Diffusing Essential Oils

Last week's blog was about lavender and how helpful it can be during the holidays. There are some other essential oils that can also be helpful. Aromatherapy makes them very easy ways to add a calming element to the holidays. Just put the scents out there in the air and let them do their work. Remember, even if your loved one has lost their sense of smell, aromatherapy may still work. But first, you should know a little about the different ways of doing that:

• A warm air humidifier (or diffuser) is least effective method for aromatherapy. Heat changes the qualities of oil and usually decreases its effectiveness. Many of us use humidifiers, especially in winter, when heaters dry out our indoor air. Try adding a few drops of essential oil. It won't hurt and it might help--and it will add an enjoyable scent to the air.
• Candles smell lovely but you still have the heat issue. Again, use and enjoy, but don't expect them to be very helpful as a relaxing agent.
• A nebulizer uses full strength oil. While they are very effective, they are also very expensive. Essential oil nebulizers are not like those you carry around and sniff. They are more like diffusers, except that they don't require water. They do have their uses. One is that they often offer programming. I have one that I use to diffuse a blend of oils that helps me sleep without getting a stuffy nose. I set to run a few minutes every half-hour. Then I connected it to a 24 hour timer set to run only at night. I believe the high cost of the unit ($100-$150) is worth the continuity I get. With the timers, my oils last a long time too.
• A cool mist diffuser is both effective and inexpensive. You can get a good diffuser for between $15 and $25. Usually you just add a few drops of your favorite oil or blend to the water and let it "peculate." I keep one near my desk where I work and one in the living room where I relax with different blends in each one.

You can also mix your calming oils with a carrier oil such as coconut oil and use this as a massage agent. While massage is more work than aromatherapy, it can be quite effective. In addition, it adds a rewarding element of togetherness to the mix.

There are several other oils besides lavender that are known for their calming qualities: bergamot, cinnamon, ylang ylang, geranium, patchouli, rosewood, jasmine and basil. In addition, peppermint and the citrus oils--lemon, ornate and pink grapefruit are all uplifting and energizing.

Next week: More about these oils and a few others that can help with after-holiday stress "leftovers."

For more about essential oils that are most helpful with dementia, read our 12/8/2017 blog.

For more information about Lewy body disorders, read our books: A Caregivers’ Guide to Lewy Body Dementia
Managing Cognitive Issues in Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia

 Helen and James Whitworth are not doctors, lawyers or social workers. As informed caregivers, they share the information here for educational purposes only. It should never be used instead of a professional's advice.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas. Today we celebrate our own holiday with our family. It is a few days early, but they will be traveling to spend Christmas Day with other family. The day doesn't really matter. What does is this chance to be together with our loved ones, to see some we don't get to see very often and to spread our hugs around. We wish for you all the happiness and love this time of the year brings.

Next week, the blog will continue the series on essential oils.
For more information about Lewy body disorders, read our books: A Caregivers’ Guide to Lewy Body Dementia
Managing Cognitive Issues in Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia
Responsive Dementia Care: Fewer Behaviors Fewer Drugs

 Helen and James Whitworth are not doctors, lawyers or social workers. As informed caregivers, they share the information here for educational purposes only. It should never be used instead of a professional's advice.

Lavender and the Holidays

Holidays were always times of joy and excitement and fun when our kids were growing up, and then when they had kids of their own, it got even better. But now, not so much. We still look forward to seeing family but Dave can't stand much excitement anymore. I've wondered about using something like lavender in our essential oil diffuser. Could it make a difference? Would he be able to spend more time with our normally active grandchildren or enjoy a family dinner filled with happy chatter? Marie

Well, Marie, I doubt that anything will stop Dave from being overly sensitive to all those things that go together to make what used to be a fun holiday gathering but now trigger anxiety and other unwelcome LBD symptoms. But yes, lavender may decrease these. It is definitely worth a try, but do use it carefully. The active ingredients in lavender may be "natural" but they are still chemicals. Like drugs, they may have adverse effects--opposite of what you wanted. That is especially true for lavender if you use too much. And so learn about those and use it carefully.

A recent article in the New York Times suggests the idea that lavender has the same effects on mood that Valuim does...without the side effects! Of course those of us who use essential oils have known that for years, but it is nice to get our feet-on-the-ground knowledge validated with science. Now, this scientist is talking about how it works on a mouse's brain, not a human's, but like it or not, our brains aren't all that different! When they finally get around to testing it on humans, I suspect their findings won't change a whole lot. This is what they've found so far:

Lavender doesn't have the dizzying side effects of a sedative, but it works on the same part of the brain that Valium does. It seems to make the mice less anxious and therefore more open to exploring. This doesn't mean you can't overdose. More than one care partner has stopped using lavender because their loved one became more anxious, rather than less so. Like any chemical, the proper dose is important. It is even more important for those living with LBD because they are often super sensitive. A little can be helpful, a little more may be even more helpful but more than that can cause the "adverse" symptoms...the opposite of what you want. It is usually safe to increase the amount until you get a bad reaction. It will end when the chemical leaves the body--within a few hours at the most and usually much quicker.

Lavender enters the brain via the olfactory system (the smell receptors) rather than via the blood stream. (Since it isn't in the blood stream, it will probably be very short acting. This is good as far as sensitivity and adverse reactions go, but it also means that it will need to be continually replenished.) When the scientists blocked the mice's ability to smell, the lavender didn't work. However, we know that with humans, this isn't always true. Alternative therapists say that aromatherapy often works even when a person's sense of smell is damaged because the receptors are still apparently active for the chemical components of the oil, such as lavender, that provide the relief.

Therefore, Marie, just like we've known for centuries, lavender works. But to know if it will work for you, or Dave, is still a trial and error situation. Don't wait for a family gathering to try it out. Take some time with just you and Dave to experiment. But first,
it's also a good idea to discuss the use of lavender or any other essential oils with the physician first as well. Some can conflict with already prescribed drugs. It's also a good idea to discuss how much to use with someone in your community who is knowledgeable about essential oils.

Once you have the doctor's OK, and you have a good idea of how much is "too much," try a small amount and see if it works. If it does, make use of it as a anxiety-reducer and even a pain reliever without the multitude of side effects that drugs have.  If it doesn't, increase the amount in the diffuser, until you do get a benefit, a negative reaction or you've reached the recommended limit to use.

The amount of lavender needed for calming will likely increase in the presence of anxiety triggers such as exciting family gatherings. However, you upper limit may not, so be careful not to go over that limit or Dave could feel worse than he did before!

We wish you, and everyone dealing with dementia happy, calm, comfortable holidays!

For more information about Lewy body disorders, read our books: A Caregivers’ Guide to Lewy Body Dementia
Managing Cognitive Issues in Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia

Helen and James Whitworth are not doctors, lawyers or social workers. As informed caregivers, they share the information here for educational purposes only. It should never be used instead of a professional's advice.

Responsive Dementia Care: Fewer Behaviors Fewer Drugs

Our new book, Responsive Dementia Care: Fewer Behaviors Fewer Drugs, is out, just in time for Christmas presents. We are excited about it because we believe that it will be as helpful for dementia care partners as our first book, A Caregivers Guide to Lewy Body Dementia has been. That's saying a lot because the Guide has become a best seller among Lewy body books. It is often recommended by LBD caregiver support group members.

Like the Guide, Responsive Dementia Care: Fewer Behaviors Fewer Drugs is based on careful research and filled with examples of personal experience. Because we know that our readers are likely to be stressed-out caregivers, we use large print. Although it is true that we write for care partners, we believe that professionals will also find the book useful. That's because while our goal is to present information in an easy-to-understand way, we do not forfeit accuracy.

Responsive Dementia Care: Fewer Behaviors Fewer Drugs addresses those difficult-to-manage dementia-related behaviors that show up in all dementias but tend to start early with LBD. This book explains why continuing to react in old, once effective ways not only doesn't work anymore but often makes things worse. It shows how responding by consciously choosing your attitude and actions can decrease these difficult behaviors...and increase the quality of life for everyone involved. It suggests that with a better understanding of how the brain works, attitudes of acceptance and empathy, and some easy-to-learn actions, you can make all the difference.

Dementia experts recommend trying "non-drug remedies" before using behavior management drugs. We certainly support that and the book includes many non-drug suggestions. However, these remedies usually only work if you can connect with the person expressing the behaviors. When they are upset, this can seem like an impossible task. That's when the information in Responsive Dementia Care is most helpful.

With a better understanding of how the brain works, along with use of acceptance, empathy and more effective communication skills, you can often get past their blocks and connect. With both of you on the same page, you will find it much easier to defuse the negative feelings and in turn, decrease the behaviors. Nothing is going to work all the time, but care partners who've tried the suggestions in this book assure us that they work often enough to be worth the effort.

You can find Responsive Dementia Care: Fewer Behaviors Fewer Drugs on Amazon. It is also available on LBDtools.com. In fact, if you hurry, you can get a special "Review" copy for a reduced price. Once you've read the book, we welcome your comments.

For more information about Lewy body disorders, read our books: A Caregivers’ Guide to Lewy Body Dementia
Managing Cognitive Issues in Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia
Responsive Dementia Care Fewer Behaviors Fewer Drugs

Helen and James Whitworth are not doctors, lawyers or social workers. As informed caregivers, they share the information here for educational purposes only. It should never be used instead of a professional's advice.