere, dust on the floors, grimy dishes in the sink. Compare that to when your home is clean and tidy, with everything in its place. Does one scenario bring on stressful feelings, while the other makes you feel calm and settled?

Even if we don’t consciously realize it, our environments affect us. Children are no exception and are in fact more sensitive to what’s around them than adults.

Our Montessori teachers take great care in the preparation of their classroom environments, guided in large part by the idea of simplicity.

03/22/2022

We are depending more than ever on family caregivers - ever more reason to provide them with more support, guidance, and skills. They are a crucial resource we cannot afford to neglect!

Alzheimer’s disease continues to take a devastating toll on thousands of families across the country and a new report shows that is only expected to grow.

03/15/2022

Please join us this upcoming Monday for our dementia caregiver support group! We are still virtual, so even if you’re not in the Lancaster area, we would love to have you 😊

Hoping we can return to in-person meetings for April, but until then- looking forward to being a source of support virtually.

03/01/2022

Tactile Sensory Strategies in Dementia!

Often, sensory strategies can be categorized into alerting vs. calming. Talking with an occupational therapist can help you determine what kinds of strategies to use and when.

02/27/2022

1st tik tok alert! 😅

I thought this would be a fun way to explore sensory supportive strategies for each sensory system.

Here are some strategies to support the auditory system. The use of music has been shown in multiple studies to decrease agitation in dementia.

02/15/2022

Lavender Essential Oil & Dementia

The use of aromatherapy in dementia has been studied in various formats and with several different oils, with one of the most common being lavender. Its proposed use is for the reduction in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

A recent systematic review revealed mixed results in terms of the effectiveness of decreasing these symptoms, however in those that did not show a statistical significance, the sample size was low (this can contribute to difficulty showing a significant effect).

The study concluded that inhalation of lavender essential oil is safe and can be an effective way to help manage behaviors and psychological symptoms in dementia. It can be used in a diffuser, inhaled directly from the bottle, placed on a cotton ball or clothespin and attached to a vent or fan.

Because it is safe when used appropriately, I included it in the Capable CareBox as a tool to keep in their toolkit. I like to recommend inhaling or diffusing during bathing or at nighttime to promote a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

02/14/2022

“Therapeutic fibbing”: A technique I suggest often for caregivers. Sometimes details don’t matter. - what matters is your loved one’s engagement, participation, safety, and quality of life (and your own!)

Therapeutic fibbing is a gentle way to help your loved one feel safe in a world that feels very unfamiliar.

02/12/2022

Sensory Processing & Dementia: Why is it important to understand in the context of activity engagement?

Because our sensory integration and processing abilities affect how we interact and use our bodies within our environment.

Let’s touch on some basics about sensory processing and why this is an important consideration for caregivers- both family caregivers and professional.

Supporting sensory experiences = increased feelings of safety = decreased agitation = improved activity engagement

02/09/2022

Here is the information for this month’s support group! If you have any questions or would like a direct link instead of a meeting ID and passcode, private message or email anne@capable.care