Talking the Talk: Ten Vocabulary Words All Alzheimer’s Caregivers Should Know

By Amber Cournoyer

Anticipatory Grief – Feelings of ambiguous loss are common, particularly in the middle and late stages of Alzheimer’s disease, but may be apparent at any stage in the caregiving process. As Alzheimer’s gradually takes away the person you know and love, you may experience the different phases of grieving: denial, anger, guilt, sadness and acceptance.

ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) – These are the daily activities of any declining medical patient. Doctors use ADLs or Instrumental ADLs (IADLs) to better understand their patient and their patient’s condition.

Palliative Care – a care program that alleviates symptoms of an underlying cause but does not cure, usually provided to dying patients.

Dementia – An umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders; conditions affecting the brain and nervous system.

Agitation – In people with Alzheimer’s, agitation refers to feelings of anxiety they may have which may cause them to become restless, leading them to move around or pace, or become upset when trying to remember specific things, like words, dates or names.

Biomarker – These are measures of what is happening within your body, as shown through blood, urine, or imaging tests. With Alzheimers, the most commonly used biomarkers measure brain changes as seen on MRI / PET scans, as well as levels of certain proteins seen in brain scans and cerebrospinal fluid and blood.

Pacing – Alzheimer’s patients may become agitated, restless, or worried — and this may cause pacing, or a need to move around and may even wander back and forth, often to the point of exhaustion.

Sundowning – This refers to a state of confusion that often occurs in the late afternoon or early evening in people with Alzheimer’s, causing confusion, anxiety, aggression, or inability to follow directions. It can also lead to pacing or wandering. The exact cause is unknown, but it may have to do with being tired at the end of the day.

Memory Care – a special form of Alzheimer’s care that helps patients maintain cognition and defer further memory loss. Memory care programs can be conducted at home, adult day cares or at residential living communities and include activities like art or music that promote engagement and comprehension.

UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) – UTIs are bladder infections common in elderly and Alzheimer’s patients, often caused by catheters or the patient neglecting to or being unable to speak up about needing to use the toilet. UTIs can have erratic effects on Alzheimer’s patients, causing delirium in fluctuating states.