HomeCare

If you've seen 50 First Dates with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, you know that memory for some people can be a tricky thing.

If you have a parent you are losing to Alzheimer's, you know firsthand. Here are some tips for keeping the memories of your loved one, new and old, for the future.

1. Use what you have at your fingertips.

Your phone can be a great way to keep and store memories of and with your loved ones. Start by creating a shared drive online where the whole family can see what's been uploaded, whether pictures or videos. Then, if you want to get a little more advanced, you can add other storage options using applications or online platforms.

Common photo sharing tools include Drop box, Flickr, iCloud Photo Stream and Google+ Photos. The Verge rated these as some of the best photo apps for keeping memories in the cloud.

Other options from PC Mag that are specifically for sharing memories include Smile box, Picaboo, Mix book and Shutter fly.

2. Keep photo albums/scra

Whether your staffs is helping seniors in their own home or in a community care setting, rising temperatures can increase the risk of dehydration. Here are some tips and resources to help you ensure that seniors stay hydrated this summer.

Encourage staff to offer water frequently - Avoid sugary options and create flavoured waters and beverage stations throughout your community.

If outdoors - make sure staffs encourage hats, sunglasses and sunscreen. Make sure your seniors are dressed appropriately with lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.

Seniors may not compensate for heat stress efficiently - and are less likely to sense and respond to change in temperature. Cool showers are a good way to help them cool off and feel refreshed. Cool washcloths may be offered as a way to cool off.

Making fresh lemonade and hand held fans can be a fun activity for everyone!

Summer Heat Safety Tips

1. Train you staff to recognize symptoms of heat related stress. Click here to learn mo

A new study published in WebMD found that managing difficult patients instead of using antipsychotic medications could have better results.

According to the report and the study's author at the University of New South Wales in Australia, drugs like Risperdal, Abilify, Seroquel and others are approved to treat psychiatric conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but they are also used to calm aggression in seniors from dementia.

This study suggests that through training nursing staff to focus on resolving issues instead of medicating to reduce the risk of falls and deaths associated with the use of powerful antipsychotics. In this case, of 156 patients at 24 nursing homes who regularly took antipsychotics and were older than 60, 135 were taken off the drug and 76 percent were still not using them after 12 months.

A release from Alzheimer's Society reported that "90 percent of people with dementia experience behavioural and psychological symptoms, such as aggression, agitat

As your loved ones age, it's important that you speak with them about what to take with them every time they leave the house. Most of the time, forgetfulness or being in a rush can affect what you bring with you (and it doesn't get easier with age). Much like a pregnancy go-bag, having things prepared ahead of time can help your loved ones avoid making mistakes or getting into a precarious situation. The first step is dedicating a single location for these things so that your loved ones know exactly where to find the things they need (developing a routine for the future). These items are also good carry-ons should you need to get on a flight.

1. Keys and a driver's licenseWhether your loved one can still drive or not, they should never leave home without a house key and some form of identification. This is why a bowl or a drawer works great for storage near the door. Anyone can forget their driver's license in their wallet or a different bag, but if for some reason, they get in an acc

A South Carolina retirement community is using music to help Alzheimer's patients. And it's working, reports NBC News.The Foothills Retirement Community in Easley uses music as a way to sharpen the mind.

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America suggests that even in the late stages of Alzheimer's, it can be beneficial, shifting moods, managing stress or agitation, facilitating cognitive function and coordinating motor movement.

Music is their recommendation because the "rhythmic and other well-rehearsed responses require little to no cognitive or mental processing."

According to the foundation, music links us to our memories and can have a positive response, certain tempos of music can stimulate or sedate and can allow for movement or closeness to loved ones from dancing, rocking, or singing (some form of engagement).

This foundation has a how-to of music therapy for each stage. Check it out here.

A study reported on by Psychology Today indicates that background music - when

New research from a study from Pennsylvania State University suggests that older adults who participate in cognitive training are more likely to be driving 10 years later than those who don't.

Two training exercises seemed to have the best results: reasoning and divided attention, according to a release from the university. The former had brain teasers that taught problem solving and the latter focused on perception, with individuals being shown objects on a screen and answering questions about what they saw. Memory training was also used, having participants categorize lists of words, such as errands or a grocery list.

Those who experienced these two types of training were 49 to 55 percent more likely to still be drivers 10 years after the completion of the study. Those who received additional divided attention training were 70 percent more likely to still be driving at the end of that time. These participants were assessed seven times in 10 years of study.

Lesley A. Ross,