Dairyland Peach , October 18 , 2020 Page 14

Connection

It is customary for people to take inventory of their lives as they grow older , wondering about their impact on the world and the people closest to them . A legacy is often the story of one ’ s life and the things he or she did through the years .

The good thing about a legacy is it is never too early to begin planning . The following are some guidelines that can help people establish lasting legacies .

Keep track of your story . Grab a journal and start jotting down events that occur in your life . Mention particular achievements or notable things that occur from day to day . Pepper these accounts with stories of your family and childhood to start establishing an autobiography of sorts .

Consider your daily actions . Even though people may imagine it is the grand gestures that are remembered most , quite often it ’ s the simplest acts that make the most impact . Think about the way you treat others each and every day . Smile at people , compliment others and offer positive advice when it is sought .

Research investments that

It ’ s never too early to start planning ways to establish a lasting legacy .

are profitable . If the goal is to make money to leave for future generations , investigate your options . These include assets that can retain their value . According to NewRetirement . com and Stepping Stone Financial , Inc ., vacation homes mean a lot to families and they also can be a source of future revenue should they be rented or sold . Speaking with a financial advisor also can be a sound way to invest the right way to accumulate assets that can be passed down as a legacy .

Name children or other relatives as beneficiaries on Individual Retirement Accounts ( IRAs ). With Roth IRAs , distributions are taxfree as long as the person who set up the IRA met the five-year holding period for contributions and conversions . Beneficiaries can have five years to take out money from the account ; otherwise , they can convert the plan to an Inherited IRA , which stretches out distributions over their life expectancy , according to Investopedia , an online financial resource .

Write a legacy letter . A legacy letter is a way to speak directly to loved ones and say all those things that you had wished you told them earlier but maybe didn ’ t find the words or perhaps never had the time , according to Forbes . The letter ensures others know just how much joy they brought to your life and the pride you had in knowing them .

Leaving a legacy is something people start to think about as they grow older , but it ’ s easy to start planning a legacy regardless of your age .

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A diagnosis of Alzheimer ’ s Disease can catch families off guard . When such a diagnosis is made , patients and their families typically have a host of questions , including how far the disease has progressed and what to expect as it advances .

One potential side effect of Alzheimer ’ s Disease that can catch families off guard is sundowning . The National Institute on Aging notes that sundowning refers to the restlessness , agitation , irritability or confusion that can begin or worsen as daylight begins to fade . Sundowning is difficult for Alzheimer ’ s sufferers , but also can be especially hard on their caregivers . As day turns to night , people serving as caregivers to Alzheimer ’ s patients tend to wear down , only to suddenly realize that the people they ’ re caring for are becoming increasingly difficult to handle . The NIA notes that sundowning can continue well into the night , compromising patients ’ ability to fall asleep and stay in bed . Sundowning will not affect every Alzheimer ’ s patient , but caregivers should prepare themselves to handle such a situation should it arise . Learning more about sundowning can be part of that preparation .

Sundowning will not affect every Alzheimer ’ s patient , but caregivers should prepare themselves to handle such a situation should it arise .

Mayo Clinic notes that certain factors may aggravate the feelings of confusion felt by Alzheimer ’ s patients who experience sundowning . Those factors include :

• Fatigue ;

• Low lighting ;

• Increased shadows ;

• Disruption of the body ’ s internal clock ; and

• The presence of an infection , such as a urinary tract infection

The NIA notes that one theory suggests Alzheimer ’ s-related changes in the brain can disrupt a person ’ s internal clock , confusing their sleep-wake cycles as a result . That can confuse Alzheimer ’ s patients and contribute to the feelings of agitation and irritability that are common among people who experience sundowning .

What can be done to combat sundowning ?

The NIA recommends looking for signs of sundowning in late afternoon and early evening and trying to determine what might be causing these behaviors . Try to avoid anything that appears to trigger these behaviors , if possible .

Reducing noise , clutter

or the number of people in the room when sundowning symptoms typically appear may help reduce the confusion Alzheimer ’ s patients feel during this time of the day . In addition , scheduling a favorite activity or providing a favorite snack at this time of day can give Alzheimer ’ s patients something to focus on , potentially cutting off the confusion before it surfaces .

The NIA also recommends making early evening a quiet time of day reserved for playing soothing music , reading or going for a walk . Caregivers who also have children to look after can explain the importance of this quiet time to youngsters and ask for their cooperation .

Closing curtains or blinds and turning on the lights at dusk can minimize shadows in the house , potentially making this time of day less confusing for Alzheimer ’ s sufferers .

Sundowning is a symptom of Alzheimer ’ s disease that can be difficult for caregivers to manage . More information about sundowning is available at www . nia . nih . gov .

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Brenda Gamradt , Carrie Goebel , Sue Mayer