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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2019)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2019 | 9A The Flower Basket and Gift Boutique “A Flower Shop and so much more” Creative Floral Arrangements Jewelry • Balloons Home Décor Fine Gifts Boutique Clothing & Accessories Deliveries Locally and Worldwide Locally owned and operated since 1984 Quality and Satisfaction Guaranteed 119 South 6th Street • 541-942-0505 How to choose a dementia caregiver GREAT FOOD Daily Specials 40+ Craft Beers To-Go Orders Welcome 541-636-3692 OPEN 10AM-11PM EVERYDAY 85944 Hwy. 99S, Goshen, OR 97405 frenchysgoshen.com Fall Heating Tune-Up Only $119* We’ll make sure your system is running effectively and effi ciently. Call for details and an appointment today, and beat the winter rush! Complete Heating & Cooling System Service Reasonable Rates • All Work Guaranteed Comprehensive Family Medical Eye Care and Optical Services Welcome Anthony Grillo, MD A southern Oregon native, Dr. Grillo is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery. Call for an appointment today! Call 541-942-5000 257 N. 8th St. • www.pcvi.com Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm Official LASIK and Eye Doctors of the Oregon Ducks and Eugene Emeralds SOUTH LANE COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE The Only Emergency Medical Transport Service in South Lane County When a loved one is di- agnosed with dementia, a family’s life can turn upside down. In such situations, families may not know much about the disease, in- cluding what to expect with treatment and how soon before the dementia patient begins to need care that the family cannot capably pro- vide. Over time, dementia pa- tients’ loved ones are likely to benefit from the exper- tise and assistance of qual- ified dementia caregivers. It can be overwhelming for loved ones to offer the right level of care for someone who is unable to perform the activities of daily liv- ing. Bathing, medication management, dressing, and feeding are often very diffi- cult for dementia patients. The Alzheimer’s Asso- ciation says that provid- ing good care for someone with dementia goes beyond meeting basic needs. It also means finding caregivers who treat the whole person and provide an environ- ment that can enable the person to be safe yet inde- pendent. In order to get started, one should first assess the needs of their loved one with dementia. How many services he or she will re- quire depends on wheth- er that person can use the bathroom, walk, eat, or bathe independently. Alz. org says care needs tend to be lesser in the early stag- es of dementia. However, during the middle and end stages of dementia, 24-hour supervision and potential- ly more intensive medical care may be necessary. Some families start with a visiting caregiver who can come to the house. For example, a service like Vis- iting Angels is certified to offer care according to ad- vanced dementia care pro- tocols after working with leading dementia special- ists. Caregivers may offer companionship and help- ful reminders. Others may assist clients with personal tasks. One key aspect of dementia care is preventing wandering. Alz.org indi- cates that six in 10 people with dementia will wan- der. A person with Alzhei- mer’s may not remember his or her name or address and can become disorient- ed, even in familiar places. Caregivers can put proto- cols in place to help reduce wandering. Alert bracelets and GPS tracking devices can help in this regard as well. At some point, caregivers can help families transition someone with dementia to nursing facilities with memory care divisions. So- cial workers and other aides may help families navigate the legalities of medical insurance and long-term care insurance as well as government assistance pro- grams that may help offset the costs of more intensive care. It’s never too soon to de- velop a care plan for some- one with dementia. Qual- ified and compassionate caregivers can help ease the burden of dementia on pa- tients and their families. Staying Safe and Warm Like it or not, here it comes again: winter, along with snow and ice in many parts of the country. As seniors we need to take extra steps to stay safe, warm and healthy during cold weath- er. Investigate now whether your grocery store delivers. Groceries brought to your door can be a wonderful help when you can’t get out. Also keep on hand a few days’ worth of extra canned goods such as beans, fruits and vegetables, as well as cereals. Start now to find indoor walking locations, espe- cially if you get lots of snow and ice. Enclosed malls often open early to allow walkers. Look for local in- door tracks, perhaps as part of the parks and rec depart- ment. As incentive to keep to a routine, corral a few friends who also want to walk on a regular basis. If nothing else, use the aisles of the big box stores or ask about senior fees at the YMCA. Remember to get out among people. It’s healthier for us to have social con- nections so we don’t feel isolated, which can lead to depression. Look for an in- teresting weekly group to join. Call others to check in on days you can’t get out. Check your supply of warm winter clothing. A hat, coat and gloves are a good place to start, followed by socks and a scarf. Remember to dress in loose layers that trap body heat. Hypother- mia and frostbite can affect us faster than when we were younger. Put a thermom- eter outside your door or window so you know what to expect. Be sure you have enough batteries and flashlights in case of a power outages. Contact the National En- ergy Assistance Referral service at 1-866-674-6327 if you have trouble paying your heating bill, or think you will. Call them sooner rather than later, as many organizations have a set budget amount each year. Hand Sanitizers and the Flu With flu season just around the corner, there’s a new wrinkle to staying healthy this winter. Our old standby, the antiseptic hand sanitizer, has been found to not work as well as we be- lieved, especially with the influenza A strain. It’s all in how we use it, according to a recent study. First, choose a hand san- itizer that is at least 60% alcohol. Be sure to cover your whole hands, includ- ing nails. If you come in contact with wet mucus (from a sneeze or cough), it takes the sanitizer a full four minutes to kill the flu virus. (How many of us use sanitizer for four minutes? Not many.) Dry mucus (for example, on a shopping cart handle) takes less time. Hand washing, however, takes only 30 seconds to kill the flu virus and is thought to be more effective than using sanitizer. Here are some ideas for flu season: -- Does your grocery store deliver to your home or the parking lot? This will reduce your exposure. -- Take some antisep- tic wipes in a plastic bag- gie when you go out. Use them on the cart handles in stores. Carry a small re- fillable bottle of hand sani- tizer. -- Wash your hands thor- oughly when you get home. -- Once a week (or more often) wrap hand wipes around door knobs at home and let them dry overnight. The biggest step we can take is to get a flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the high-dose flu vaccine for seniors because it creates a stronger immune response, 24% higher than the stan- dard vaccine. There’s also an adjuvanted and a recom- binant vaccine (not made with eggs). Ask your doc- tor which you should get. Remember that it takes a few weeks for the vaccine to take effect. You Can Count on Us! We provide prompt and reliable, public transportation. Our experienced, courteous drivers will take you to appointments on time. FREE Special Event DEMENTIA SUPPORT Call 541-942-4493 for info. FOR EMERGENCY DIAL 911 Serving South Lane County. www.southlanefi re.org Medical Offi ces • Pharmacies ✓Serving the Communities of South Lane County South Lane Wheels 1450 Birch Ave, Cottage Grove southlanetransit.com 541-942-0456 Disclaimer: All vehicles are operated in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. South Lane Wheels complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Information about the transit agency, including information in non-English alternative formats, may be obtained by calling 541-942-0456 or rlinoz@southlanewheels.com Learn the symptoms of DEMENTIA, including ALZHEIMER’S, and learn how to support loved ones and friends who live with dementia. Wednesday October 23rd – 6:30 p.m. For more information call: Linda LaZar (541) 942-0054 1425 Daugherty Ave • Cottage Grove Refreshments will be served
