Take Charge!

As the new year starts, it's time to take charge! What does that mean to you? Maybe it's time to take charge of your own health and well-being...put yourself first for a change. Or maybe it's time to step in and take charge for your loved one living with dementia.

• Begin my making a list to get organized.
•  Do you know the medications your loved one takes? Are they taking them as prescribed?
• Which doctors do they routinely see?
• List their ongoing medical issues. 
• Make notes to take with you to the next doctor's appointment.
• Be sure to note any changes you have observed including any new or worsening behavior.
• You might want to alert the doctor prior to the scheduled appointment of any concerns you have. 
• Do you need a life alert system? Some of these even come with a GPS monitoring system to help you locate someone if they should wander away from home.
• Organize your army. By this I mean get your support system in place. Don't rely on people knowing what you need. Give them specific jobs or tasks to help with. 
• Keep your sense of humor. Laughter will get you through some really tough spots.
• Evaluate the driving safety of your loved one. The confusion of dementia can lead to major problems while driving. Have a doctor help with the evaluation if necessary. 

Now that you have some tips to get started, take some time to relax. How about a glass of wine and a warm relaxing bath...