IS IT THE RIGHT TIME FOR MEMORY CARE?

By EDGE CONTRIBUTOR

Unlike many health conditions that may develop or come to light at once, dementia may come on gradually, making the signs confusing and easy to miss. The symptoms that most people find familiar—memory loss, confusion, and disorientation—are not the only signs that someone may be developing Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia.

What other signs may indicate a problem other than those mentioned above? Unexplained physical changes (weight, frailty, gait, movement) could indicate a health problem or that your loved one is forgetting to eat or is unsure where they are going. If their living conditions have become unusual, and you notice burn or scorch marks, mold or water damage, stacks of unpaid bills, or expired food, these could be signs that their mental state is compromised.

To further understand if someone you love needs more help than you can provide, take a free assessment provided by CountryHouse by scanning the QR code using the camera on your smartphone. The questions asked in the assessment can help you determine if someone you love needs memory care, or if not, what other options may be available to ensure they’re living life safely and with dignity.

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More than 7% of Youth Attempt Suicide

More teens and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, AIDS, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease COMBINED.

The Boys Town National Hotline is here to help, delivering a lifeline of hope and free, round-the-clock intervention for the most desperate youth in their most desperate hours.

Since just 2017, the specially-trained Boys Town counselors have helped prevent nearly 2,500 suicides in progress.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Boys Town National Hotline® at 800-448-3000 * 24x7x365.

Help save a life for just $18 per month. Visit boystown.org/donate

Find out more about Boys Town’s life-changing work. Visit boystown.org

Hearts & Fire offers furnishings you can’t help but love

curated, edgy, conversational, one-of-a-kind—these are just a few words that describe the look, feel, and experience at Hearts & Fire furniture and décor boutique located in Rockbrook Village. Owned by mother/daughter team Lori Kirkpatrick and Tahnee Chedel, Hearts & Fire specializes in custom furniture and artisan-made pieces in a mix of vintage and modern styles that attract customers from across the country who want their homes to express their vivid, individual personalities.

After raising her family in North Platte, NE, Kirkpatrick moved to Arizona where she managed a furniture and décor boutique and then opened her own called Dos Corazones, which means Two Hearts—symbolic of the love between her and her husband. Meanwhile, Chedel lived in Omaha as a marketing professional but spent her vacation accompanying her mother on buying trips for the boutique. Each experience reawakened a passion for interior design that Chedel had from a young age and now shares with Kirkpatrick.

The pair also shared a dream of one day owning a store together, but it didn’t seem feasible due to living in separate cities. However, Kirkpatrick surprised her daughter when she announced on Chedel’s wedding day that she and her husband had decided to move to Omaha to be closer to the family. “The day they

Story by KATHY RYGG | Photos by OMAHA HEADSHOT COMPANY Lori Kirkpatrick and Tahnee Chedel