True life examples provide hope, guidance, and inspiration in “Adapting When Your Parent Becomes Your Child: Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support.” Empowering caregivers by providing must-have information, tools, and encouragement, it also gives ideas for adapting that can reduce stress and create joy. Sherry Lynn Harris details immediately useful advice as someone who has been there and knows from experience how best to support a loved one through the disease’s various stages. She poignantly describes how she cared for her mother for 18 years, discovering many innovative ideas, including ways to help caregivers cope emotionally. Ethical questions are explored, such as remuneration and resuscitation, as well as many suggestions on how to create fun playful moments. This guidebook can sustain the caregiver through many difficult issues including: Recognizing warning signals; Simplifying the environment to safely remain at home as long as possible; Putting financial and legal affairs in order, Evaluating when a move is necessary; Locating the next perfect home and helping adapt to it; Taking the car keys away; Using play and music to keep the brain active and engaged; and Calming ideas and redirection tools to avoid aggression. Easily understood descriptions of scientific studies describe what can be done to encourage brain health in those with Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as the positive effects of listening to music, or the benefits of dancing. This book offers many ways to provide support to your loved one with Alzheimer’s, not only advising what can be done at each stage, but explaining how to do it. This is particularly helpful in areas which may be new to you, such as the financial steps that need to be taken or end-of-life issues. This book sustains the caregiver through every stage of the AD experience, preparing them for what can be expected and providing ideas for adapting, making their job tremendously easier. A portion of the proceeds of each book sold is sent to the Alzheimer's Association in gratitude. 
 Pictures from Walk To End Alzheimer's Below
 

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A new way to detect Alzheimer's Disease with a household product. "In Alzheimer's patients, the left nostril was impaired so thoroughly, that on average has 10 centimeters less range than in the right in terms of odor detection."
Click the link to see the short video!
​Smelling Peanut Butter to Detect Alzheimer's Disease 

Caregiver Recognition Day on Jan. 30, designated by the Mayors of Thousand Oaks and Agoura and sponsored by Senior Concerns, was a huge success! Responses from attendees said they became less stressed and more relaxed during the uplifting day, achieving the goal set to support caregivers by giving them a “care-free” time to enjoy a lovely luncheon and event honoring them. Caregivers who - in order to participate - needed supervision for their loved one, were able to arrange for that with Senior Concerns, allowing them peace of mind and a brief interval of much appreciated rest and joy.
People were welcomed to Los Robles Greens with hot coffee or tea and invited to post a photo of their loved one on the Care Circle Board.

Over 85% of the attendees came alone, but we reassured them that they would have a lot in common with each person sitting at their table, because everyone was a caregiver.
The program began with seeing a peaceful scene of nature on the movie screens, as we were led into gentle yoga stretches without even leaving our chairs. This was a wonderful way to help caregivers release their usual role and instead allow themselves to be nurtured.  We did deep breathing to further relax and become centered in the moment. You could see the transition as lines of tension leaving faces all around the room; hear their deep intake of breath and their subsequent letting go of air, exhaling any remaining worry. In spite of the belief that relaxation was unlikely, caregivers were pleasantly surprised by  feeling a comfortable calmness.  We observed many faces where now a slight smile turned up the edges of the mouths – the same mouths which had entered such a short time ago tightly drawn with fatigue. A major shift was happening and we were all now ready to experience it; ready to let go of expectations, responsibilities, and obligations for these precious hours of soul satisfying enrichment.

The program continued with inspirational activities on gratitude and wonderful speakers, including an incredible funny comedian ( see clips at www.seniorconcerns.org ) It concluded by gifting attendees with a thank you bag filled with valuable “goodies.” As the over 175 attendees exited, the smiles were broader and firmly in place, knowing that they had personally received honor and appreciation for all they did as a caregiver. The posture was taller, the eyes were brighter, and the step was firmer, demonstrating they were now fortified to continue in their valued role as a caregiver.

​Sherry suggests caregivers join her at the Senior Concerns 2nd Annual Caregiver Recognition Day on Jan. 30th. 

Register for your free seat at seniorconcerns.org 

Check-in 9:30 am; program and luncheon 10 am until 1:30 pm at Los Robles Greens, 299 Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, CA

Had a great time speaking at the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks last week, here are some pictures and a summary of my talk with a humorous twist from their newsletter- 

Our dutiful, caring Vice President, Katy Porter, trying to make up for having Billy Martin last week, presents today’s guest speaker, Sherry Lynn Harris, with a note of sadness. The rst of her cadre, a girlfriend is already developing dementia. Truly it is all around all of us in one form or another. Alzheimer's is one all too common form of dementia. Lose your keys? Or like me, the phone, too. That’s, an example only that we are all a little o sometimes, so everyone can try to maximize their mental health with physical health. "Focus on what you can do," recommends Ms. Harris, author of Adapting to Alzheimer's. "Aging gracefully with memory change is indeed a challenge." Sherry's story is a personal one. Taking care of her mother for the past 18 years, she is amazed at how much she CAN still do, not what she can't. Memory problems are going to happen as we age 100% of the time. We need to examine in ourselves the signs and symptoms. We need to take action. We need to be proactive and nally, ultimately create joy. For me it is nding that joy within us all. In this more serene state of mind we can and betterment. It is easier to function. It helps us optimize brain health. It helps us determine if finding our keys in the freezer is really a cause for concern. Finding Buffalo's keys in the freezer, now that is a cause for concern. Even more so if he still has them in his pocket.  

 "What's the word for that hole? Sherry's mother asks. "A hole in the ground, Mom? Is there anything in that hole? Yes water, a Swimming pool? "No." In the ground with water, a well? A puddle, a toilet, “no,” the ocean, “no,” is it hot? And yes, a hole in the ground with hot water is a Jacuzzi. By then, it seemed like a good idea. Humor helps us deal. Write stuff down. Calendars and clocks seem to take on new dimensions. It is particularly important to keep a sense of humor when this person is driving. In the living room makes it even tenser. But, fortunately it is all without keys. Okay, if the signs concern you, the best first step is to get a Geriatric evaluation. Information will help you not worry if indeed there is no problem. We can all do some exercises to cope with life’s challenges and help stay more alert. The first is to breathe. Pause and assess your feelings. Be still. If you are ANXIOUS you are thinking of the FUTURE. If you are WORRIED, you are likely thinking of the PAST When you are at PEACE, you are in the NOW. Let's get a volunteer from the audience as we practice breathing. Suddenly, San is up, now she is down, now she is doing sit-ups. And burpees and now she is going after the boxing trainer. Stop SAN. This is not for you. Think of the past. Like a few months ago.

Develop coping strategies. Try journaling for a daily comfort dose. Not for you, try thinking of peaceful places for you…the ocean, forest, mountains, Bob Engler's back porch, the beach. Visualize where you feel the most at peace. "I've got it." Arnie has slipped into full-on meditation. A wine cellar. I am in a wine cellar. Hundreds of bottles. But wait, there is no corkscrew. Have a mini-mind vacation. If you are not sure how, ask Nick Cigan. He has been at it for years. Be proactive. Establish a routine. Repetition helps. Repetition helps. To sum up… Eat healthy food. Limit sugars. Unless it is brunch at Brendan's and it is a holiday party. Eat good foods like almonds, olive oil, and avocadoes. Hopefully Brendan's knows. Simplify your life. Make the Kiwanis Brunch on December 13th your only holiday party this season. And no gift-giving if it’s not See's candy. But, above all, don't focus on what you want and can't have, give thanks for what you have. And when you give, you receive. Bountifully