3 worksheets to prepare for a doc visit

Take good care of yourself in 2017. Checking in with your health professionals is an important part of good health. Prepare for appointments by using these worksheets to identify:

Concerns—think about what you’d like to talk about before the visit and prioritize what you want to talk about first.

Changes to discuss—list any changes in your life, health, medications, and mood since your last visit. Try to note when the change occurred and for how long.

Medications—write down all your medications, what they are for, and the dose/instructions.

Visit our website to view these worksheets and get more information about talking to your doctor.

Share this information on social media:

Twitter: Be prepared! Fill out these 3 worksheets before a doctor’s appointment: http://bit.ly/2jhkYeB

Facebook: Make the most out of your next doctor’s visit by filling out these 3 worksheets with your concerns, changes to discuss, and your medications: http://bit.ly/2jJ1QEY

Talking to kids about Alzheimer’s disease

e-Update from the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center, a service of the National Institute on Aging at N I H

When a family member has Alzheimer’s disease, it affects everyone in the family, including children and grandchildren. It’s important to talk to them about what is happening. How much and what kind of information you share depends on the child’s age and relationship to the person with Alzheimer’s.

Here are some tips to help kids understand what is happening:

Answer their questions simply and honestly. For example, you might tell a young child, “Grandma has an illness that makes it hard for her to remember things.”

Help them understand that their feelings of sadness and anger are normal.

Comfort them. Tell them no one caused the disease.

Share this information on social media:

Twitter: Kids will have questions about #Alzheimers—answer them simply and honestly. Get tips on how to talk to kids about Alz: http://bit.ly/2hSdQmi

Facebook: When a family member has Alzheimer’s disease, it affects everyone in the family, including children and grandchildren. It’s important to talk to them about what is happening. Get tips on how to talk to kids about Alzheimer’s in this tip sheet from NIH: http://bit.ly/2i7Dh2G

Preparing guests for holiday visits

As you prepare for the holidays, you may also need to prepare guests for how to visit with your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Explain to guests that the person with Alzheimer’s may not always remember what is expected and acceptable. Here are some other tips for successful visits:

Let guests know ahead of time about any unusual behaviors that may take place, such as incontinence, eating with fingers, wandering, or hallucinations.

If this is the first visit since the person with Alzheimer’s advanced to a later stage of the disease, tell guests to be prepared for changes, and that the person may not remember their names or relationships, which may be painful.

Explain that memory loss is the result of the disease and is not intentional.

Stress that the meaningfulness of the moment together matters more than what the person remembers. The person may not remember guests but can still enjoy their company.

Read this tip sheet for more holiday hints for Alzheimer’s caregivers.

Share this information with friends and family:

Twitter: #Alzheimers #caregivers—learn about preparing for the holiday season from #NIH. http://bit.ly/2h1IXM0

Facebook: Holidays can be meaningful, enriching times for both the person with Alzheimer’s disease and his or her family. Maintaining or adapting family rituals and traditions helps all family members feel a sense of belonging and family identity. Get tips on having a successful holiday season from NIH. http://bit.ly/2gYONgM

3 worksheets to prepare for a doc visit

Talking to kids about Alzheimer’s disease

Preparing guests for holiday visits

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