Community Blog

How to Have Meaningful Conversations with Dementia Patients

If you have a loved one with dementia, you probably already know how frustrating it can be to communicate sometimes. Limited understanding and cognitive decline can be very overwhelming for both the patient and the caregiver, but there are ways to make it easier. Here are some tips to consider… Firstly, be determined to make...

Quick Activities for Dementia Care

Although dementia is most commonly diagnosed in seniors, it can also happen to middle-aged people, as well as those who have suffered a brain injury. Many people still go on to live long lives after diagnosis, so it’s important to understand the condition and how you can treat it therapeutically. The goal is to help...

How to Reminisce and Remember with Seniors with Dementia

Everyone loves to share memories, but there’s something extra special about sharing and talking about memories made many years back. For seniors who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, memories are especially special because the disease robs them of the ability to hold onto short-term memories, so long-term memories become all they have. Therapy that...

Managing the Symptoms of Sundowning

Alzheimer’s Disease presents many challenges, not the least of which is something called sundowning—a period in the late day/early evening when agitation or irritability can set in for no apparent reason. Confusion tends to worsen as the sun goes down, hence the name. The real challenge for caregivers is that this time is often when...

Life-Enriching Activities for Seniors with Dementia or Alzheimer’s

It can be a bit more challenging to help a patient with Alzheimer’s continue to enjoy things they once enjoyed before this life-altering diagnosis. After all, we all need a sense of community and fellowship with friends in order to maintain a sense of well-being and peace. While it is more difficult to do the...

Play Explores Dementia's Effect on Families

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia affect not just the patient, but the entire family. The Grove Players of Downers Grove explore this reality in “Too Much, Too Much, Too Many,” playing at the Lincoln Center, 935 Maple Ave. in Downers Grove, Feb. 16-18 and 23-25. “Too Much, Too Much, Too Many,” written by Meghan Kennedy, is...