Alzheimer's Disease- OT Intervention | OT MIRI

[@evelynmontoya3655]

Hi, Miri I'm still a little confuse between the 7 Riesberg stages of Dementia and the stages of Alzheimer. Do they have something in common? Thanks for helping me.

[@MiriLee]

Hi Evelyn! Learning the progression of Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging because there exists a number of different ways that healthcare professionals describe the stages. Sometimes, healthcare professionals discuss dementia using the Reisberg's stages of dementia.This divides the disease process into 7 stages based on the amount of cognitive decline. Other times, it's simply referred to as “early stage”, “middle stage” or “late-stage” dementia. Then, there’s the Pedretti’s textbook, which describes the progression in 4 stages. Yikes! Which one do you study?? Well, the source I used in my video and notes is the Pedretti’s textbook, but it will be helpful to familiarize yourself with all the stages and understand broadly how the disease progresses from the beginning to end. I know it can get confusing, especially with all the overlap, but remember, the progression of the disease and its characteristics are not fixed, absolute or same with every patient. So it is important to gain a broad and conceptual understanding of how the disease progresses from beginning to end and know the specific intervention strategies for symptoms that are likely to be present at each stage of the disease. My video on the Riesberg's 7 stages is intended to provide detail on the characteristics and symptoms that are present at each stage, while the AD Disease-OT intervention video is intended to provide you with specific OT intervention strategies you might consider for Alzheimer's disease as it progresses from mild to severe. I hope that provides clarification!

[@xobabxo30]

Hi Miri! I took my exam today and I just wanted to say how grateful I am for you. I heard you in the back of my head during my exam, and knew I could conquer it. Thank you so much for inspiring the further generation of OTs and making these quality videos with a wealth of information. You are fantastic ❤️

[@MiriLee]

Thank you so much for coming back here to let me know! It means a lot to me. I'm glad I was able to contribute, even a small part, in the pursuit of your dream. Congratulations on completing your exam and getting this far in your journey. I'm excited for you and all that lies ahead in 2017!!!

[@nadialovesyou1234]

I seriously Love your videos so much, It is nice to get away from the PDFs for awhile!! THANK YOU

[@angelahowe684]

You are literally a godsend. Please please please keep making these videos. They are extremely helpful. I wish I had found you sooner than prepping for the OTR exam.

[@MiriLee]

Hi Autumn! Thank you for leaving me such a sweet message. I’m so happy you stumbled across this channel and hope you will continue to share your OT journey with me through the many transition of your growth and success. Much love to you!

[@CarmineCroons]

Hi Miri, I will never tire of seeing your face, lol. I'm an OTA student at Eastwick college and your videos are very helpful.

[@MiriLee]

Aww thank you for being here and studying with me, Carmine!

[@knitkat70]

As a visual learner, I really appreciate the way you break the info down into visuals - I can see & reference this in my mind in a way that I can't recall info from a chart. I wish I'd thought of this technique when I was in school, haha. But hey, better late than never. Thank you so much!!

[@MiriLee]

You're welcome, Kate! I'm constantly learning and figuring out new ways to synthesize and absorb information... It helps to have a sketch board! I actually had so much fun creating this board- some good music, magazines, haagen daaz ice cream, and Stella- everything I need to tap into my creative element. Perfect way to end the week :)

[@AllisonLStanden]

You are amazing. I take my test tomorrow and have been going over some of your videos today just to refresh my memory. THANK YOU for all of your time/effort and dedication in helping us learn.

[@MiriLee]

Thank you, Alli. I really appreciate you leaving a comment and letting me know that these videos are helpful. It has truly been a pleasure and privilege to be able to find time to make these videos and connect with OTs such as yourself. I am enriched by our community so thank YOU!

[@carleigh2161]

I take my test tomorrow on my birthday! No matter how it goes, I know you have helped me so much in terms of learning all this difficult information

[@MiriLee]

Dear Carleigh, it seems profound to me that you are taking your exam on the date of your birth. When you were born and came into this world, you brought to the world the precious gift that is YOU. And since then, you've spent your life eager to learn, expand your horizons and overcoming the challenges in pursuit of your dream. And that's how you got to this point. Remember how far you've come, Carleigh. In the same way you gifted the world when you were born, you will gift the world again when you claim your title to become an occupational therapy practitioner. Let tomorrow be a reminder of the gift that is you. Sending you much love, Miri

[@hillaryhoffmanbreger1839]

Thank you for your thoughtful, well-organized, and skillful videos along with your sweet spirit! When I am feeling incompetent and confused studying for the NBCOT, your videos provide encouragement and excellent synthesis of the information! Much gratitude, Hillary

[@MiriLee]

Hi Hillary! Thank you for your message. It really encourages me so much to hear that these videos are making a difference in your NBCOT journey. There was only one desire when I first made my first video, and that was to ease the burden of other individuals taking the exam. And for some time, I wasn't even sure if it was reaching people. So comments and feedback like yours are what motivates and compels my heart to keep going even after a long day when I just want to sit on the couch and watch walking dead. Thank you for leaving a comment and letting me know. It makes all the difference for me. I hope you'll continue to find support and confidence not just through this channel, but through every step of your journey. My channel

[@juliamcbrien2188]

Hello! Love the visual for the ADLs and IADLs--so clear! Thank you!

[@MiriLee]

oh wonderful! I'm so glad to hear it, Julia! These are the sort of illustrations and examples I needed for my own NBCOT preparation so I'm happy to share them with our community for like-minded learners! Thank you for being here and studying with me.

[@misschanhauying]

Thank you so much Miri for your generosity to give us so much insight~

[@MiriLee]

You are so welcome!

[@aliciacisneros_OT]

So sweet!! This is an amazing video! Thank you

[@MiriLee]

Awww, thank you Alicia!! I'm glad you like it!! My handwriting sucks, but it's a nice change from just starting at my face hehe OT

[@borderlord]

So Beautiful ,what a smile....and helping me understand my mother's short term memory loss that's started .😘 from Alex in London

[@MiriLee]

Thank you, Alex. I hope all is well with you and your family during this time.

[@borderlord]

Thanks so much...I saw a report from the recent MRI scan and it said chronic micrroangiopathic changes ...I googled this and "white matter disease" came up....it didn't mention Alzheimer's but she has those symptoms ..mainly short term memory problems,balance(she's recovering from a fall),slow shuffling walk,loss of appetite and fatigue(tired after 10 hours sleep,no urgency to get ready in the morning,this has started in the last year)..Thankyou Beautiful your advice helps,wish I could see you for an appointment Aleks 😘😘

[@soro8371]

I know that this video's 5yrs old, but tha k you because this helped a lot with studies

[@MiriLee]

I'm so happy to know you found it helpful!

[@kolbiec2959]

Miri, thank you for all of your videos! They have been a life saver! Im taking my NBCOT tomorrow and will be remembering SO many of your videos during those 4 hours! Lol. Thanks again

[@MiriLee]

Hi Kolbie, thank you for you sharing your journey with me. I actually saw your message a couple days ago, but was in the ER so I wasn't able to respond. However, you were in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you are feeling well and enjoying some time to relax. I know that the days post the exam can often be stressful and anxiety provoking, but you deserve to be celebrated for everything you have already accomplished. I hope you will spend these next few days recounting all the blessings and joys of your life.

[@kolbiec2959]

Im sorry about your ER trip! I will keep you and your families wellbeing in prayer! I watched SO many of your videos and I watched a lot of the videos multiple times. You were such a huge resource for me. Today I got back my score and I PASSED! Please don't ever stop making these videos! I believe they make an incredible difference in helping MOTs become OTR/Ls

[@MiriLee]

Ohhhh YES!!!! Congratulations Kolbie! What wonderful news to light up my day! Thank you for coming back here to share this exciting news with me! I'm ELATED! I wish you nothing but the best as you embark on this new chapter of your life. Please stay in touch and feel free to share your journey and stories with me as they unfold. I hope you continue to feel supported through the New OT Practitioner Support Group on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/newOTpractitioner. Also, if you haven't already, be sure to check out the career guide on the OT Miri website. It has a sample OT resume, cover letter and job interview FAQs and answers and much more! www.otmiri.com/career-guide/. But for now, do nothing but celebrate!! Congratulations again Kolbie! YAY!!

[@victoriavacheva9230]

You are amazing! Than you for everything you do! ❤️

[@MiriLee]

Thank you for studying with me, Victoria. It's my pleasure and delight to be able to offer support to future fellow colleagues and I'm grateful for our shared journey. ❤

[@jessicamontoya5661]

V2! I found you here.. no way lol

[@Jordan233370]

Omg! Miri I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!!! I am taking my boards pretty soon and I hope to deliver some great news! I was wondering if you can possible post a video on Mental health(psychosocial conditions) or W/C and adaptive equipment?

[@MiriLee]

I'm glad you're enjoying my videos Paulo! The video you requested in already on my list of future videos and I hope to get to it soon!

[@Jordan233370]

Thank you thank you

[@christopherbrookes3361]

I'm applying for OTAP role this video is amazing

[@MiriLee]

I'm happy to hear you found this video helpful, Christopher!

[@leanjustinedizor6167]

HELLO MISS MIRI, I JUST DISCOVERED YOUR CHANNEL AND I'M VERY LUCKY TO FIND YOU BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING SGD REGARDING ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. I'VE STALKED YOU AND IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE NOT ANYMORE ACTIVE :

[@elizabethgiancola1943]

Thanks again Miri! So heartened and inspired by your creativity and supportive words!!! Your videos always make me smile and laugh! This is what learning SHOULD be like...:) I want to go to University of OT Miri.

[@MiriLee]

Awwww Elizabeth!!! You just melted my heart with your words! Thank you for being so sweet and encouraging. The best part of making these videos is actually getting engaged with the community and feeling like we are walking this journey together. So thank you for your enthusiastic support and continued engagement. I really appreciate it so much! ❤️❤️

[@daniellemiller3235]

Hello! Can I first just say you are wonderful! I have watched so many videos and everything sticks! Love the visuals. I have a favorite show greys anatomy, which I am sure many have the same love for that show. I was watching tonight and realized that show depicts a good sense of how individuals should react with Alzheimer's. Yes there are times she refutes the disease but others when the daughter embraces and just goes along with where she is in time. Idk just a thought if anyone else has a hard time with the stages and such!

[@MiriLee]

Aww, Danielle! Thank you for your sweet message! I can't tell you how much it means to me when I receive messages like this and am able to connect directly on a more personal level. It makes all the difference for me. I hope you'll continue to feel supported and connected here in our community and I'll look forward to walking together with you through the many transitions and seasons of our OT journey. ❤️

[@natashaghosh7133]

You are an angel! I'm taking my NBCOT Monday and your videos have helped me so much! Are these based upon the Reisberg's levels of Dementia?

[@MiriLee]

Hi Natasha! I'm glad you found them helpful! Thanks for leaving a comment and your feedback. Sometimes, healthcare professionals discuss dementia using the Reisberg's stages of dementia. This divides the disease process into 7 stages based on the amount of cognitive decline. Other times, it's simply referred to as “early stage”, “middle stage” or “late-stage” dementia. I know, it can get confusing, especially with all the overlap, but remember, the progression of the disease and its characteristics are not fixed, absolute or same with every patient. So it is important to gain a broad and conceptual understanding of how the disease progresses from beginning to end and know the specific intervention strategies for symptoms that are likely to be present at each stage of the disease. My video on the Riesberg's 7 stages is intended to provide detail on the characteristics and symptoms that are present at each stage, while this video is intended to provide you with specific OT intervention strategies you might consider for Alzheimer's disease as it progresses from mild to severe. I hope that provides clarification! Good luck on your exam, Natasha!!! Would love to hear from you when you find out so I can celebrate with you in spirit. :)

[@MiriLee]

Hi Natasha, it was a big day for you today! Congratulations on finishing the exam and making it this far. Waiting time is usually the hardest part, but I hope you can find support, comfort and rest you deserve. Take care~

[@natashaghosh7133]

Hi Miri! Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement! I just wanted to let you know I passed and I could not have done it without your help! The ACL and Pediatric assessment videos were particularly helpful so thank you again for what you do!

[@MiriLee]

Congratulations Natasha!!! WOW! That is wonderful news and I'm so happy to hear it! You did all the work and I merely played a small role, but I'm glad to hear my supplemental videos helped!! Thank you for coming back here to let me know. It means so much to me, Natasha. TIME TO CELEBRATE!!!!

[@mehrnooshzamani5840]

You are the best.

[@otlovejennylakandula197]

Thank you so much. You are awesome.

[@MiriLee]

My Pleasure, Jenny! Thank you for studying with me!

[@christishelley7863]

Hi miri! You're videos are SO helpful! THank you so much! I watched your previous video on the Resiberg Levels, so I'm a bit confused on the stages. This video lists the stages as 1-4, but in the previous video stages 1-3 are pre-dementia. Did I miss something? Thanks again! Feeling way more confident in my ability to task this test after watching your videos

[@MiriLee]

Hi Christi, I'm glad to hear these videos have helped you study! Confidence is SUCH an important factor when you are taking any board exam so I'm very happy to hear that you're feeling more confident. Receiving comments like this is really encouraging and it fuels me! :) I'm not sure if you had a chance to read my response to Natasha Ghosh below, but she had a similar question and I did my best to provide more clarification. Take a look and let me know if that makes sense. Since healthcare professionals use and refer to various stages and levels, I took it upon myself to learn and understand them all conceptually and broadly, thinking clinically about how OT practitioners would provide their specific intervention strategies through every stage.

[@christishelley7863]

Yes that makes so much sense, I appreciate it! I'm hoping it will all stay in my brain for my exam on the 9th. Thanks again!

[@MiriLee]

the 9th!!! It's coming up! Good luck, Christi!! Stay strong :)

[@sueshiny]

Thank you Miri

[@MiriLee]

I hope this video was helpful, Sue!

[@dreambankc5583]

Hi Miri i finished ota program few months ago and i am preparing for the exam next month your videos are amazing and so you are :) I have a question i am confused with between Riesberg 7 stages and this 4 stages what if it asked what is the most difficult thing at AD stage 2? Memory problem? Or can’t recall one’s number or what?

[@MiriLee]

Hi Ji! Congratulations on finishing your program! That in it of itself is a huge accomplishment! When it comes to learning the stages Riesberg's or AD stages, it's important to not memorize each stage, but to conceptualize them through clinical application. There are certainly overlaps between these two stages so it may be confusing, but the important thing is not just to understand how these 2 correlate, rather to conceptualize how the disease progresses with functional impairments and what the OT role would be through each stage of the disorder.

[@ebrark.5555]

Thank you!

[@MiriLee]

You're welcome!

[@keianigomes2972]

god bless you!

[@MiriLee]

Glad bless you my friend!

[@alisona123]

Hi Miri and OT community! I have a question about the levels of dressing assistance for Stage II and Stage III. I have been using your videos (thank you so much! they're so very helpful!) and the AOTA study packet/PDFs. There was a question I got wrong about Stage III of AD. I selected total assistance is required for the resident to complete all dressing activities. AOTA rationale said in Stage III, the ct. "...requires frequent physical and verbal assistance throughout ADLs as memory and physical status continue to decline." So at Stage III they do not require total assistance? What level would you say they require for dressing? Mod/max A? Another options was environmental aids should be used to assist with completing dressing tasks. Is this in Stage II? Thank you in advance!