Caring For, and About, Veterans with Dementia

Occasionally, we all forget an appointment or lose track of where we parked our car. But what if we go somewhere and then can't recall where we've been? Or we struggle to remember once-familiar faces, have trouble following simple conversations or find ourselves suffering from extreme mood swings? For some people, these symptoms may signal a serious health problem such as dementia. Dementia, including a very common form called Alzheimer Disease, affects about one in 13 Canadian seniors, many of them veterans. Veterans Affairs Canada is working hard on many fronts to help veterans who live with this condition, and their caregivers.

VAC's Dementia Care Initiative

Veterans who suffer from various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer Disease, often have very specific care needs. We believe it is important that these veterans are cared for by people who understand their condition and have the appropriate training and skills. Through our Dementia Care Initiative, we're partnering with five long-term care facilities to fund specialized education and training for their staff. As part of this program, staff at these locations are learning how to better assess residents' needs and provide them with the most appropriate type of care. For some staff, this has helped to reduce the stress and anxiety that often are associated with caregiving. We also know that many veterans who suffer from dementia continue to live at home. Through this Initiative, we plan to look at ways to better support and care for community-based veterans with dementia.

Safe Haven

This spring, many veterans and their families were on hand to celebrate the official opening of a new 47-bed veterans' residence in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Veterans Health Unit, located on the grounds of the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, offers veterans high quality health care services in the comfort of a home-like environment. The facility also incorporates many innovative features to safeguard residents, particularly those who have dementia. For example, sensors built into the environment can immediately alert staff to a veteran who may need assistance but can't call for help. The residence also is equipped with a system that can help to monitor changes in a resident's wandering patterns. Wandering is one of the more common behaviours associated with dementia but when a patient's pattern of wandering changes it can mean the patient is in distress. Funding for the $4.9 million residence was provided by VAC through an agreement with the Province of New Brunswick. The facility is operated by the Region 3 Hospital Corporation.

Caring for Those Who Care

About 80% of the veterans who live at Ste. Anne's Hospital are affected, to some degree, by dementia. Ste. Anne's Hospital is a federal hospital administered by VAC. Providing support to the families of residents is a very important part of the work that is done by our staff. At Ste. Anne's, we encourage family members to work in partnership with us to develop and carry out a care treatment plan for their loved one. After all, they have spent a lifetime loving and caring for the veteran and they can often suggest meaningful ways to maintain their loved one's quality of life. Linda Carbonneau, Community Health Nurse at Liaison Day Care Centre of Ste. Anne's Hospital, offers these words of wisdom to families:

• Visit your loved one. All people, including those with memory loss, need human contact. They need to be hugged. They need to hear your voice. They may not know you but as long as you know who they are, that's all that matters.
• Get information. The more you know about your loved one's illness, the better equipped you are to help him or her.
• Set your limits. You must admit that you can't do everything. Get the help you need.
• Accept your emotions. If you feel negative emotions, don't think it makes you a bad caregiver. It simply means that you're human.
• Smile. Laughter is wonderful medicine...for you and your loved one.

The 10 Warning Signs

The Alzheimer Society has developed a checklist of symptoms that can indicate a person may be affected by Alzheimer Disease. They are:

• Memory loss that affects their ability to function;
• Difficulty performing familiar tasks;
• Problems with language;
• Disorientation of time or place;
• Poor or decreased judgement;
• Problems with "abstract" thinking, such as not understanding the concept of what a birthday is or the meaning of numbers;
• Rapid or dramatic changes in mood or behaviour;
• Unexplained changes in personality;
• Loss of initiative.

If you know someone who has several of these symptoms, please urge them to see a doctor.

Controlling Wandering

Wandering is one of the more challenging behaviours associated with Alzheimer Disease. Those with Alzheimer Disease wander for many reasons: they may be too hot or too cold; they may be hungry or in pain; or they may be trying to "recreate" an activity they used to do. To help your loved one, you can:

• keep a diary of when the wandering occurs;
• remove things around the home that may be triggering the wandering;
• provide them with visual clues that can help to reduce their confusion;
• encourage safe and supervised exercise for your loved one;
• join the Alzheimer Wandering Registry Program. For further information on this program, contact your local chapter of the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

Want to Learn More?

If you'd like more information on dementia and how to help a loved one, please call our toll-free telephone line (1-866-552-2122) and ask for a copy of VAC's new pamphlet Dementia and Alzheimer Disease, or visit our Web site: click on the Clients section, then click on Health Promotion. You also can obtain more information by contacting your local chapter of the Alzheimer Society of Canada by calling their toll-free telephone line (1-800-616-8816). This information is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified health professional. For example, other conditions can mimic dementia so it is important to seek medical help to obtain an accurate diagnosis.