MY MEMORY BOOK. My Story IMPACT PROGRAM

Transcription

1 MY MEMORY BOOK My Story IMPACT PROGRAM

2 MY MEMORY BOOK My Story TABLE OF CONTENTS What is memory loss?... 1 About me... 6 My family history... 7 My story Education... 9 Awards and Recognition Work history My house My favorite things Movies Books Hobbies Places Music Medications...18 My Daily Routine...20 The material provided in this book, My Memory Book: My Story, is designed for educational and informational purposes only. The information is provided with the understanding that Peoples Home Health is not engaged in rendering medical or legal advice or recommendations from this publishing. You should not rely on any information from this book to replace consultations with qualified educational, health care or legal professionals to meet your individual needs. Reference to any program, service, treatment or therapy option is not an official endorsement by Peoples Home Health. Individuals with learning disabilities, parents and professionals are encouraged to fully investigate service and treatment options and providers that may be most appropriate for a specific individual. Peoples Home Health retains all copyright and other proprietary rights contained herein. Materials copyrighted by Peoples Home Health are for noncommercial personal and educational use only. Permission to otherwise reprint or electronically reproduce any document in part or in its entirety is expressly prohibited unless prior written consent is obtained from Peoples Home Health. Request for permission to reprint Peoples Home Health materials can submitted via fax to (850) Information copyrighted or owned by any individual or entity other than Peoples Home Health is for personal use only. Permission to otherwise reprint or electronically reproduce any document in part or in its entirety is expressly prohibited, unless prior written consent is obtained from the owner.

3 What is memory loss: Everybody forgets things from time to time. In general, the things that you tend to forget most easily are the things that you feel do not matter as much. The things that you tend to remember most easily are the things that are important to you - for example, a special birthday. However, there are normal, age related changes to your memory and other changes that may occur that are not associated with the normal aging process. There are certain factors that can affect your memory and can help determine the source or contributing factors for difficulty with memory. They can include the following: Poor concentration If your concentration is poor then you do not notice things as much, and do not retain things as much as you would normally. Poor concentration can be a result of simply being bored or tired. However, it can also be a symptom of depression and anxiety Peoples Home Health 1

4 Depression As well as poor concentration, some people with depression may also experience slowed thinking, which can cause memory problems until the depression clears. Do tell a doctor if you think that you are depressed, as treatment often works well. Other symptoms of depression include: loss of enjoyment and interest in life; abnormal sadness; weepiness; feelings of guilt or being useless; poor motivation; sleeping problems; tiredness; difficulty with affection; poor appetite; being irritable or restless. Again, if you or a loved one is suffering from any of these symptoms please tell your physician or nurse. Physical illness If you feel ill, this can affect concentration and memory. Certain illnesses can directly affect the way your brain works. For example, an underactive thyroid can slow down your body's functions, including your brain, and can make you more forgetful. Infections such as a chest infection or a urinary tract infection can also cause sudden confusion and memory problems, particularly in older people. Medicines Certain medicines can cause confusion and memory problems in some people. For example: some sedative medicines, some painkillers, some medicines that are used to treat Parkinson's disease, or steroid medicines. Also, if you are taking lots of different medicines, this can increase the risk of them interacting with each other, causing problems, including confusion and memory problems. Age As everyone gets older, it often becomes harder to remember things. However, again, there are normal age related changes to your memory and abnormal changes in memory that are not part of normal aging. One example is called age-associated memory impairment, which many people over the age of 60 have this common problem, and it is not dementia. For example, it tends to be harder to learn new skills the older you become, or you may more easily forget the names of people you have recently met. Dementia Dementia is the most serious form of memory problem. Dementia is a condition of the brain, which causes a gradual loss of mental ability, including problems with memory, understanding, judgment, thinking and language. In addition, other problems commonly develop, such as changes in personality changes in the way a person interacts with others in social situations, and swallowing difficulties, to name a few. As dementia progresses, a person's ability to look after ones self from day to day may also become affected. For more information on Dementia, please visit or Peoples Home Health

5 Continuing Progress: There are many activities that can be done at home or out in the community to improve thinking, memory and communication skills. Together with your family member choose interesting activities that will be motivating. Many activities may require assistance, particularly in the beginning. Your family member should be well rested before participating in an activity. If frustration occurs, stop for the day or change activities.! Encourage continued participation in as many hobbies/interests as possible (e.g., playing the piano, gardening, collecting items.) Schedule time during the day to work on these activities.! Encourage your family member to work on crossword puzzles to impr ove reading, writing and language skills.! During meal preparation or dressing, have your family member select an object you name. ("Give me the spoon" or Show me what is used for cleaning teeth. ) Always keep the instructions simple.! Label index cards for familiar routine activities: dressing, eating, hobbies, etc. Use the cards when participating in the activity. Encourage your family member to match the word to the object. Encourage your family member to name the object.! If your family member enjoys reading, ask questions about the reading material. Discuss the characters, the plot and have your family member determine what will happen next.! Have your family member follow a daily schedule of things to do. Plan relevant activities such as: picking up the mail, setting out ingredients for dinner, setting the table, walking the dog, watering plants.! When out in the community, review landmarks and have your family member explain the route for returning home or reaching a specific destination.! To improve memory and simple problem solving, have your family member put groceries and kitchen item away (e.g., utensils, silverware).! To improve memory and organization skills, have your family member bring in the mail daily at a specific time so it becomes a routine. Have them sort the mail by bills, junk mail, magazines, and mail addressed to certain people. Prioritize the mail by most important to least important.! Keep your family member active with interesting language activities Peoples Home Health 3

6 Continuing Progress: Cognition Often after an injury/illness to the brain, a person may experience difficulty with thinking and memory. This may be due to stroke, head trauma, tumor, or a neurological disease. The following list provides recommendations that will assist in enhancing thinking and memory skills.! Before communication begins, be sure to have your family member s attention.! Use a calendar for daily review of the date.! Before starting an activity, encourage your family member to recall the steps required to complete the task.! Always keep items in the same location to assist with recall.! Place important telephone numbers, such as doctor, pharmacy, hospital, and/or nearest relative close to the telephone where your family member can easily see it.! Provide frequent reminders to assist with recall.! Develop a routine/schedule or make a TO DO list for each day to assist with recall and completion of daily tasks.! Encourage your family member to participate with daily home activities and provide assistance as needed.! Discuss any future appointments and encourage your family member to write this information on a calendar or planner to assist with recall.! Encourage simple decision making during daily tasks and provide assistance as needed.! Encourage and assist your family member in developing new hobbies/interests. Set aside a specific time each day for participation in these tasks.! Provide supervision at home and in the community to ensure safety.! Encourage your family member to pay attention to the left or right side during all activities.! Always reinforce the improvement you notice and refrain from speaking to your family member in a child-like manner Peoples Home Health

7 Continuing Progress: Receptive Language Often after an injury/illness to the brain, a person may experience difficulty understanding or processing information being communicated. Language impairments are usually caused by a stroke, head trauma, or tumor. The following list provides recommendations to assist with improved communication with your family member when they are at home and in the community.! Use gestures, facial expressions or pictures to assist your family member with understanding what has been communicated.! Provide additional time for your family member to think about the information that was presented.! Provide additional time for your family member to respond to your statements and questions.! Use simple yes or no questions to determine what your family member wants, needs, or feels.! Present instructions using simple steps.! Always communicate using simple language. Avoid using complex sentences or abstract words.! Provide your family member with choices to assist with communication, (e.g.. Do you want to drink milk or juice?)! Always make sure the information was understood and repeat as necessary.! Always communicate information in a quiet environment with few distractions. Be aware of background noise such as televisions, telephones or radios.! Always reinforce the improvement you notice and refrain from speaking to your family member in a childlike manner.! Before communication begins, be sure you have your family member s attention Peoples Home Health 5

8 ABOUT ME My name is My birthday is My phone number is My address is My Primary Doctor is My Doctor s phone number is My Doctor s address is My home health provider is My home health provider s phone number is My home health provider s address is OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Peoples Home Health