Heritage Manor News: Alzheimer’s Disease Month

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. This disease affects the brain, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is not a normal part of aging. Nerve cells in the brain die, making it difficult for brain signals to be transmitted properly. Alzheimers’s Disease is also a form of dementia. There are many types of dementia, but Alzheimer’s is the most common. It causes intellectual abilities that are serious enough to interfere with daily life. It gradually gets worse over time and may cause an individual to become confused, lost in familiar places, misplace things or have trouble with language. More than five million Americans have Alzheimer’s. Age is the greatest known risk factor, especially in people 85 and older. Family history and genetics are other risk factors. New research shows that individuals who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and head injury are more likely to develop this disease. Some signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s are poor judgement, forgetfullness, difficulty carrying on a conversation and misplacing things. Ten warning signs include memory loss, trouble planning or solving a problem, trouble completing familiar tasks, confusion, trouble understanding, problems speaking, misplacing items, poor judgement, withdrawal of social activities and changes in mood or personality.
Activities this week include Come Lord Jesus group, in-room visits, pokeno, exercise, manicures, bingo sponsored by Compass, social reading, arts and crafts, Olympic games, mass by Sacred Heart, VFW barbecue and birthday party.
This week, we will celebrate resident Ruby Johnson’s 100th birthday.
The staff of Heritage Manor sends get-well wishes to Michael Ledet, Hazel Ned, Celeze Doucet, Carol Foret and Stella Schmitt.
Congratulations to Cynthia Frank, pride card winner for the month of January.