Chapter 7 – Meeting Special Needs and Conditions

There are a number of reasons that a person may need to be cared for at home. Your loved one may be ill, injured, or recovering from surgery. Chapter 7 of Caregiving at Home discusses some of the common conditions found in home care, including:

• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Ostomies
• Diabetes
• Cerebral vascular accident (CVA) or stroke
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Myocardial infarction (MI) or heart attack
• Congestive heart failure (CHF)
• Dementia
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Hip or knee replacement

The section covering Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is especially comprehensive, with communication strategies and safety guidelines for a person who paces, wanders, or has dementia. Suggestions are included for making activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, dressing and toileting, more manageable and for maintaining optimal nutrition for a person with AD.

Some difficult behaviors associated with Alzheimer’s disease, including agitation, pacing and wandering, hallucinations or delusions, sundowning, catastrophic reactions, depression, perseveration, and violent behaviors are discussed along with strategies for coping with these behaviors. Several techniques that can help improve the quality of life for a person with Alzheimer’s disease, including reality orientation, validation therapy, reminiscence therapy, and activity therapy are described.

By providing information about what to expect and how to make your loved one more comfortable, "Meeting Special Needs and Conditions" will help you to be more prepared and more capable as a caregiver.