A living will is a document that indicates what medical procedures or measures your loved one wants or does not want done to them during the last stages of life. But is it the best way to fulfill that purpose? Can the Living Will be used in another way?
My wife and I took care of her elderly father for seven years. During that time we had to make medical decisions for him. We were never asked for the living will. The doctors relied on our having the health proxy. At the end of his life my father-in-law was on a respirator. He was obviously in the last 48 to 72 hours of his life yet he was scheduled for dialysis the following day at 11:30 am. Doctors or hospitals are not going to forgo a procedure and risk being sued even if that procedure is useless.
A loss of mobility is associated with an increased risk of falls. Falls in the elderly population frequently result in wrist and hip fractures that may require surgery. There are a few simple measures that have been shown to decrease this risk of falls. One is environmental modification — removing trip hazards such as rugs and adding rails to stairs and bathrooms. Another is the use of a walking aid.
A caregiver must be able to determine a senior’s capacity for some activities. A seniors self-confidence is lost when they feel frustrated that they can’t do something right or can’t remember the rules of a game. Therefore, it is important to remember that an activity itself is the goal, not a specific outcome.
Wheeled walkers are also commonly referred to as Rollators. They come is a variety of shapes and sizes and with numerous optional features. Two of the most common types are 3 wheeled and 4 wheeled walkers.
The 3 wheel variety is more maneuverable and able to fit in more confined spaces. It offers less supports so is suitable for those requiring only mild to moderate assistance.
It is important to keep an activity appropriate to their ability. To over-stimulate a senior with memory difficulty can add frustration for both the senior and the caregiver. It may also cause the senior to withdraw further to avoid embarrassment and frustration.
Here is a list of some activities for Alzheimer’s to consider:
- Simple games
- puzzles
- watering plants
- dusting
- polishing
- flower arranging
- playing cards
- folding laundry or towels
- taking a walk
- baking cookies
- mixing ingredients
- cooking
- baking cookies
- watching movies
- reading aloud
- listening to music
- singing songs
- dancing
- weeding and gardening
- looking up names in a phone book
- reminiscing
- looking at old family photographs
- simple conversation
- cutting simple pictures from greeting cards
- playing or moulding clay or play dough
Keep the pace simple, remove expectations, and know that just caring to do creative activities with an Alzheimer’s patient adds to their quality of life. Smile, laugh and enjoy them
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