Whether a dog, cat, or even a fish, owning a pet has various benefits that can positively impact mental and physical health. Being a pet owner or simply spending time with an animal brings companionship, love and joy, and caring for an animal provides a sense of purpose. Animals are also judgment-free; by nature, animals are uncritical and loyal, making them excellent companions for all walks of life.

For all of these reasons, animal-assisted or pet therapy has been known to benefit people living with varieties of emotional, mental, and physical problems. Furthermore, new studies and advancements show that animal-assisted therapy can significantly benefit those with dementia.

When the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, it signals the beginning of a brand new chapter; a clean slate for everyone to refresh their daily routines, improve upon themselves, and start on their New Year’s resolutions! Resolutions are personal goals to set for yourself, whether you want to improve your health or make new strides in your career, friendships, or happiness. 

When it comes to music and dementia, there are many benefits to playing music within a memory care community. Not only can it help a person living with dementia improve their cognitive function, but it also has emotional benefits like reducing agitation and anxiety. These factors make music an essential part of any memory care plan.

It can be easy to dismiss the early signs of memory impairment in an older family member as part of the natural aging process. While aging can affect memory, such as forgetfulness, Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia exhibit more distinguished signs. Essential to the health of your older family members is your ability to differentiate between forgetfulness and something more severe.

When a person is living with dementia, behaviors can change over time – or even from day to day. Whether you are providing care within your home or are looking to learn more about the signs to watch for, we have prepared this helpful list of behavior changes that could be due to dementia.

While dementia affects everyone differently, there are certain approaches you can take that can help you find success in the caregiving journey and build trust with someone living with dementia.

When people hear the word “dementia,” they tend to only associate it with memory loss. While this is a significant symptom of the condition, many people don’t realize the other cognitive and psychological changes that can occur. Additional symptoms can include difficulty communicating, agitation, challenges with coordination and motor function, and more.

Many people associate dementia or Alzheimer’s disease with memory loss. While it’s true that memory loss is a significant component of these conditions, they can involve other symptoms as well. Experiencing memory loss does not always mean you have dementia, and vice versa; having dementia does not mean you will only experience memory loss.

Watching a family member living with dementia or another form of memory loss can be emotional. It can be challenging to see them forget meaningful events, cope with mood swings, and require more assistance. As the disease progresses, they may even have challenges with talking and communicating.

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that impacts more than 6 million Americans and causes memory loss, thinking difficulties, and behavior problems. However, many people only associate it with memory loss.