Holistic Tracking for Alzheimer’s Management
Today, I am sharing the importance of tracking in Alzheimer’s care. When I first started staying with my mother-in-love, I studied her every move daily. I was reminded of when my daughter was 18 months old and had a tantrum for the books. As a new mother, I thought, boy, I hope this isn’t the terrible two’s. As I mentioned our experiences to our doctor, he suggested keeping a journal. More specifically, he suggested tracking sleep, water intake, behavior, and, most importantly, food. Over time, I noticed patterns, specifically in the food and behavior categories. Since this was in the early 2000s, my doctor was cutting edge and suspected a connection long before it was the “cool” thing. Long story short, I took this idea and applied it to my mother-in-love and our journey with Alzheimer’s.
Hi, I’m Kristie, caregiver to my mother-in-love. I am not a medical professional, nor anything certified in Alzheimer’s. The stories and ideas I share are things we’ve tried and believe valuable to our journey of loving and caring for my mother-in-love.
When I first started tracking or logging, I needed clarification on what to track. It took about six months to narrow the list to something manageable and meaningful. Ultimately, we decided to track mood, weather, sleep, energy, water intake, and food consumption, which provided the most crucial insights and guided our personalized care strategies. Once we narrowed down what was essential to track, I designed a journal to keep us more organized. You can check it out here.
Mood Tracking
If I’m being honest, I expected mood swings just to be a part of the Alzheimer’s diagnosis. It seems like the status quo, and you can do nothing about it. That may be true on the surface, but if you dig a bit deeper, I would say mood tracking was the number one indicator that something else might be going on, such as getting sick. By meticulously tracking mood changes, we could identify patterns and triggers, enabling us to implement appropriate interventions.
For instance, my mother-in-love would become particularly agitated when we visited a specific location for lunch. We visited the same place every Monday, and there was also a group of people gathered that she knew from work years ago. I noticed she got agitated on that day for a while. I saw a shift in my mother-in-love after a particular interaction with one of the people at the table. I noted it and watched it happen again the following week. I would ask her who that was, etc. She could remember everything but their name. On the next visit, I introduced myself to that person, and on subsequent visits, I would always say their name when we would visit the group. My mother-in-love’s demeanor changed, and I noted that her moods no longer changed during those times. At one point, I anticipated changing the whole Monday schedule because it took a bit to pinpoint what was bothering her. But because she loves to be social, we persevered and figured it out. It may sound simple, but it made a difference in her day.
Another valuable reason to track moods is to help evaluate the effectiveness of medication and therapies to stabilize emotional states, allowing for timely adjustments. At one point, my mother-in-love’s hallucinations increased to the point where the doctor upped her dose of medicine. Tracking her moods and other factors helped us identify if the medicine seemed to help with the hallucinations.
Weather Influence
Weather conditions play a significant role in the behavior and comfort of Alzheimer’s patients. Early on, it became apparent that my mother-in-love was very sensitive to the weather outside. Some symptoms may come along with age and not just Alzheimer’s itself, but I thought tracking it would help me understand how to make her days more comfortable.
Research indicated that temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure changes could increase agitation, confusion, and discomfort symptoms. For example, extreme heat can lead to dehydration and increased confusion, while cold weather might contribute to physical discomfort and reduced mobility. By correlating behavioral changes with weather patterns, we were able to anticipate and mitigate potential issues. For my mother-in-love, being cold was one of the fastest ways to experience a mood swing. We just made sure to be prepared with layers wherever we went. For many, 95 degrees calls for shorts, but for my mother-in-love, this calls for a winter coat. It made her comfortable, so that is all that matters.
Sleep Monitoring
Sleep disturbances are a common issue among Alzheimer’s patients, often worsening cognitive decline and behavioral problems. Insomnia, frequent awakenings, and restless sleep can lead to increased daytime sleepiness and agitation. Detailed monitoring of sleep patterns, including the duration and quality of sleep, helped plan for each day.
My mother-in-love’s sleep patterns may have been interrupted by many factors, but one of the main ones was a full moon. I thought it was a myth until I witnessed it firsthand. Even with environmental adjustments to make it dark, she seemed more restless during a full moon.
Other interventions to consider besides environmental adjustments are adjusting medications, establishing a consistent bedtime routine, or modifying the sleeping environment to promote better sleep hygiene. Sleep quality enhances cognitive function, mood stability, and overall well-being.
Energy Levels
Fluctuations in energy levels are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, influenced by factors such as the disease’s progression, medications, and overall health status. Monitoring energy levels throughout my mother-in-love’s day helped us plan activities aligned with her natural rhythms. For my mother-in-love, engaging in stimulating activities made the most sense in the morning, improving her mood and cognitive function. However, allowing for rest and relaxation in the afternoon made the most sense for her. Tailoring an approach for daily schedules based on observed energy levels ensured an active and engaged mother-in-love without her becoming overwhelmed and agitated.
Water Intake
Dehydration poses a significant risk for Alzheimer’s patients, often leading to worsened cognitive function, increased confusion, and physical health issues such as urinary tract infections and constipation. Regularly tracking water intake ensures that patients stay adequately hydrated, which is essential for maintaining optimal brain function and overall health.
One of our biggest eye-openers was when my mother-in-love got a urinary tract infection. Talk about a rapid decline in cognitive function and increased confusion. Sometimes, it is so hard to know if something is related to Alzheimer’s or some other condition. That’s when we decided water intake was essential to track.
That said, drinking water might have been one of the most challenging tasks to implement. The old saying, you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink, is what we were up against. To combat this, we established drinking water in our daily routines. We added some flavors to the water to make them taste more appealing. Also, we added more fruits and vegetables to the diet to get water through food.
Food Consumption
Nutritional status is critical for the health and well-being of Alzheimer’s patients. A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients supports brain function, energy levels, and overall health. Tracking food consumption helped us ensure that my mother-in-love received adequate nutrition and helped us identify her dietary preferences and aversions.
At first, my mother-in-law was pretty specific and vocal about her food ideas. Over time, we noticed a decline in this, and she would say she wasn’t hungry. Her portion sizes went way down. We were worried that there might be an underlying health concern, so we took her to her doctor. After her checkup was clear, we started eating by the clock and offering her the things she used to love. Luckily, I had documented her favorite things, so at least we could go to her favorite places.
Integrative Benefits of Comprehensive Tracking
Integrative tracking of mood, weather, sleep, energy, water intake, and food consumption proved to be the most helpful factors in my mother-in-love’s well-being. This comprehensive approach allowed us to implement personalized care strategies that addressed the multifaceted challenges of the disease.
Furthermore, detailed tracking facilitates better communication between caregivers, healthcare providers, and family members. Having one place with all of this information helped guide our strategies and allowed us to adjust our daily schedule if needed. In addition, the journal allowed us to communicate without communicating in front of my mother-in-law. Because I did not stay with her 24/7, my father-in-law could tell me how my mother-in-law’s sleep was the night before while keeping her dignity intact. By maintaining detailed records and understanding the interplay between these factors, we anticipated challenges, implemented targeted interventions, and ultimately enhanced the well-being of my mother-in-love. This holistic approach addresses her immediate needs and contributes to long-term health and stability, ensuring a higher quality of life.
As I mentioned, it took me about six months to decide what to track that would be the most helpful. Initially, I just kept a spiral notebook and wrote down EVERYTHING. After we narrowed down what seemed the most important to us, I designed a simple journal, which you can check out here. You may find it more helpful to track other items. If so, check out this template, which you can customize.
I would love to hear about you and your experiences with Alzheimer’s. I firmly believe that we need a strong community in our journey; sometimes, our journey becomes someone else’s survival guide.
Need more ideas as a caregiver?
Check out:
