Tuesday, March 26, 2024
HomeCareHow To Care For Dementia Patient At Home

How To Care For Dementia Patient At Home

Search And Selection Strategy

Caregiver Training: Refusal to Bathe | UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care

The first step was a systematic search of relevant bibliographic databases to ensure the necessary broad coverage of areas of interest, crossing medical, psychological and social scientific literatures. We searched CINAHL, IngentaConnect, Medline, ProQuest, PsychINFO and Web of Science electronic databases. The searches took place in November 2012 and were restricted to English language sources, including international literature, published in 2002 or later. The intention of the searches was to identify, quantify and summarise the evidence base around those areas of interest to the commissioning body outlined above. Many of the topics of interest referred to recent innovations in service, and we expected that literature covering longer standing aspects of service provision would refer back to earlier work if relevant. The search terms were developed in collaboration with the commissioning body and informed by a set of key outcomes for people with dementia and their carers provided by them as described above and detailed in Table 1. The search terms used for the review are listed below. Figure 1 provides a PRISMA diagram of the review process.

PRISMA diagram of the review process. This has been uploaded as a separate file.

What Support Is Available For Me If I Care For Someone With Dementia

When youre caring for someone else, it can be easy to overlook your own needs. But looking after your health and making time for yourself can help you feel better and more able to cope with your caring role.

Caring for someone with dementia can lead to feelings of guilt, sadness, confusion or anger. Unlike with other conditions, it can be difficult to share these feelings with someone with dementia, leaving you feeling very isolated.

Its important to acknowledge these feelings, and to remember that theres no right or wrong way to feel. If youre feeling anxious or depressed, or you’re struggling to cope, talk to your doctor who can let you know about the help and support available to you.

Constant Companionship From Both Carers And Loved Ones

Our carers provide more than a heartfelt helping hand with personal care, daily support and household tasks. We are truly caring individuals that provide heartfelt companionship. We are there for you whenever you need us, both physically and emotionally.

Another one of the key benefits of home care for dementia patients is being able to stay with loved ones. For those with dementia, in certain circumstances, partners and loved ones have to be left behind at home. With home care, you can remain at home with your nearest and dearest whilst our carers provide for you.

Don’t Miss: How Early Can Alzheimer’s Start

The Main Issues While Caring For Someone With Dementia At Home

Dementia will slowly take away your elderlys loved one independence. They wont be able to perform the usual daily activities. Thats why caring for someone with dementia at home is demanding, here are the main challenges.

Aggressive and irrational behaviour

Mood swings and irrational behaviour are one of the symptoms associated with dementia and Alzheimers. This includes agitation, irritability, disorientation and can be triggered by various of factors. The usually observed triggers may include changes in environment or sudden loss of control. In order to minimize those outburst you can surround them with familiar objects . Trying to implement some music is also a good idea, it has proven to be beneficial for dementia sufferers. It not only calms them down, but also improves seniors quality of life.

Incontinence

Progression of dementia or Alzheimers disease often entails the loss of bladder or bowel control. In no circumstances we should ridicule or further humiliate senior. Accidents like this happen when confused person cant find the toilet or simply forgets to go. While providing one to one care for dementia patients, remember to reassure them so they can feel safe. You can help by gently remaining to use a toilet or put a signs leading to the toilet. You may have to change incontinence pats or pants if the need arises.

Bathing

Eating

Outside Approaches To The House

Care for Dementia Patients #SeniorCare #Dementia
  • Keep steps sturdy and textured to prevent falls in wet or icy weather.
  • Consider installing a ramp with handrails as an alternative to the steps.
  • Eliminate uneven surfaces or walkways, hoses, and other objects that may cause a person to trip.
  • Restrict access to a swimming pool by fencing it with a locked gate, covering it, and closely supervising it when in use.
  • In the patio area, remove the fuel source and fire starters from any grills when not in use, and supervise use when the person with Alzheimer’s is present.
  • Place a small bench or table by the entry door to hold parcels while unlocking the door.
  • Make sure outside lighting is adequate. Light sensors that turn on lights automatically as you approach the house may be useful. They also may be used in other parts of the home.
  • Prune bushes and foliage well away from walkways and doorways.
  • Consider a “NO SOLICITING” sign for the front gate or door.

Recommended Reading: How To Tell Alzheimer’s From Dementia

Don’t Overlook Home Healthcare Options

Many seniors do not realize their insurance plans may cover home healthcare services, which is another excellent option for those with transportation issues or seniors simply looking for an easier way to access healthcare services.

Some companies, such as Heal, will send a primary care physician to visit you in the comfort of your home, while others like CenterWell Home Health provide assistance for acute issues like managing chronic health conditions and recovering from hospital stays.

Continuous Support From The Dementia Specialists

We all acknowledge that caring for people with dementia can be daunting and challenging. Thats why we train each and every one of our carers so theyre experts in dementia care and understand how to make life easier for those living with the condition. With over 50% of our customers having some form of dementia, its why weve become the dementia specialists.

We recognise that the homes of our customers arent just buildings, theyre treasure troves, hosting decades worth of cherished memories. And when caring for someone with dementia, this continuity and consistency of environment and routine is absolutely vital. With our service, your loved one will be cared for by the same familiar faces, and youll get to know your carers too. Read more about our consistent service for live-in care, respite care, palliative care, domiciliary care and visiting care.

You May Like: Who Is Alzheimer’s Disease Named After

Equip Your Home With Assistive Devices

Simple fixes, such as grab bars in the bathroom, carpets tacked down to prevent falls, and locked gun closets, guard against accidents that drive people into nursing homes. In one study, Johns Hopkins researchers found that more than 90% of patient needs in those with dementia were safety-related. Another Johns Hopkins MIND at Home study of 88 patients and their caregivers found that the more safety or navigation supports a person with dementia had, the higher they rated their own quality of life.

A Safer Environment Offering Fewer Hospital Admissions

Caring for Dementia Patients at Home – Home Safety Tips

One dementia home care benefit is the fact that home care is much safer than a care home. Research proves there are a third as many falls for dementia patients, helping reduce the risk of serious injury and hospital admissions.

Falls pose a serious risk in later life, and the close monitoring of dementia home care patients by our dedicated team offers full-time assistance with movement, helping keep you safe and well.

You May Like: Is Alzheimers More Common In Men Or Women

Coping With Changes In Behavior And Personality

As well as changes in communication during the middle stages of dementia, troubling behavior and personality changes can also occur. These behaviors include aggressiveness, wandering, hallucinations, and eating or sleeping difficulties that can be distressing to witness and make your role as caregiver even more difficult.

Often, these behavioral issues are triggered or exacerbated by your loved ones inability to deal with stress, their frustrated attempts to communicate, or their environment. By making some simple changes, you can help ease your loved ones stress and improve their well-being, along with your own caregiving experience.

Take Care Of Yourself

You cant help the person you care for if you are wiped out, said Cramer. Being a primary caregiver for your loved one is exhausting.

She is right. You cant take care of a patient if youre not taking care of yourself. Look into the resources your hospice or primary care provider has. At Chapters Health, respite care is one of four levels of care provided to hospice patients. Respite cares sole purpose is providing caregivers a break, so they can focus on themselves and other priorities.

Also Check: How Does Alzheimer’s Affect The Individual

Treat Your Caregiving Like A New Job

Some caretakers find that caring for a loved one with dementia is like a full-time job. A lot of time, attention and life changes can be needed to ensure the loved ones safety.

As with any job, plan by finding opportunities for short breaks. Talk with family members to see if they might be able to care for your loved one for the night. If that doesnt work, try researching other methods to avoid burnout.

Limiting Causes Of Frustration

Live In Dementia Care Services

Placing photos of loved ones in rooms where patients spend most of their time is one good idea that a professional caregiver would advocate for and sources of frustration should be worked on to be limited. This can range from physical barriers such as stairs to emotional causes of frustration that comes with the loss of ones memory.

Read Also: Why Do Alzheimer’s Patients Not Sleep At Night

Care Homes: When Is The Right Time And Who Decides Care Homes: When Is The Right Time And Who Decides

Advice and practical tips for carers on when is the right time for a person to be moved to a care home.

  • You are here: Care homes: When is the right time and who decides?
  • Care homes: when’s the right time and who decides?Care homes: when’s the right time and who decides? .

    A person with dementia will need more care and support as their condition progresses, and there may come a time when they will need to move into full-time or residential care. This could be because a care home may be able to meet the needs of the person better. Or, it could be because something changes that then makes it difficult for the person with dementia to stay living at home.

    It can be hard to know when the time is right for a person with dementia to move into a care home and who should make this decision, if the person cannot make it themselves. This factsheet is aimed at carers, friends and family of a person with dementia. It provides information and explains what might need to happen in these situations. It also talks about some of the feelings you might have when the person with dementia moves into a care home, such as relief, loss or guilt.

    To help you to find the right care home, see our booklet on selecting and moving into a care home. It explains the process of finding and visiting homes, and has checklists and tips of things to consider when deciding which home is the right one.

    Resources For Dementia Caregivers

    There are many resources available to caregivers of a person diagnosed with dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association will refer you to your local chapter for information, resources, and their hands-on caregiver training workshops.

    “I’ve been to our local association’s caregiver workshops and to their monthly support groups, too. Every time, when I leave, I’ve learned something — techniques, strategies, things like that — and that I’m not alone in this,” says George Robby who is caring for his wife with Alzheimer’s in their Chagrin Falls, Ohio, home.

    Other good sources of information, assistance, and support include your local Area Agency on Aging and, for those caring for veterans, the Veterans Administration’s Caregiver Support Program . Some senior care companies, including Silverado Senior Living and Home Instead Senior Care, offer programs and skill-building workshops at their facilities.

    Show Sources

    Ursula Braun, MD, MPH, director, inpatient palliative care unit, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Administration Medical Center, Houston.

    Karen Hirschman, PhD, professor of social work, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

    Jeremy M. Hirst, MD, assistant director of psychiatry programs, Institute of Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, San Diego, Calif.

    Greg Sachs, MD, chief of geriatrics, Indiana School of Medicine and lead researcher, IU Center for Aging Research, Indianapolis

    Robert Matsuda, Los Angeles

    Read Also: What Is The Best Vitamin For Dementia

    Joint/partnership Working And Integrated Teams

    The literature supports the use of an integrated multidisciplinary approach when dealing with complex multifactorial dementia-related issues, such as co-morbidities , eating and nutrition , and palliative care . Joint working can promote service improvement and raised standards when using multidisciplinary, integrated approaches in areas such as palliative care , multi-component interventions for carers , outreach services , and specialist adaptive rehabilitation services . Joint working can promote more holistic service provision, not least because it can help to highlight contradictions in care and practice intentions . Joint working and multidisciplinary, integrated approaches can also benefit professionals by facilitating access to knowledge and collaborative learning . Brief interdisciplinary educational interventions may lead to more positive attitudes and greater effectiveness when working in interdisciplinary health care teams .

    However, a number of issues emerge from the review. Some commentators identify problems with the quality of evidence, in terms of research design, study size, research setting, intervention specification and outcome measurement, all of which are frequently limited .

    Tips For A Healthy And Active Lifestyle For People With Dementia

    Living in a care home: A positive outcome for a person with dementia

    Eating healthy and staying active is good for everyone and is especially important for people with Alzheimers and related dementias. As the disease progresses, finding ways for the person to eat healthy foods and stay active may be increasingly challenging. Here are some tips that may help:

    • Consider different activities the person can do to stay active, such as household chores, cooking and baking, exercise, and gardening. Match the activity to what the person can do.
    • Help get an activity started or join in to make the activity more fun. People with dementia may lack interest or initiative and can have trouble starting activities. But, if others do the planning, they may join in.
    • Add music to exercises or activities if it helps motivate the person. Dance to the music if possible.
    • Be realistic about how much activity can be done at one time. Several short mini-workouts may be best.
    • Take a walk together each day. Exercise is good for caregivers, too!
    • Buy a variety of healthy foods, but consider food that is easy to prepare, such as premade salads and single portions.
    • Give the person choices about what to eat, for example, Would you like yogurt or cottage cheese?

    Read Also: How Is Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosed And Treated

    Should A Person With Dementia Live Alone

    Because of the nature of dementia, someone with dementia shouldnt live alone.

    As we mentioned above, rapid dementia progression can occur, and the ability for those with dementia to wander or get lost is always a possibility. Leaving someone with dementia alone also runs the risk of a medical emergency occurring without someone to help immediately.

    Someone may not need to stay with your loved one 24-hours a day during the early stages. But as dementia progresses, its best to make sure they have more regular care. Eventually, most people with dementia do need supervision at all hours of the day.

    24-hour care for a person with dementia could look like:

    • A family member staying with your loved one
    • Moving your loved one into your home
    • Getting a 24-hour in-home caregiver
    • Some combination of the above

    Ultimately, helping dementia patients live at home well involves ensuring their safety and comfort. A person with dementia is most safe when they arent left alone.

    What To Do If They Refuse To Let Go Of The Idea

    Sometimes, your older adult will refuse to let go of the idea of going home, no matter how much you try to soothe or redirect.

    If that happens, you might need to agree to take them home and then go for a brief car ride.

    Experiment with how long it takes before you can take them home without protest. Or, suggest a stop at the ice cream shop, drugstore, or grocery store to distract and redirect.

    If its not possible to actually take them out or get into the car, even going through the actions of getting ready to leave can still be soothing. This will shows that you agree with them and are helping to achieve their goal.

    Meanwhile, the activities of getting ready give you more chances to distract and redirect to something else.

    Keep in mind that not everything you try will work the first time. And even if something works once, it might not work the next time.

    Do your best to stay calm, flexible, and creative this technique gets easier with practice.

    Also Check: Can You Get Tested For Alzheimer’s Gene

    Exercise As Much As You Can Safely

    Regular exercise is one of the most vital aspects of healthy aging, as it benefits your physical health, helps to combat cognitive decline, and may help prevent memory loss conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s. Seniors can stay active by going for walks around the neighborhood, lifting moderate weights, or even playing a low-impact sport with others.

    Some health plans include gym memberships, allowing you to continue your exercise program or start incorporating physical fitness into your routine at a lower cost. Individuals should consult with their doctor before starting a new exercise regimen.

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Most Popular