he room was filled last Tuesday for the Dementia Toolbox seminar "When it is Time to Place" at Blue Mountain Health System in Bowmanstown. It was the third in the free Dementia Education Caregiver Lunch-n-Learn series co-sponsored by Arden Courts Memory Care Community.

"When you're looking to place, it's really for their safety," said Tina Forsyth, the executive director of Arden Courts in Easton. "If a fire alarm goes off, would they be able to get out?"When a person with dementia no longer knows what the sound of a fire alarm means, then his or her safety is at risk.HBO did a program about Alzheimer's disease titled "The Memory Loss Tapes," Forsyth said.In it, a woman, who seemed to be perfectly fine, was asked to drive a course. At one part of the course, there was a sign that indicated no left turn.When she got to that point, she turned left. Her judgment was impaired and she misunderstood what the sign meant.Forsyth explained a simple way to know the difference between routine forgetfulness and dementia."It's not losing your keys. It's picking up your keys and not knowing what to do with them," she said.Dementia is challenging for the family, because they can't see the physical changes going on, but there are indicators.Personality changes or the loss of long-held traditions can be an early indicator.Wandering is also an issue for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, which is a specific type of dementia.Forsyth said six out of 10 people with dementia will wander. Often they have a goal, such as to go to work despite being retired for many years.She has had family members who discount the wandering by saying that a neighbor has found the loved one when it happened before."What if your neighbors don't find them next time," she said.Forsyth said she knows of one family who thought disconnecting the battery in the parent's car would solve the problem.The parent called AAA. They came out and reconnected the battery like they would do for any customer.People who are wanderers have been known to get in their cars and end up hundreds of miles away from where they live. When found, they say things like they were going to the grocery store, a few miles from home."It doesn't get easier," Forsyth said. "It's a progressive disease. You have to have a Plan A, B and C."If the family wants to try to care for the loved one at home, Forsyth recommends keeping a journal of what medicines the person takes, behavior, any changes in behavior or physical changes.The person won't remember and won't be able to tell a doctor, so the journal will help filling in those blanks.She also said don't bother arguing with someone with dementia. They don't understand and might say things they wouldn't ordinarily say."This is the disease talking," she said.Jen Drake, an account executive with Independent Living Services, said they are there to help people who are trying to remain at home."It's OK to ask for help," she said. "In-home care is meant to help you and your loved one."Their services help in many ways, including: meal preparation, bathing, dressing, medicine management, incontinence care and accompanying the loved one in outings.Drake said wandering problems do present a change in the caregiving plan."That's when you need to look at a place like Arden Courts," she said.For more information about the Memory Care unit at Arden Courts, call 610-366-9010 or go to the website at www.arden-courts.com. For Independent Living Services in Tamaqua, call 570-668-3267 or 866-607-3267.The next presentation in the series is titled "Senior Scams" and will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. on March 14 at the BMHS Bowmanstown Medical Plaza.Register to attend the free seminar by contacting Arden Courts or MaryLou McGeehan at BMHS at 610-377-7070.