Illinois Cognitive Resources Network

Connecting to resources throughout your dementia journey

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Make Plans for Future Healthcare Needs

At any age, a medical crisis or emergency could leave you too ill to make your own healthcare decisions. Even if you are not sick now, planning for health care in the future is an important step toward making sure you get the medical care you would want if you are unable to speak forContinue reading “Make Plans for Future Healthcare Needs”

4 Tips for Visiting the Doctor with a Person with Alzheimer's

Regular medical care is important for a person with Alzheimer’s disease. These 4 tips may make appointments easier on both you and your loved one: Make an appointment during the person’s best time of day and when the office is not very crowded. Let the office staff know before the visit about the person’s Alzheimer’sContinue reading “4 Tips for Visiting the Doctor with a Person with Alzheimer's”

Get Answers to Your Caregiving FAQs!

Are you caring for an older family member or friend? It can be overwhelming to get started. Check out this new article to get answers to common questions including: How do I help organize important paperwork and get affairs in order? How can I help my older parents from afar? How do I choose aContinue reading “Get Answers to Your Caregiving FAQs!”

End-of-life Care for People with Dementia

As people with dementia reach the end of life, caregivers may face special challenges. Because people with advanced dementia can no longer communicate clearly, they cannot share their concerns. Palliative care or hospice can be helpful in many ways to families of people with dementia. At the end of life, sensory connections—targeting someone’s senses, like hearing, touch,Continue reading “End-of-life Care for People with Dementia”

First Steps for New Caregivers

Anyone, anywhere, can be a long-distance caregiver. If you are living an hour or more away from a person who needs your help, you’re probably a long-distance caregiver. It can be overwhelming to get started. Here are some first steps you can take: Ask the primary caregiver, if there is one, and the care recipient how youContinue reading “First Steps for New Caregivers”

Talking with relatives about long-term care

It can be difficult to make the decision about whether you or a loved one needs to leave home. Sometimes, decisions about where to care for a family member need to be made quickly, for example, when a sudden injury requires a new care plan. Other times, a family has a while to look forContinue reading “Talking with relatives about long-term care”

Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center Hosting a “Caregiver” Panel Discussion at The Black Women’s Expo, April 12th

The Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center’s (RADC) community outreach department is hosting a panel discussion titled: “Caregiver, The Things I Wish I Knew.” The event is part of the seminar series of The Black Women’s Expo – 25th Anniversary, and will be held at the McCormick Place in Chicago, Friday, April 12, from 1:00 – 2:30Continue reading “Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center Hosting a “Caregiver” Panel Discussion at The Black Women’s Expo, April 12th”

Medicare Coverage of Care Planning Toolkit for Providers

In 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began paying healthcare providers for care planning services for individuals with cognitive impairments. The Alzheimer’s Association, with the help of an expert task force, created a toolkit to help providers understand how to conduct a care planning visit under the new CMS code. The toolkitContinue reading “Medicare Coverage of Care Planning Toolkit for Providers”