Desert Health News - November-December 2023

. www.DesertHealthNews.com November/December 2023 Through the Generations The Valley ' s Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 21 While, for most, the holidays are a joyful season spent together with loved ones, this time of year can create confusion and fear for people with dementia. Being adaptable and building an inclusive environment are key to creating dementia- friendly holidays and celebrations. Families caring for someone with dementia should consider the following steps to help make gatherings safe and dementia- friendly during this festive time. Adapt past favorite traditions or create new ones. Build on old traditions where you can, such as enjoying favorite music or movies. Start new ones around things your loved one likes to do such as touring neighborhood holiday lights. Whenever possible, involve the person by asking what traditions are important to them as this will help you to prioritize and plan. Create a safe and calm space. Persons with dementia may experience changes in judgment. Avoid fragile decorations that can shatter and create sharp fragments as well as ones that could be mistaken for edible treats. Reduce clutter to avoid potential tripping hazards. Place Christmas trees close to the wall to avoid falls, and use battery-powered candles to reduce fire hazards. With people coming in and out of the home, identify someone to be responsible to monitor the person with dementia to avoid wandering. Prepare your loved one. Help build familiarity and comfort by showing him/her photos of the guests or arrange a phone call/video chat with the visitors beforehand. Plan for all gatherings to be at a time of day that is most beneficial for the person with dementia, like the middle of the day when they are not tired. Be open with guests. Consider sharing beneficial information with guests beforehand, such as ways they can communicate with the person, what they respond well to and what may upset them. In addition, provide updates on any changes to memory, behavior or physical appearance that have occurred since their last visit. “Remind guests to enter the room slowly and introduce themselves and their relationship to the person. Do not ask, ‘Do you know who I am?’ or correct, interrupt or criticize their memory,” suggests Pat Kaplan, instructor of the “Meaningful Conversations” program at Alzheimers Coachella Valley. Take care of yourself, too. One of the most essential parts of care giving is taking care of yourself. If you are not getting enough rest, exercising or not eating well, it is important to take time for yourself so you can be the best version of you that you can be. Holidays can be a meaningful time for friends and family to reconnect with one another over special traditions and rituals. Special celebrations that honor the past can be especially reassuring for those with dementia. However, crowds and overstimulation can make the holiday season feel overwhelming and confusing, particularly for those with memory disorders. Remember, the holidays are opportunities to share time with people you love. Try to make these celebrations easy on yourself and for the person with dementia so that you may concentrate on enjoying your time together. Editorial by Patricia Riley, board member of Alzheimers Coachella Valley, a community resource for dementia support and education. For more information, call (760) 776-3100 or visit www.cvalzheimers.org . Holiday Tips for Loved Ones with Dementia Compliments of Alzheimers Coachella Valley www.cvalzheimers.or g (760) 776-3100 l cvalzheimers.or 42600 Cook Street, Suite 134, Palm Desert, CA 92211  Self-referral or physician-referral  Staffed by MSW and geriatric nurse practitioner  By appointment  No fee/No insurance needed  CALL TODAY! The ACV Screening Center offers no-cost screenings for those concerned with cognitive impairment or memory loss. Results are reviewed with clients and, if desired, with caregivers and referring physicians. ACV will also provide families with the education and resources applicable to their lifestyle. Schedule your screening, today. Creativity Lives in the Now Continued from page 14 before and into a place of peace where I could imagine a way through this. After this liminal moment, I was never again visited by the ferocity of anxiety that was so present before. I have since come to know this liminal experience of the present moment as a portal to new creative inspiration, through a peaceful still mind, bringing about a more expansive life. Of course, our conditioned mind (our ego) has its part to play in our functional lives; in fact, we couldn’t live without it very well, but it should never take complete control over our lives. And becoming fully present in the liminal now doesn’t always require a difficult challenge to precede it; we may find this transcendent moment in our love of beauty or nature and each other, and with a little applied intention, in many other areas of life; that’s the way I would prefer it. To ensure our creative aliveness, it is important that we balance our world with the creative potential within the stillness of the present moment by learning to be fully in it; to enter it often with full intention and attention to know its limitless possibilities. David Flint is a minister at the Spiritual Center of the Desert, a non-denominational center which practices the Science of Mind Philosophy. For more information, visit www.pdspiritualcenter.org . The Intricate Connection Between Gut Health and Hormones Continued from page 11 Promoting gut health for hormonal happiness So what are the key factors that contribute to a healthy gut and in turn, healthy and balanced hormones? Diet. Eating a diverse range of whole foods rich in fibers and fermented products like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut to support healthy gut microbiome. Limiting stress. Practice stress-reducing activities such as meditation, yoga and deep breathing exercises. Chronic stress disrupts hormonal balance and wreaks havoc on your gut health. Exercise. Getting regular physical activity can boost our gut diversity and promote hormonal balance. Avoiding overuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics will reduce your gut bacterial diversity. Using antibiotics only when absolutely necessary is essential. Probiotics and prebiotics. These supplements can be extremely helpful to restore our gut health, especially after disruptions like illnesses or antibiotics. The interconnected relationship between the health of our guts and our hormones sheds light on the holistic nature of the human body. It's not just about one system or a single hormone; everything is interwoven, reflecting the intricate balance that maintains our health. When we understand these connections, we can take a comprehensive approach to health and well-being, where the gut is central. As research continues, the depth of this connection will only become more evident, emphasizing the need to prioritize gut health in our journey to hormonal balance and overall wellness. Stacey Michele Blackwell is a certified health coach with Barefoot Balance Holistic Health and can be reached at (760) 401.1568 or stacey@barefootbalance.com .