I just can't help but talk about gardening this time of year.  I admit it - I'm addicted.  It's not uncommon for me to get my garden gloves on early on a Saturday morning and still have them on when at sundown.  Once I start working in my garden, I just can't stop - especially this time of year.  So why am I going to talk about caregivers resentment and weeds in your garden?

Faith-based hospital organizations recognize the impact of partnerships with their local faith-based communities.  The important role of faith community nursing programs is to bridge the gap in helping congregational nurses to meet the needs of their faith communities.

I'm honored to be part of the exciting Dementia Friendly Fort Worth initiative.  Not only are we the first major city in Texas to undertake this effort, but one of the largest cities in the United States.  We are part of Dementia Friendly America (DFA), which is a multi-sector collaborative on a mission to foster "dementia friendly" communities across the nation.

Agitation and Aggression- Individuals with dementia frequently become restless, anxious, or upset you may see a resident pacing, moving furniture or objects, talking to themselves, yelling or swearing. These behaviors can escalate to aggressive behaviors like, threatening or causing harm to another by pushing or hitting, cornering another resident or staff, or even throwing objects or food. And unfortunately, aggression among people with dementia can happen suddenly and seemingly without warning.

I recently attended a conference and listened to a geriatrician share that the average number of medications her patients are on when they come to her practice is a shocking 18 - 24.  That's per DAY! No doubt we have a serious epidemic in this country - our seniors are drowning in drugs.

As a  geriatric nurse, I rather frequently see the effects of age and disease on the body. Of course, different diseases manifest in different ways, and while some of those signs and symptoms may mirror those of old age, others may not. As a result, it is important that I, and other geriatric nurses like me, recognize how Parkinson’s disease might affect a patient under our care so that we can better care for them and meet their needs.