How To Care For Elderly With Dementia

December 27, 2022

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Tips For A Healthy And Active Lifestyle For People With Dementia

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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?

Find Engaging Activities And Encourage Socialization

Incorporate activities and hobbies that match your loved ones interests and abilities into their daily care plan. Building on current skills generally works better than trying to teach something new.

Help the person get started and break activities down into small steps.
Watch for signs of agitation or frustration. If they become irritated, gently help or redirect their attention to something else.
To help maintain functional skills, enhance feelings of personal control and make good use of time, try to include them in an entire activity process. For instance, at mealtimes, encourage the person to play a role in helping prepare the food, set the table and clean up afterwards.
Take advantage of adult day care services for Alzheimers patients, which provide various activities and social opportunities for seniors as well as respite time for caregivers.

Learn Alzheimers Communication Tips

Communicating with a person who has Alzheimers disease can become incredibly challenging, but much of what a family caregiver does depends upon mutual understanding. Without clear communication, both caregivers and patients are left feeling frustrated and misunderstood. When combined with ample practice and patience, the following suggestions can improve interactions and facilitate daily care tasks.

Choose simple words and short sentences and use a gentle, calm tone of voice.
Speak slowly and clearly, but do not talk to the person with Alzheimers like a baby.
Maintain respect dont speak about them as if they werent there.
Minimize distractions and background noise, such as the television or radio, to help the person focus on and process what you are saying.
Allow enough time for them to respond, and be careful not to interrupt.
If you cant understand what they are trying to say, look for nonverbal clues and take their surrounding environment into consideration.
Learn to interpret gestures, descriptions and substitutions.
Offer choices instead of asking open-ended questions.

Can I Care For My Loved One At Home Through All Stages Of Dementia

Home care is often recommended by experts through end of life. However, every family and situation is different, so permanent home care may not always be possible.

Research shows keeping a loved one with dementia at home helps them be happier and live longer however, it is most impactful when introduced early. Its a preventive model to educate the family to be dementia smart and understand the disease progression and triggers down the road, Havrilla explains. But if the family is not able to give their loved one the care they need, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes and assisted living residences are good alternatives.

Tips On How To Care For Someone With Dementia

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With one person in the world developing dementia every 3 seconds and an estimated 50 million or more people living with the condition globally, dementia is a very real problem.1 Getting the right care is crucial to maintaining a good quality of life for those coping with this problem. To add to it, dementia doesnt just affect the individual but also those around them. Navigating what can sometimes be a very emotional and difficult path may seem daunting, but there are some ways to make it easier. What follows is a look at how to care for someone with dementia, ways to keep them happier, and for you to cope too.

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Disabled Parking In Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes is known for its grid-road system, and many seniors can drive much more easily here than in other towns and cities. Aside from traffic, the main concern for many elderly people and disabled drivers is parking. Luckily, there are a number of disabled parking bays in Milton Keynes, and those with Blue parking badges can park for free in most bays the only exception being in permit bays, resident-only bays, and privately owned car parks.

Find the locations of disabled bays in this Central Milton Keynes Parking Guide. Disabled bays are marked in yellow.

Cope With Changes In Communication

As your loved ones Alzheimers or dementia progresses, youll notice changes in how they communicate. They may have trouble finding words, substitute one word for another, repeat the same things over and over, or become easily confused. Increased hand gestures, losing their train of thought, and even inappropriate outbursts are all common as well.

Even if your loved one has trouble maintaining a conversationor less interest in starting oneits important to encourage social interaction. Making them feel safe rather than stressed will make communication easier, so try to manage your own frustration levels.

Be patient. If your loved one has difficulty recalling a word, for example, allow them time. Getting anxious or impatient will only inhibit their recall. Gently supply the word or tell the person that you can come back to it later.

Be aware of your body language. Your loved one responds to your facial expression, tone of voice, and nonverbal cues as much as the words you choose. Make eye contact, stay calm, and keep a relaxed, open posture.

Speak slowly and clearly. Give one direction or ask one question at a time, use short sentences, and give your loved one more time to process whats being said. Find a simpler way to say the same thing if it wasnt understood the first time.

Maintain respect. Dont use patronizing language, baby talk, or sarcasm. It can cause hurt or confusion.

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Elderly Care: Essential Guides Designed For Carers

Caregiving is a complex and rewarding role that can take on many shapes and forms. Elderly caregivers could be healthcare professionals, like nurses, or family members looking after a loved one on a more informal basis.

Whatever caregiving looks like for you, the level of responsibility the caregiver shoulders means that it is important to become as informed as possible. Research can be time-consuming, which is why we have created a series of articles covering the essential aspects of caregiving.

Discover the articles below.

Connect With A Dementia Care Coordinator

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There are many elements to consider when beginning to care for a loved one with dementia at home. Legal, safety, health and interpersonal changes will need to be made. Dementia care coordinators can help with safety concerns, medical attention, medication management, nutrition support and more. They can be especially helpful when a loved one is dealing with other medical conditions for which they need treatment.

Some care coordinators will conduct an initial assessment to thoroughly check your home and living situation. They will create a list of needs and work with caregivers to address the improvements most impactful to the home environment. Together, dementia care coordinators and caregivers can fix safety concerns or remove possible triggers before they become a problem. The goal to this type of care is to keep people at home with the highest quality of life for the longest period of time, explains Havrilla.

As an added bonus, loved ones who have some assistance from care coordinators remain in the home longer. In a Johns Hopkins Maximizing Independence at Home trial, researchers found that patients who were in contact with a care coordinator at least once a month for 18 months were less likely to move to an institution or die than those in the control group.

To find dementia care coordination services in your area talk to your doctor or local organizations.

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Making Medical Decisions For People With Dementia

With dementia, a persons body may continue to be physically healthy. However, dementia causes the gradual loss of thinking, remembering, and reasoning abilities, which means that people with dementia at the end of life may no longer be able to make or communicate choices about their health care. If there are no advance care planning documents in place and the family does not know the persons wishes, caregivers may need to make difficult decisions on behalf of their loved one about care and treatment approaches.

When making health care decisions for someone with dementia, its important to consider the persons quality of life. For example, medications are available that may delay or keep symptoms from getting worse for a limited time. Medications also may help control some behavioral symptoms in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimers or a related dementia. However, some caregivers might not want drugs prescribed for people in the later stages of these diseases if the side effects outweigh the benefits.

It is important to consider the goals of care and weigh the benefits, risks, and side effects of any treatment. You may need to make a treatment decision based on the persons comfort rather than trying to extend their life or maintain their abilities for longer.

Getting Started With Visiting Angels

At Visiting Angels, we make it easy to find the right services and the right care provider for your loved one.

When you contact us, we’ll start by scheduling a free, no-obligation consultation. This consultation will give us the chance to learn about your loved one’s situation in detail, laying the foundation for your loved one’s care plan. At the same time, we’ll help answer any questions you have about in-home care.

We may discuss your loved one’s care schedule or develop an initial care plan. Your loved one’s care schedule can include part-time, full-time, or 24/7 caregiving and will be based around your loved one’s established routines. We can also schedule care to accommodate any family members who live with your loved one or who perform care visits on a regular basis.

Following the consultation, we will continue to develop your loved one’s care plan. In many cases, we will coordinate with the doctors and other health professionals at this stage. This allows us to develop your loved one’s care plan in accordance with medical directives. For example, we can plan and prepare meals according to nutrition recommendations provided by your loved one’s doctor.

The Challenges And Rewards Of Alzheimer’s Care

Caring for a person with Alzheimers disease or dementia can often seem to be a series of grief experiences as you watch your loved ones memories disappear and skills erode. The person with dementia will change and behave in different, sometimes disturbing or upsetting ways. For both caregivers and their patients, these changes can produce an emotional wallop of confusion, frustration, and sadness.

As the disease advances through the different stages, your loved ones needs increase, your caregiving and financial responsibilities become more challenging, and the fatigue, stress, and isolation can become overwhelming. At the same time, the ability of your loved one to show appreciation for all your hard work only diminishes. Caregiving can literally seem like a thankless task.

For many, though, a caregivers journey includes not only huge challenges, but also many rich, life-affirming rewards.

Caregiving is a pure expression of love. Caring for a person with Alzheimers or dementia connects you on a deeper level. If you were already close, it can bring you closer. If you werent close before, it can help you resolve differences, find forgiveness, and build new, warmer memories with your family member.

Caregiving can teach younger family members the importance of caring, compassion, and acceptance. Caregiving for someone with dementia is such a selfless act. Despite the stress, demands, and heartache, it can bring out the best in us to serve as role models for our children.

Difference Between Memory Care And Dementia Care

How to Provide the Best Dementia Care for Seniors

Services for dementia patients can be defined loosely as either memory care or dementia care, though theres significant overlap between the two.

A memory care facility is a care facility that has a specific focus on memory-related conditions. Staff there will be capable of caring appropriately for those with dementia round-the-clock. It can be thought of as more appropriate for earlier stages of the disorder, because it isnt as medically intensive as a specialized nursing home.

Dementia care facilitiesi.e. nursing homes with dementia programsare more relevant for later stages of the disorder. Patients will be able to access much more involved medical care to help them carry out basic daily tasks, like eating, washing, and so forth.

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Ensure The Right Nutrition

It is easy for someone with dementia to forget to eat balanced and nutritious meals, making them susceptible to deficiencies and malnutrition, so youll need to also keep track of their diet. Due to an inability to express what they want at times, a person with dementia may not be able to say they are hungry or ask for what they need. Keep food and snacks and drinks readily available and visible to them so they can help themselves to what they need, without having to constantly struggle with asking. A person with dementia may lose their sense of smell so stronger flavors and more seasoning may help them keep up their appetites.13

How Hospice Can Help With End

In addition to helping you in recognizing the signs of dying in the elderly with dementia, bringing in hospice care will help with the physical and emotional demands of caregiving. Nurses will be able to adjust medication and care plans as the individuals needs change. Aides can help with bathing, grooming, and other personal care. Social workers can help organize resources for the patient and family. Chaplains and bereavement specials can help the family with any emotional or spiritual needs. Additionally, family members can contact hospice at any time, and do not need to wait until it is recommended by the patient’s physician.

To learn more about the criteria for hospice eligibility or to schedule a consultation, please contact Crossroads using the blue Help Center bar on this page for more information on how we can help provide support to individuals with dementia and their families.

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Tips For Everyday Care For People With Dementia

Early on in Alzheimers and related dementias, people experience changes in thinking, remembering, and reasoning in a way that affects daily life and activities. Eventually, people with these diseases will need more help with simple, everyday tasks. This may include bathing, grooming, and dressing. It may be upsetting to the person to need help with such personal activities. Here are a few tips to consider early on and as the disease progresses:

Try to keep a routine, such as bathing, dressing, and eating at the same time each day.
Help the person write down to-do lists, appointments, and events in a notebook or calendar.
Plan activities that the person enjoys and try to do them at the same time each day.
Consider a system or reminders for helping those who must take medications regularly.
When dressing or bathing, allow the person to do as much as possible.
Buy loose-fitting, comfortable, easy-to-use clothing, such as clothes with elastic waistbands, fabric fasteners, or large zipper pulls instead of shoelaces, buttons, or buckles.
Use a sturdy shower chair to support a person who is unsteady and to prevent falls. You can buy shower chairs at drug stores and medical supply stores.
Be gentle and respectful. Tell the person what you are going to do, step by step while you help them bathe or get dressed.
Serve meals in a consistent, familiar place and give the person enough time to eat.

Social Groups For Seniors And Adults With Care Needs In Henley

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EYE for ART Club

This club offers arts and crafts opportunities for visually impaired adults living in Milton Keynes. EYE for ART meets monthly at Inter-Action MK and costs £10 per year as well as other small fees per session. Socialise with other like-minded people and enjoy a new hobby, from card making and weaving to kitting and even museum visits. The venue is wheelchair accessible and there are disabled toilets. Email rpatching@yahoo.co.uk or call 01908 631458 for more information.

COGS Clubs

The COGS Club offers weekly sessions of MCST for older people with early dementia. Held in a caring, supportive environment, members participate in stimulating activities that are proven to help maintain memory and mental function. COGS meet in small groups of up to ten, allowing members to socialise and build new friendships. It costs £10 per person and meets in two-hour sessions on a Wednesday at The Peartree Centre. For more information, call 01908 550700 or email info@ageumiltonkeynes.org.uk.

Men In Sheds MK

The Friendship Club offers once-a-week sessions where older people can socialise in a safe and secure environment. They provide companionship, light refreshments, and several activities. Call 01908 550700 if you would like to join or for more information.