Fireworks and Fourth of July go together like presents and Christmas. But unlike those red and green wrapped gifts enjoyed by all, fireworks are anxiously anticipated and a huge source of confusion and angst for many. While firework distress is commonly discussed in...
By Paula Birney, CMA | Certified Dementia Practitioner My relationship with my mother, Betty, in her last years would have been very different. 15 years ago, I did not understand that her unusual behavior, forgetfulness and confusion were signs of dementia. Simple...
Written by Paula Birney Certified Dementia Practitioner. If you have a loved one living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, the holidays can be a difficult time of year. Family traditions may be different than they once were. But there are many ways you can both still...
Paula Birney, CMACertified Dementia PractitionerDementia Friends ChampionOwner, Arista Home Care Solutions It can be challenging to convince a person with dementia to shower or bathe. Let’s discuss some ways caregivers can help, reasons why your person may be...
It can be very concerning when an otherwise cognitively healthy senior suddenly, over a matter of days, begins to show rapidly declining mental health symptoms. Memory loss, disorientation, agitation, and even hallucinations raise major red flags for caregivers but...
Dementia is not a specific disease; it is a collection of symptoms that affect memory, behaviors, judgment, and emotions, so much so that it interferes with daily functioning. This includes difficulty speaking, understanding and expressing thoughts, wandering,...
If you have a parent, grandparent, or other relatives with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you probably are always looking for engaging activities the in Toledo area, and fresh ways to strengthen your relationship. No worries—Arista’s got you covered: we’ve brainstormed the...
Our eyesight gets worse, reflexes get slower, and cognition can decline due to factors like Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Most of us don’t want to admit we are getting older and aren’t able to do things we once loved. It can be especially challenging for children...
What our Parkinson’s home health therapy program offers: Patient and family education on successful disease management including exercise, PD symptom management, diet and medication educationEstablishment of safe & individual progressive home exercise plan with...
Paula Birney, CMA, CDP Paula grew up in a close-knit Italian family in New Jersey, just outside NYC, surrounded by extended family. She graduated with a BA from Drew University, Madison, N.J. After moving to Toledo in 1987 with her former husband, Paula graduated from...
It is important for your loved one with dementia to engage in activities that provide both mental and social stimulation, and you want to do everything you can for them. Providing structure and routine through activities will keep their mind active and healthy....
Taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s is a journey requiring a great deal of patience and understanding. The progressive nature of this disease means you will need to be aware of and adapt to changes in the behavior of your loved one as the disease progresses....
The current COVID-19 pandemic threatens not only our physical health, but it also has an impact on our emotional and social well-being. This is especially true of the senior members of our families. In an effort to keep older vulnerable members of the family safe,...
Now, more than ever, may be a good time to consider in-home health care for your senior loved ones. Though group and nursing homes are doing their best to stem the influx of COVID cases, the more people someone is exposed to, the more at-risk a person is. Sadly, this...
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced healthcare workers across the country to adapt their thinking and their approach to healthcare. In-home healthcare is also changing and preparing to step in for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. As Americans adapt to this new...
While healthcare workers in nursing facilities continue to do everything they can to keep our loved ones safe, many families are now looking at options for in-home care as an extra safety measure for their elders during the COVID-19 pandemic and the new normal that is...
As the COVID-19 virus spreads, the need for quality home health care is increasing drastically. More elderly and disabled patients are looking to stay at home avoiding clinics and hospitals where the risk of contracting COVID-19 is greater. As hospitals are filled to...
While the U.S. has surpassed the rest of the world in its number of COVID-19 cases and places like New York, Washington, Louisiana, and California have certainly shared the brunt of the impact thus far, much of the country has not yet experienced the density of cases...
As COVID-19 continues to sweep across the nation, much has been made recently about the social and economic concerns surrounding the virus. Now that its spread has reached pandemic proportions, however, it is more important than ever to focus on the virus’ effect on...
Arista Home Care Solutions recognizes the need for caution during this uncertain time. As a home health provider, it is our duty to continue to serve our patients while keeping our workforce safe. We have always practiced Universal Precautions and will continue to do...
Guest Bloggers: Cindy Roshon & Sue Rindskopf Cindy Roshon and Sue Rindskopf started the Stroke Life Center to help stroke survivors continue their journey in healing. Both Cindy and Sue are stroke survivors themselves. They know from their own experience...
Guest Blogger: Jennifer Panczyszyn, Financial Advisor - Edward Jones As an Edward Jones financial advisor, Jennifer has an established process to help clients build personalized strategies to achieve their goals. She earned her Masters in Business Administration from...
If asked, “Has Alzheimer’s affected someone in your family?” how many of your friends and family would answer, “yes.” But did you know that this disease is an epidemic affecting millions of people? Right here in Michigan there are 180,000 people living with the...
The Longest Day is the Alzheimer’s Association’s second biggest outreach initiative, organized with the purpose of recognizing the challenges facing both Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones. The Longest Day will occur on June 21, 2018: the summer solstice and...
Caring for dementia patients, even those for whom you care deeply, can be stressful for caregivers. How caregivers deal with that stress can actually exacerbate the patient’s condition or help it. A recent study showed how a caregiver’s stress-management techniques...
About 40% of people aged 65 or older experience some type of memory loss. Luckily, only about 1% of them will progress to dementia each year. Forgetfulness is simply a trait that accompanies aging. Misplacing keys or forgetting a name or phone number can be troubling....
What is Parkinson's Disease? Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative movement disorder that affects motor function through its impact on the brain’s ability to produce dopamine. No one knows the cause, and the disease progresses in several stages. The progression is...
Sundowning is a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease that affects people in the late hours of the day. They may become confused or more upset than they usually are. Studies have shown that around 20% of people with Alzheimer’s will go through this. If you or someone you...
Arista Home Care Solutions is proud to announce that owner, Paula A. Birney, CMA, CDP has successfully met the requirements of the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP) and is now a Certified Dementia Practitioner®. The Council was formed to...
Clayton Birney of Arista Home Care Solutions was the recipient of the 2017 Esteemed Volunteer Award. The Alzheimer’s Association gave the honor for his work at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. TOLEDO, Ohio — Clayton Birney, co-owner of Arista Home Care Solutions with his...
Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures 2017 Alzheimer’s disease is the most commonly known and diagnosed disease of approximately 50 different diseases comprising the condition category known as dementia. The good news is that public awareness has increased quite...
Here's one of our most popular blog posts from recent years: Communication Tips for Dementia Patients People with Alzheimer's and other dementias find communication difficult; both in their effort to express thoughts and in their ability to understand others. Go...
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