| ional treatment for Alzheimer's disease focuses on | | | | declining and painting or drawing is difficult, she |
| medication, emotional support, and forms of | | | | may enjoy the tactile work of sculpting or simply |
| behavior modification to help a person remember | | | | painting with a larger brush. |
| better and cope with everyday activities. Here | | | | * What you can do: Don't worry if the person |
| are some additional forms of therapy that have | | | | you're caring for was never very "artsy." Provide |
| also been found useful for people with the | | | | safe, nontoxic, easy-to-use materials and |
| disease. You can find therapists who provide such | | | | encourage her to spend time with them. (Even |
| services or adapt them for use at home. | | | | crayons and pages torn from coloring books |
| Note that no therapy of any kind has been found | | | | work. Offer adult coloring books or nonjuvenile |
| to reverse the effects of Alzheimer's. But it's | | | | images if she's sensitive to this.) If you're unsure |
| possible to slow its course or simply improve the | | | | how to proceed on your own, look into adult |
| quality of life for someone battling the disease. | | | | daycare programs, where art therapy is often |
| As many pet owners will attest, just being around | | | | used and attendees enjoy feeling like they're |
| an animal can have a soothing effect. This is the | | | | learning a skill or creating something. |
| idea behind pet therapy for people with | | | | Visit your local museum together often. Weekday |
| Alzheimer's disease, who are at particular risk for | | | | mornings are least likely to be crowded. Between |
| anxiety and depression. In this kind of therapy, | | | | the large collections and her short-term memory, |
| the pet's human companion introduces the animal | | | | this is one outing that can seem new every time |
| -- whether it's a dog, cat, guinea pig, or other | | | | for quite a long while. |
| domestic pet -- to the person with Alzheimer's | | | | Storytelling. Storytelling is another therapy that |
| and helps the interaction go smoothly and safely. | | | | taps into creativity. A caregiver or other |
| These visits generally occur in nursing homes, | | | | companion presents the patient with a picture or |
| adult day centers, and hospitals, but of course the | | | | series of pictures and invites her to construct a |
| idea can be used in the home as well. | | | | corresponding storyline. As in art therapy, |
| The benefits of pet therapy include lowering | | | | communicating about an image doesn't require |
| anxiety and stress, encouraging communication, | | | | remembering anything, which can be an |
| improving mood, and lowering blood pressure. | | | | intimidating and uncomfortable aspect of other |
| People with Alzheimer's may feel especially | | | | conversations. Storytelling exercises creativity, |
| comfortable with a pet because it lets them | | | | gives emotional release, and provides caregivers |
| interact nonverbally. | | | | with interesting insights into the life and mind of |
| * What you can do: The person you're caring for | | | | the person with Alzheimer's. |
| probably isn't capable of looking after a pet, so it's | | | | In storytelling therapy, as in art therapy, the key |
| not a good idea to run out and buy her a kitten | | | | is letting the person with Alzheimer's take the lead |
| unless someone is available around the clock to | | | | once the activity is introduced. The companion |
| provide its care. But even pet therapy that | | | | simply helps the story along by asking basic |
| doesn't involve direct contact with pets -- | | | | open-ended questions. Sometimes the story is |
| bird-watching and looking at an aquarium -- seems | | | | written down. |
| to have positive effects. Research funded by the | | | | * What you can do: Find a coffee-table book with |
| Pet Care Trust, a nonprofit foundation, and | | | | large images. At a relaxing, quiet time, when there |
| conducted by Purdue University, found that | | | | are no distractions to interrupt or confuse your |
| Alzheimer's patients provided with aquariums | | | | family member, sit down with her and look at the |
| gained weight (indicating better nutritional intake -- | | | | book together. You can also use postcards, |
| people with Alzheimer's often have trouble eating | | | | calendar images, or a magazine. (Avoid celebrity |
| adequately) and showed less aggression. Try | | | | or historic photos, which cause the person to get |
| setting up an aquarium or bird feeders outside a | | | | stuck trying to remember the "right" details.) Say, |
| favorite window view. | | | | "Let's make up a story about this funny picture," |
| Whether spiritual activities include prayer, religious | | | | or "I wonder what she's thinking about. What do |
| services, or visits with someone who offers | | | | you think?" Avoid asking questions that might feel |
| faith-based counsel, they have a therapeutic | | | | like tests. ("What's that?") Stress the fact that |
| effect on many people with Alzheimer's disease. | | | | there are no right or wrong answers. Offer |
| Spirituality and faith offer stress relief, hope, and | | | | open-ended prompts to help move the story |
| reassurance. Some studies have found that | | | | along. |
| people with probable Alzheimer's who have higher | | | | Look into TimeSlips, a facilitator-led |
| levels of religiosity show slower rates of mental | | | | storytelling-therapy method designed for groups, |
| decline. | | | | developed by Ann Basting, director of the Center |
| What's more, religious participation usually involves | | | | on Age and Community at the University of |
| regular events, rituals, or traditions. Repeated over | | | | Wisconsin Milwaukee. |
| the years, these memories tend to be wired | | | | Reminiscence therapy. Different from storytelling, |
| more fixedly in the brain of someone with | | | | which doesn't specifically involve memories, |
| Alzheimer's. That's why someone with Alzheimer's | | | | reminiscence therapy invites a person with |
| may find religious or spiritual activities comforting | | | | Alzheimer's to exercise her long-term memory by |
| and easy to follow. These activities also offer an | | | | encouraging her to share positive recollections |
| opportunity to socialize and bond with family, | | | | from younger days. Especially in the earlier stages |
| friends, and members of the community. | | | | of the disease, she may still remember with |
| * What you can do: Make provisions for the | | | | astonishing clarity events and people from |
| person in your care to continue attending her | | | | childhood and young adulthood. Old photo albums, |
| routine religious services as long as possible. If her | | | | mementos, and music are common tools used to |
| behavior is erratic and sometimes disruptive, see | | | | generate this type of conversation. |
| if a "quiet room" is available. (Usually used by | | | | Focusing conversations on these more solid |
| mothers of young children, this spot is helpful for | | | | memories can improve her mood, encourage |
| people with Alzheimer's, too.) Try going to early | | | | verbalization, and raise self-esteem. |
| or midweek services where attendance is lightest. | | | | * What you can do: Keep the atmosphere |
| Consider other things that may nourish her | | | | relaxed so she doesn't feel like she's being given a |
| spirituality, too. For some people, that's a walk in | | | | memory quiz. When children and grandchildren are |
| the woods, looking up at the night sky, listening to | | | | involved as listeners, a person with Alzheimer's |
| classical music, or meditation. | | | | may feel especially proud to be able to share |
| If you've ever found yourself singing a pop song | | | | pieces of family history. As a bonus, you may |
| you haven't heard since high school -- and | | | | learn things about her you didn't know or may be |
| knowing the lyrics -- you have some idea of the | | | | moved to record new and familiar tales on tape |
| power of musical memory. Someone with | | | | or paper to preserve them. |
| Alzheimer's might not remember breakfast, yet | | | | Massage therapy. Perhaps one of the most |
| the lyrics of old favorites from 50 or 60 years | | | | unexpected therapies for someone with |
| ago may be at the tip of her tongue. | | | | Alzheimer's disease is massage therapy. In all |
| Listening to familiar music is both enjoyable and | | | | people, the healing power of touch is well |
| comforting. It can relieve stress and anxiety and | | | | documented. It can trigger the relaxation |
| improve mood. People with Alzheimer's often | | | | response, lower blood pressure, and reduce the |
| "open up" and start to clap and sing along. In | | | | pain of chronic diseases. Few studies have been |
| group settings, music may prompt listeners to | | | | done on massage for Alzheimer's patients, but so |
| reminisce about their past and interact with one | | | | far it's been found to reduce episodes of |
| another. At music therapy programs in adult | | | | wandering and other agitated behaviors associated |
| daycare or assisted living facilities, caregivers may | | | | with anxiety. Massage can also help people with |
| arrange live performances or music with dancing, | | | | the disease sleep better, ease muscle pain and |
| which has the added benefit of encouraging | | | | tightness, and ward off depression. Massage |
| exercise. | | | | therapy is sometimes combined with |
| * What you can do: Select music carefully, and | | | | aromatherapy (see below). |
| stick to what you know your loved one likes and | | | | * What you can do: Ask the person you're caring |
| enjoys. (If you're not sure, look for CDs or old | | | | for if she'd like to try it. Someone who's |
| LPs of tunes from her 20s and 30s, when almost | | | | apprehensive or has never had massage may |
| everyone is most attuned to popular music. You | | | | want to start with hand, foot, or back rubs. |
| may even be able to borrow some from the | | | | Massage therapy only works when the person |
| library to try them out.) Playing music during | | | | feels at ease with it. She may be very sensitive |
| meals may improve appetite, and calmer music | | | | to touch or may feel uncomfortable with a |
| played before bedtime may help her get to sleep | | | | stranger or even a family member touching her in |
| more easily and agreeably. | | | | this way. Be sure that if you hire a professional |
| Some people with Alzheimer's enjoy making | | | | massage therapist, she knows that her client has |
| music. Many children's musical toys are appropriate | | | | dementia. Realize that you don't have to sign her |
| without seeming juvenile, so look for maracas, | | | | up for a full body massage in order to harness |
| tambourines, xylophones, or toy lap harps (zither) | | | | the benefits of the power of touch: Hug her, hold |
| that offer easy-to-follow music sheets or can | | | | hands, touch her gently when you talk to her. |
| simply be plucked when she can no longer follow | | | | Aromatherapy. The use of essential oils from |
| the written notes. | | | | flowers and other plants to treat physical and |
| Both viewing and creating works of art can be | | | | mental disorders has a long history dating back |
| therapeutic. Walking through a museum or gallery | | | | thousands of years. Certain scents appear to |
| is a great way to relax a person with Alzheimer's | | | | work directly on connections in the brain to create |
| disease while providing some exercise. Talking | | | | associated responses. Scented oils can be applied |
| about certain pieces with a companion or a group | | | | directly to the skin (in diluted form) during |
| on a special tour gives her a chance to converse | | | | massage, burned to release their scent into the |
| about something in the moment without worrying | | | | air, or placed in bathwater. Some nursing facilities |
| about failing to remember names or facts. (And | | | | use aromatherapy to calm residents. This therapy |
| art interpretation, after all, is up to the individual, | | | | hasn't been well studied with Alzheimer's, and as |
| so there's also a freedom of expression.) This, in | | | | the disease progresses the sense of smell is |
| turn, can be a huge mood booster and way to | | | | often impaired, so it's unclear whether people with |
| increase self-esteem. | | | | advanced Alzheimer's can benefit from it. |
| Working on an art project can help release | | | | * What you can do: The relaxing and stimulating |
| emotions in a safe, healthy way. If done in a | | | | powers of scents may be worth trying at home |
| group setting, art also generates conversation and | | | | if you find the idea appealing. Even familiar scents |
| encourages bonding among participants. Using | | | | like chocolate chip cookies or pine needles can |
| different tools, a person with Alzheimer's practices | | | | trigger happy memories. |
| hand-eye coordination: If fine motor skills are | | | | |