May is National Arthritis Month. Even though arthritis affects many in the elderly population, it is also a leading cause of disability among younger individuals.

Arthritis is a family of disorders that affect the muscles and bones. There are more than 100 different diseases in the group. They affect people of all ages, genders and races. These include approximately 300,000 children in the U.S. The bottom line, really, is that arthritis can affect anyone.

Types of Arthritis

The three most common forms of arthritis are:

Osteoarthritis (OA), a progressive disease that affects the joints, specifically the cartilage material in the joints.  The cartilage breaks down, causing bones to rub against each other. This in turn, causes pain, stiffness and, eventually, loss of movement. Osteoarthritis is the most common arthritic disease, affecting approximately 27 million Americans.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), which is characterized by the inflammation of the membranes around the joints. Symptoms include stiffness, pain, swelling, warmth in the affected area, and, occasionally, severe joint damage. RA affects 1.3 million people in the U.S.

Juvenile Arthritis (JA), a group of arthritic diseases that affect those 16 years old and younger. These autoimmune and inflammatory conditions usually develop in the joints, but occasionally appear in the skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal tract of children, as well.

Considering that arthritis as a whole includes a number of diseases, there is no one factor that will prevent or limit its occurrence. However, common risk factors, particularly for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, include a combination of genetics, environmental and general health. The following may play a part in the onset and progression of arthritis:

• Age
• Body weight
• Gender
• Repetitive injuries, physical trauma or overuse
• Family history
• Muscle tone
• Physical activity

Prevention and Management of Arthritis

Although it may be impossible to completely prevent arthritis in some individuals, you can delay its onset and minimize its effect by being proactive in your health:

• Maintain a healthy weight. Extra pounds add extra stress on joints, muscles and bones.
• Eat a balanced and diet. Avoid foods that are rich in salt, salt and saturated fat. Eat lots of whole grain, fruits and vegetables.
• Regularly engage in physical activity. Especially important are stretching and weight-bearing exercises for building muscle strength.
• Avoid repetitive joint motion. Wear supportive gear like wrist or knee braces if your work requires you to engage in repetitive motions.
• Wear protective equipment when engaging in sports and other strenuous activities.
• Get a regular exam, particularly if you have a family history of arthritis. Early diagnosis will help you better manage the disease and slow its progress over time.

Arthritis is a serious health problem that is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. Every year, many people limit their activity in some way because of it. While there are treatments available to provide relief, the best news is that you can do something to prevent arthritis from having a huge impact in the way you live your life.

We focus a lot of attention on patients and individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease. However, it’s also important to make sure that caregivers are healthy and getting the help they need.

Caregiving is a challenging job. Much depends on a caregiver being able to cope with both the daily and long-term stresses of meeting the needs of someone who is injured, ill, or unable to manage on their own.

April being Stress Awareness Month, here are some ideas for taking care of yourself, if you’re a caregiver.

Join a caregivers’ support group. Your local community or church often hosts support groups. There are also national organizations, such the Alzheimer’s Association that provide up-to-date and useful information, not just for individuals with the disease, but also for caregivers. If you can’t find an established group, think about organizing an informal gathering of friends and family members where you can share resources and be there for one another.

Ask for help when you need it. You don’t have to do everything on your own. There will always be someone who will be happy to help you out or give you a break. While you can hire someone to take over caregiving duties for a time, don’t forget that there are people in your life who can give a hand. Sometimes, all you need to do is ask.

Take breaks throughout the day. Give yourself time to breathe, rest, drink coffee at leisure, walk around the block, or just take in the sunshine. It will do wonders for your spirit.

Nurture your relationships. Relationships are important. While you have responsibilities as a caregiver, don’t spend every minute of every day taking care of someone else. Even more so when you’re going through a particularly challenging time. Renew yourself in the presence of people who support you, care about you and can laugh with you.

Eat healthy foods. Fruits and vegetables provide your body with what you need to stay energized. Anti-oxidants don’t just keep your skin glowing. They help your body combat stress, as well.

Exercise. Regularly engage in physical activity. Exercise lifts up your spirit in a natural way. Take the stairs whenever you can. Walk around the block. Stretch in the morning. It’s all good.

Keep up with your hobbies and interests. Refresh yourself by spending time on your interests. A hobby is a powerful tool for reducing stress. If you’re short on time, combine a hobby with physical activity. Take a walk and go birdwatching. Cultivate a garden, even if it’s only a couple of flowerpots in your backyard.

See your own doctor on a regular basis. Don’t just go to the doctor to take someone to their appointment. Keep up with your own checkups.

As a caregiver, what you do is very important. In the middle of the combined challenges of daily life and being responsible for someone else’s well-being, you also need to keep an eye on being aware of and managing your own stress. Here at DRM Genesis, we want to do what we can to ensure that caregivers are being cared for too.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a life-changing event that could happen anytime. Most instances of TBI are the result of a violent jolt or blow to the head, or a sharp object that penetrates the skull. Injury can also be caused during a fall or a body blow that causes the brain to move rapidly against the inside of the skull.

Although TBI could happen to anyone, those most at risk are young children (up to 4 years old), teenagers and young adults (15-24 years old), and seniors 75 years and older.

Symptoms and Complications

The symptoms of traumatic brain injury vary, depending on the severity of the injury. Mild TBI may include confusion, loss of memory or consciousness, nausea or vomiting, blurred vision, and mood changes. These symptoms may last anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours.

Severe TBI have more drastic symptoms, which appear as soon as an hour to several days after the initial injury. Symptoms include profound behavioral changes, inability to awaken, convulsions, and loss of physical coordination and/or consciousness up to several hours.

Immediate and Long-Term Care

In the time period immediately following a jolt or blow to the head, it’s important to assess the extent of the patient’s injury. Some cases may mild enough to only require monitoring over several hours or days. Others may be as severe as to need emergency surgery. In any case, a blow to the head must be taken seriously, particularly in children.

Moderate to severe TBI patients most likely require long-term medical help and monitoring. These include rehabilitation after the initial injury has healed.

Rehab therapy is conducted under a doctor’s supervision, with the help of a whole team of medical personnel. These trained specialists may include:

• doctors, such as the patient’s primary care physician and a doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation
• physical therapists to help with mobility and regaining the ability to perform physical tasks
• speech pathologists, for patients whose ability to communicate may have been affected by the injury
• psychiatrists, to help the patient cope with the emotional and psychological effects of their injury
• nurses, to assist doctors, patients and families in providing ongoing care and services
• nurse assistants and home health aides, who help with daily tasks such as hygiene, medication, etc.
• case manager, to oversee planning and care of the patient, and to serve as a liaison between the patient, the family and service agencies

The goal of this medical team is to get the patient back to doing daily activities that may have been hampered or lost through their injury.

Support for Patients and their Caregivers

When an individual suffers a traumatic brain injury, the immediate aftermath of the event will throw everyday life into chaos. As the injury heals and the patient slowly recovers, life will slowly return to a semblance of normality. However, long-term care for a TBI patient presents its own challenges and stresses. Care and support for the patient and caregivers are just as important in the weeks, months, and sometimes years after the injury.

Support groups in the form of organizations provide forums and valuable resources for patients and their families. Many of these are found both online and locally. Ask your doctor and/or case manager for information on linking you up with these one of these groups.

If you’re a caregiver, recognize and accept the stress that your caregiving responsibilities place on your life. Take a break every now and then. You will be better able to provide loving and compassionate care if you take good care of yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from experienced and caring professionals.

Traumatic brain injury changes a patient’s life in one instant. But the outlook for full recovery and long-term care is better than it’s ever been. Patients and their families have many resources, including trained and compassionate medical personnel, to help them cope with such an event. Every step, no matter how small, is an important milestone toward regaining a full life after TBI.

Creating family histories, journals or scrapbooks for Alzheimer’s patients offers a way to preserve memories and enhance relationships even as the disease continues its unrelenting march.

Many caregivers use scrapbooking as a therapeutic activity designed to both comfort and keep their patients busy. It is an enjoyable activity with rewarding results.

Benefits of Scrapbooking for Alzheimer’s Patients

Memory loss is one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s Disease. For affected families, it is also one of the hardest to deal with. Their loved one no longer recognizes family members, or remembers important events that they once loved to recall. Scrapbooking offers a way for families to reconnect, and has many other benefits for patients and their caregivers:

Memory Aid

A photo album of the people in an Alzheimer’s patient’s life – family members, caregiver, doctor, friends, etc. – could act as a memory aid. As memories fade, photos may help them recognize a loved one and “put names to the faces” around them.

Therapy

Trained professionals often use scrapbook albums as a type of therapeutic biography. Memories preserved in an album act as a bridge between an AD sufferer and his family, allowing them to celebrate a life well-lived before Alzheimer’s. Caregivers also develop a better understanding of their patients through these albums.

On the part of the patient, the photos and stories in albums will help stimulate long-term memory, promote feelings of well-being, and improve their communication with doctors and caregivers.

The creative process involved in scrapbooking also helps Alzheimer’s patients keep busy. They are able to use their time productively with tangible and satisfying results.

Comfort

Browsing scrapbooks of past events and family gatherings is one way for Alzheimer’s patients to remember their life history. If the need arises to move into a different residence, a scrapbook may ease their transition and help them become comfortable in the new environment.

Types of Scrapbooks for Alzheimer’s Patients

There are many types of scrapbooks and memory-keeping which are suitable for Alzheimer’s patients. A scrapbook or family album can be simple or elaborate. Below are some ideas for scrapbook albums:

Family Tree or Genealogy Album

This type of scrapbook is one of the simplest. It often only includes photos, names, birth dates, and birthplaces of family members. The purpose of this album is to show how people are related to others in the family. A variation would be to include an Alzheimer’s patient’s favorite memory of the person.

Family Interviews

Interview-style memory keeping helps record stories as they’ve been passed on from generation to generation. Questionnaires or recording devices may be used to preserve memories as they’re told.

Traditional Scrapbooks

Traditional scrapbooks are collections of photos, journaling, mementos and written stories. The form varies from bound books to loose-leaf pages in three-ring binders. The size ranges from pocketbooks to 12×12 albums (or larger).

Scrapbooking could be a rewarding hobby even for those struggling with dementia. There is a huge variety of scrapbooking products available in craft stores today. These include printed papers, stickers, colored pens, and more. When scrapbooking for, or with, an Alzheimer’s patient, start with just a few products to keep it from becoming overwhelming.

Photo Album Scrapbooks

A variation of traditional scrapbooks, photo album scrapbooking combines the ease of using slip-in photo albums with the fun and beauty of scrapbooking papers. All you need are an album, photos, pre-cut decorated papers and journaling cards. An example of a photo album scrapbook is the Project Life system by Becky Higgins.

Creating a scrapbook or photo album can be a satisfying activity for an Alzheimer’s patient. Family, friends, and other volunteers can begin the process and help complete the album. Scrapbooks are a way to celebrate a person’s accomplishments, keep family close, and preserve memories for future generations.