Vampire Power is the term used in environmental wellness in our homes (it’s also called phantom load or standby power) where you have things plugged in that you may not be using. However, even if the device or gadget is turned off it is still sucking energy and power that increases your electric bill and can harm the environment.

Think of all the things plugged in all day that you don’t use: maybe your cell phone charger, the electric coffee pot or latte espresso machine, the toaster,, a hair dryer, etc.  There are also larger items like a rarely used refrigerator in the garage – my friends saved $80 a month on their electric bill by unplugging their garage fridge which they only use as extra storage during parties.

The average home uses 25% of its electrical power when most devices are not in use (like the TV, computer, etc.) The Energy Information Administration reports vampire power costs U.S. consumers more than $3 billion a year. For older adults on fixed incomes, this wasted energy can be like a vampire sucking the dollars right out of your bank account

Caregiver ghosting is a new term that is being heard a lot in the home care agency industry. It is when a professional caregiver or home care worker suddenly stops communicating or does not show up for work without notice. It can include: Missing shifts, not responding to communication, skipping orientations on how to care for elders, and not showing up for scheduled interviews.

It is becoming a bigger issue in home care due to professional care worker burnout. In fact, 30% of new home care workers quit their jobs in the first 90 days.¹ And a survey of home care workers found 52% said they ghosted a client or employer when they did not feel valued or appreciated.²

In our dementia-friendly design webinar which you can watch for free on our Caregiving Club YouTube channel, we mention black and very dark brown rugs appear as large black holes for adults with Alzheimer’s which is also known as “visual cliff effect.” It can be scary for them and they will avoid walking over or near the area.

Scientists believe adults with Alzheimer’s have cognitive functioning that does not process or analyze environments in the same way a cognitively healthy adult would. Their disorientation, fearful early memories of black holes threatening danger and their loss of balance and awkward gait all make black or very dark tiles and rugs something to avoid.

Many people with Parkinson’s and dementia find themselves encountering “ghosts” – otherwise known as hallucinations that can occur when someone sees, hears, or feels things that aren’t there. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation approximately 20-40% of Parkinson’s adults will have hallucinations or delusions that are more common in the later stages of the disease. However, certain medications can also cause hallucinations and dehydrated adults – even those who are healthy and disease-free – will have delusions based on not drinking enough water.

In someone with Parkinson’s the hallucinations are typically visual – what they see or think they see – as opposed to mental health disorders such as schizophrenia that can include auditory hallucinations of hearing voices, tactile hallucinations which is the sensation of touch or feeling something is on you such as crawling spiders, or olfactory and gustatory which is the sense of smell and taste where an affected person may think they smell or taste something that others can not.

Delusions can also be a common symptom of dementia but often take on the form of increased paranoia such as someone is stealing from them or their home is not really their home or they believe they are living in a bygone era.

Your loved one’s doctor may refer to these hallucinations, delusions and other issues with emotional and cognitive control as “Parkinson’s disease associated psychosis.” These hallucinations can be frightening and distressing for both your loved one and for you.