By Teresa Carr

Administrative Assistant

Safety Tips – More Light Helps – As people age, less light reaches the back of their eyes where they sense color and motion. Using 100-watt bulbs or higher makes things easier to see. (Don’t use bulbs that exceed the wattage rating on lamps and lighting fixtures, since this can present a fire hazard.) Put night-lights in the bedroom, bathroom, and hallways.

Ask your doctor for a referral to an occupational therapist who can help you devise other ways to prevent falls. Some solutions are easily installed and relatively cheap. Others may require professional help and more of an investment. If the plan is to stay in the home for many more years, an investment in safety and fall prevention may make that possible.

Note, a person with Alzheimer’s disease should have regular eye examinations because poor vision can contribute to confusion. These exams can also spot or detect other serious diseases, such as diabetes. Finding and treating symptoms early can prevent serious diseases from getting worse and leading to blindness. Tell the doctor of any medicines taken and also tell the doctor if there is a family history of glaucoma.

Changing Behaviors One Step at a Time Memory Care Sometimes, arguing, and refusing to follow directions, are the behaviors that accompany Alzheimer’s. Other times, the person is frustrated by feeling sick or without control over many aspects of their life, and takes these frustrations out on those around them, especially the caregiver. Remember, they are upset about the situation, not you. Sometimes we are not aware that our behaviors can affect other people’s behaviors. To be able to make changes in our interactions with others, we must try to improve on our behaviors one step at a time. Try these simple steps:

• Be generous with compliments. Do not wait for others to do significant accomplishments before you give them positive feedback. Say something nice whenever you catch them doing a good job, no matter how small.

• Be generous with your smiles. A smile can be encouraging for someone who is struggling to do a task and can foster self-esteem.

• Do not allow yourself to nurture negative thoughts. Try this trick: wear a rubber band on your wrist for a week. Snap it against your wrist whenever you catch yourself thinking unkind thoughts.

• Accept others for who they are and avoid being critical of them.

The Ohio Department of Development and ABCAP want to remind Ohioans that assistance is available to help with their home energy bills. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps Ohioans at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines pay their heating bills. Applications for the HEAP program must be received by May 31, 2022.

Just A Thought: “Do your little bit of good where you are. It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ~ Desmond Tutu