1. Dust Lightbulbs

2. Switch Up Your Fans

5. Reorganize Bookshelves

Happy Spring from Sostek Home Care!!

The Definition of Dementia
• Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging.
• Well into the second half of the 20th century, dementia of the elderly was called senile dementia or senility and viewed as a normal aspect of growing old rather than as being caused by any specific disease.
• Dementia is a non-specific illness syndrome (set of signs and symptoms) in which affected areas of cognition may be memory, attention, language, and problem solving. It is normally required to be present for at least 6 months to be diagnosed.
• Causes include many different specific disease processes, however Alzheimer’s disease accounts for as much as 70% of all the dementia-related disorders.

How does AD differ from Dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of illness characterized by a progressive loss of memory and other cognitive functions. This includes loss of ability to carry out routine daily activities,self care and even social graces.

● Brain Anatomy and Functioning

○ Cortex, involved in thinking, planning & remembering○ Hippocampus, area with a key role in forming new memories

● Each person is an individual and the disease presents differently in different people

○ Some individuals may become anxious or aggressive, others may repeat certain questions or gestures.

•  Alzheimer’s tissue has many fewer nerve cells and synapses than a healthy brain

● Plaques, abnormal clusters of protein fragments, build up between nerve cells
● Dead and dying nerve cells contain tangles, which are made up of twisted strands of another protein

Scientists are not absolutely sure what causes cell death and tissue loss in the Alzheimer’s brain, but these plaques and tangles are prime suspects

ADVANCED STYLE.

Approaches for the Caregiver

● Non-confrontative speech and actions
● Check environmental cues and triggers; such as lighting, shadows, noise
● Visual signs, i.e..”STOP, TOILET” instead of words
● Finger foods
● Pacing patterns, allows for energy to be expended

○ Cover doorways to redirect from exits

● Break down ADL (activities of daily living) tasks into steps, i.e…brushing teeth then bathing then dressing for bed
● Words may lose their meaning for an individual with AD, modify your communication accordingly; speak slowly and clearly while trying to avoid confusing language

○ Enhance your message with visual cues; facial expressions and gestures are helpful

● Approach from the front in a friendly, gentle manner

○ Smile and use touch in your communication
○ Utilize direct eye contact and speak slowly

● Turn off background noises which may be distracting
● Avoid questions, open ended questions or requests, be direct and engage in decision making with only one or two choices

○ Try using “Let’s go to the store” instead of “Do you want to go to the store?” or “Is there anything you need at the store?”

● Always remain as calm as possible

○ Emotional areas of brain will pick up on your mood if you are upset; Smile and use facial cues, a positive mood is best

● Use humor, laugh as much as possible, have a happy demeanor but do not tease!

○ Conversations need to have a very literal interpretation, sarcasm, dry humor or teasing will most likely not be picked up by the patient

● Move and speak slowly, quick movements may trigger a negative reaction or frighten the patient
● Explain what you are doing clearly and concisely
● Surround their environment with familiar objects, pictures or furniture

One of the unfortunate parts of this disease is that it affects people who have spent their entire lives being productive, whether it be as a homemaker, a businessman, a firefighter etc… Once the disease makes progress, the patient may feel as though they are no longer able to contribute. This, of course, is certainly not true! As the family and friends of an AD patient, we know that just having their presence is enough to suffice but for the patient themselves, being able to contribute in any small way may uplift their spirits! Our resident social worker has provided us with some small projects that caregivers and family alike can do with a family member suffering from AD that will not only stimulate their mental functions but, more importantly, will provide some much needed enjoyment! Remember though, AD can be extremely frustrating for the patient, they may not remember how to do things that used to come naturally, so be patient and understanding with them – and be as helpful as you can!

Activities to Engage an AD Patient

● Some activities may help the patient feel a part of what is happening around them.

○ Gardening, cooking, raking leaves and simple household chores are good examples

● Activities that provide an opportunity for self-expression

○ dancing, singing, playing a musical instrument, drawing, painting or coloring

● Try to include some form of exercise in each day’s activities.

○ Walking, throwing a ball, or playing with a pet are simple but provide adequate exercise

● Find a simple task that the person can do with little supervision if the caregiver/family member needs to take care of other necessary household tasks
● Remember that an AD patient’s ability to perform a certain task may vary from day to day or moment to moment
● Do not ask the patient to do a simplified version of an activity or craft in which they once excelled. Their awareness of the skill loss may be painful.
● Encourage and praise the person’s effort regardless of the apparent skill level.

And remember: Creating an atmosphere of quiet activity promotes the feeling that the memory-impaired person continues to be important. Restlessness decreases, and life is more enjoyable for everyone. Enjoy!!

P.S. Do you have any activities that you have found to be successful? We’d love to add to our list!

Alzheimer Disease impacts over 5 million Americans at present and the number is expected to grow to as many as 16 million by the year 2050!
Any funds raised by the walk will go directly to the Alzheimer’s Association for research, educational programs and advocacy.

Sostek Home Care continues to be committed to supporting our community through our involvement in many important causes. Donald
Sostek, our Director, is an active member of the Board of Director’s at the Alzheimer’s Association. He has personally seen the devastation of
Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as professionally helping thousands of families to cope with the issues of caring for a loved one with the disease.

Please consider supporting our team at Sostek Home Care. Any donation, large or small is greatly appreciated. We are aware of these difficult
economic times and truly understand if you are unable to contribute at this time. Please feel free to join us on our walk on September 24th!

For online donations http://alzwalk.kintera.org/neponsetvalley/sostek

To mail a donation, checks can be made to Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire Chapter

Mail to:

Alzheimer’s Association
Attn: Walk to End Alzheimer’s
311 Arsenal St
Watertown, Ma 02472

Contact us with any questions at 617-244-8560.
Let’s make a difference together for a World without Alzheimer’s Disease!

Sincerely,
Team Sostek Home Care

Every 69 seconds, another person in America develops Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and of Americans over 65, one in eight have the disease in some degree (Source: Alzheimer’s 2011 Facts & Figures). Alzheimer’s is a heartbreaking condition that affects an entire family and can be a frightening journey for those who are suffering. Thankfully, public awareness of the disease has been on an upward curve in recent years and in the video below you can watch a video from President Obama calling for Alzheimer’s Disease to be made a national priority. As you may or may not know, Sostek Home Care is extremely involved raising awareness for AD and for us, seeing the President addressing the issue is a huge step in the right direction. We will be doing our part to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association by participating in the 2011 Walk to End Alzheimer’s on September 24th. If you would like to donate to our team or if you have any questions on how to get involved in a Walk in your hometown, please email me at olivia@sostekhomecare.com.

Stay posted for more information about our Walk team as the event date draws closer.

Be Well!
- Olivia

A Message from the President of the United States – YouTube.

If you’ve landed here it means you have come across the recently redesigned website for Sostek Home Care, a local home care agency based out of Newton, Massachusetts. This blog will, in the coming weeks and months, grow into a resource for information on aging and personal stories from former clients, home care professionals and the like. However, for this first post, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself, our company and what it’s like to have grown up in this unique industry.

To begin, my name is Olivia Sostek. My family has owned and operated this home care agency for three generations, and it has always been a part of my life, right from the very beginning. I will be the primary administrator for this blog, as well as for our website and social networks. I wanted to begin this blog by sharing with you some insight into our company. Because family is so important to me, I want you to feel like it’s all of our family helping all of yours. So here is, in my words, a little bit about us.

My grandmother, Cecily Sostek, started Sostek Home Care out of her kitchen in the 1950s as a baby nurse agency. The agency was born out of a desire from my grandmother’s friends to have some help after coming home with a new baby. It started out small – with Cecily referring her own “mother’s helpers” to new mom who inquired, but soon word got around and more and more women were coming to her to get a baby nurse. Cecily was unlike any other woman you’d ever meet. I have always thought she reminded me of Lucille Ball: smart & quick witted with an ambitious spirit. She was the type of woman who didn’t know the meaning of the words “I can’t”. Her newborn care agency was one of the first of its kind; not to mention a business created from the ground up, by a woman, at a time when this alone was rare. It’s no wonder she became pioneer in the field.

Cecily and Donald

In the early 1980s, my father Donald Sostek, began working with his mother at what is now the well-known Sostek Home Care Agency. At this time, the company began branching out to help both newborns and the elderly, as they found there was a growing need for care for older generations. My father would soon take over the company as president. Donald, a graduate of Union College, immersed himself in the business from a very compassionate place. He sought out to learn every aspect of the field and grew to find that elder care was a strong market to be in, however not so much from a business aspect as from a caring point of view. He saw that seniors needed the ability to maintain their independence and dignity, something that for most meant being able to remain in their homes. As the years progressed my father found a great passion for the senior community, and he was determined to give seniors the ability to stay as active and independent as possible by working closely with families to design successful care plans and leading balance classes to increase confidence. Much of his attention became focused on raising awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease. He began leading workshops, giving lectures and eventually was selected to sit on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts. All of his work would come full circle when sadly, his mother, Cecily, a pioneer of the industry, developed early stage Alzheimer’s in the mid 2000s.

Cecily put up a strong fight against the disease, insisting she didn’t need the help. It always seemed less like Alzheimer’s and more like her ferociously independent spirit, however the symptoms of the disease were all there. Just mere months before she passed, she could be found with her daughter, Ellen, laid out on the beach in a swimsuit soaking up the sun. Sadly, in March of 2010, Cecily passed away surrounded by her loving family and a legacy most would be envious to have.She left her children, Bruce, Ellen and Donald, as well as her grandchildren, Alan B, Alan R, Alyssa, Rebecca and myself, as it always is, too soon. However her words, her humorous wisdom and of course, her amazing life story could never be forgotten.

Olivia, Donald & Cecily

Which brings our story to present. Donald is still at the helm of Sostek Home Care, carrying on the legacy of Cecily’s work. Our company has recently completed a transition from baby and elder care to exclusively elder care, and we are as busy as ever. This is also where I enter. I have always been around the company. Come to our office and you will surely find pictures of me, no more than 8 or 9 years old, sitting proudly at my father’s desk filing papers or pretending to answer phones. Since then, I have always popped in and out to work on a project here or there. No matter what job I was at, I always felt like I had one foot at Sostek Home Care. Currently I am managing our company’s social media presence (shameless Facebook plug! Please “Like Us” on Facebook!) and have just recently finished our new website which is now live. This agency has been an important part of my life and our family for over 50 years and I am proud to say that one day I will have the privilege of being passed the “torch” to carry on Cecily’s legacy and bring Sostek Home Care to a whole new generation of families.

So thank you for taking the time to read a little bit about us from a personal point of view and I do hope that you check back often to find more resources on senior living as well as hopefully more personal accounts from past clients and maybe even a special guest article from Donald himself!

♥ Olivia

P.S.: In honor of Cecily…..for every new “fan” on Facebook that we get by the end of this year, we will make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association!