Posted the day after the teams going to the Super Bowl were determined, 2020 (35 years after these guys shuffled)
Today I want to encourage you to read this post from a fellow blogger (one with many more credentials than yours truly). Her blog, called When Dementia Knocks, is very worth your time! Here is the post from Dr. Elaine Eshbaugh:
Dr. Eshbaugh has been working through a series reminding us that dementia has to do with so much more than just memory despite the fact that memory may be the most obvious/apparent trait. This piece concentrates on changes and problems with gait–walking style or methodology–and discusses it as a huge concern in the disease. A common thread on walking problems for folks with dementia is shuffling feet or walking in very short strides although all sorts of walking patterns can emerge depending on the nature of their body and the parts of the brain being harmed. It seems like this gait issue also plays into, but is not the only cause of, balance issues and front-heaviness or other balance issues. This is such a common problem that some have predicted that a dementia diagnosis can included a gait analysis.
My mom not only did the “dementia shuffle” from October of 2018 until she has “***progressed” enough in the disease to be confined to her wheelchair, she also dragged her feet quite a bit leading to multiple falls. Walking simply got harder and harder on mom over this time and seemed to be a cause of anxiety for her (and certainly was for us watching her try), so the wheelchair, while sad, was a welcome addition for us and for her. Others may have different experiences.
Another interesting and sad aspect of this gait problem, that is not discussed often, is the inevitable muscular problems caused by these walking problems. Have you ever has a foot problem or, perhaps, a sprained ankle? Me too. One thing that I have noticed is even a small limp can cause the opposite side leg all sorts of ache as I subconsciously compensate and/or use other muscles differently. Perhaps we “get used to it”, but not for a while. I am also afraid that a dementia patient has trouble “getting used to anything” since learning is harder and harder as the disease takes its toll. What a challenge! Stinkin’ disease! There are so many tentacles of this dementia squid. So many things that bring grief, harm and calamity.
So, what can we do to fight this issue? Ultimately, not much. However, here are a couple tips:
- Don’t assume the progression of the disease is completely to blame. Check feet for corns. Check for ear infections and other causes of vertigo. Check for a UTI. Our default answer can’t merely be “That is just the progression of the disease” until we fight off these and other simpler causes.
- Talk to your (physical, others) therapists in your care team. (Link)
- Make your home or their room at the nursing home as fall-free as you can. Remove tripping hazards, clear paths, install rails and/or other helps. (Link Link )
- Find shoes that shuffle better. If shuffling is a reality, be sure his or her shoes do not have rubber soles such that they will catch and cause tripping.
- Walkers can help. Have multiple assistive devices available and insist in their use. This will be hard at first but should get easier as your loved one becomes more dependent.
I wish I had better news for you than to add new (to you) hazards, but, the more you know the better you can help and the more prepared you can be. We have to stick together in this mess as we fight to #EndALZ ! Any tips or suggestions from our super-smart readers?
Update: I swung by and hung out with mom early today. All is well on the western front. Same struggles, but nothing compared to 4-6 months ago. Now we try to stall off the disease for long enough that a cure can be found.
***Note: I get the term “progressed”, but it sure doesn’t feel like you are making progress getting closer and closer to dying…unless the goal is dying, but I digress.
❤