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How To Help Someone With Dementia

Do Not Ignore Physical Abuse

How to Talk to Someone With Dementia

As much as one needs to be tolerant, kind, forgiving, and patient with older adults who have dementia, it does not mean that they have to excuse the patients when they become physically aggressive and allow the abuse to continue. It is not to be accepted, and if it happens, it is best to alert your doctor who will work on the solution to make sure it stops. It will keep both the patient and caregiver in safety.

From physical manifestations to angry outbursts, taking care of an individual with dementia may not be easy. However, working with the tips above can help caregivers and loved ones to get through it. Remember that there are plenty of treatments, interventions and special care providers who can help therefore, you should never be shy about getting help when you need it.

Reaching Out For Dementia Support

If you have any doubts about how to provide support to someone living at home with dementia or are looking for further information, please seek advice from the Alzheimers Society. They can provide you with practical guidance, and will also be able to put you in touch with any additional support or services needed.

You can also turn to Priory Adult Care and our dementia care services. We have care homes across the UK that have been developed to meet the needs of residents with dementia, where our compassionate team provide specialised services to ensure that those in their care can maintain both their independence and dignity.

If you would like to find out more about the services available at Priory Adult Care, you can make an enquiry online. You can also call us on 0808 256 3200 to speak to someone directly.

How To Deal With Elderly Dementia

Ten Points to Keep in Mind When Communicating with a Dementia Patient

  • Set a favorable tone for the encounter
  • draw the other persons attention
  • and communicate effectively.
  • listen with your ears, eyes, and heart
  • and express yourself with passion.
  • Activities should be broken down into a number of steps.
  • When things grow rough, divert attention away from them and redirect it somewhere.
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    Ways To Make Daily Life Easier And More Rewarding When Caring For A Person With Dementia

    Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s is one of the toughest jobs in the world. “It is stressful, physically and emotionally draining, and very expensive, as almost 15 million unpaid caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias can attest,” says Dr. Scott McGinnis, medical editor of the Harvard Special Health Report A Guide to Coping with Alzheimer’s Disease.

    Dont Say No Dont Or Cant

    Pin on Companions in care

    One of the biggest mistakes in dealing with patients and/or loved ones with memory loss is being negative and telling them that they cant do something. Words like no,” don’t, or can’t create resistance. This comes up regularly with family members when the patient and/or loved one might be still driving, and the caregiver and/or family member has made the decision to stop them from driving. One should never say, You can’t drive anymore. They can still technically drive , and they can get very combative when told no. A way to counter this is to say, I know you still can drive, that’s not even a question, but you know what happened the other day? I was out on the highway and this car cut me off, and I had to make a split-second decision it was really scary Its likely they will say, You know what? I’m having a little trouble with those decisions too. The issue isn’t the mechanical driving, it has more to do with comprehension, and many times this answer works much better than, You can’t drive anymore, which can be construed as confrontational.

    You may find a patient and/or loved one up too early or confused about time. Instead of using messages such as, Youre up too early, you need to go to bed, try leading with statements such as, You know, I’m getting sleepy. Id like a little snack before I go to bed, and then gesture for the patient and/or loved one to sit with you.

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    Do Try To Be Pleasant

    Caregivers are also humans who are prone to emotions like anger, stress, impatience, and irritation. Even when one goes through caregiver burnout, it is best that the patient does not get wind of it. It is better to step out of the room and try some breathing exercises to calm down before going back to deal with the dementia patient. Where possible, shelve the bad feelings and try and deal with them later. Dementia patients deal with a lot and they do not need more on their plate if they are to lead fulfilling and happy lives.

    Do Make Sure That The Dementia Patient Gets Enough Rest Food And Water

    Fatigue, hunger and thirst may cause combativeness. Ensure that the person with dementia is well fed, hydrates enough, and gets adequate sleep and rest. In line with this, they should also have enough bathroom breaks. Research also shows that it may help to reduce loud noises as well as clutter in the space where the patient spends most of his/her time, as both loud noises and clutter tend to over-stimulate people with dementia.

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    How Early Can Dementia Start

    Dementia most commonly affects elderly adults aged 65 or older, but there is the possibility that someone develops early-onset dementia as early as in their 30s. However, this is very uncommon and its more common for someone to show signs of early-onset dementia in their 40s or 50s.

    The easiest way to know if a loved one has early-onset dementia and needs early-onset dementia care is to look for signs of short-term memory loss .

    When someone develops early-onset dementia, a spouse or family member often takes on caregiving responsibility. If this is you, do you know what to do for early-onset dementia to ensure your loved one gets the care they need?

    Keep reading for our expert tips on how to deal compassionately with someone with early-onset dementia.

    End Of Life Dementia Care And Covid

    How to help someone with dementia (HINT: let them help.)

    Older adults and people with serious underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Older adults also have the highest rates of dementia. Given the risks that older adults face from both COVID-19 and dementia, its important to understand how to protect yourself and your loved one. Find more information about dementia and COVID-19 from the CDC.

    When a dementia like Alzheimers disease is first diagnosed, if everyone understands that there is no cure, then plans for the end of life can be made before thinking and speaking abilities fail and the person with Alzheimers can no longer legally complete documents like advance directives.

    End-of-life care decisions are more complicated for caregivers if the dying person has not expressed the kind of care he or she would prefer. Someone newly diagnosed with Alzheimers disease might not be able to imagine the later stages of the disease.

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    Spotlight On Engaging A Person With Dementia In Meaningful Activity

    Why is meaningful activity important for people with dementia?

    Meaningful activity is important to help us all maintain a good quality of life, whether we are living with dementia or not. It is particularly important for people with dementia as it:

    • Helps maintain skills and independence.
    • Helps maintain brain function.
    • Builds and preserves self-esteem and self-confidence.
    • Gives an outlet for self-expression.
    • Provides social and emotional connection.

    The type of meaningful activity a person with dementia will be able to engage in will depend on their interests, strengths and abilities.

    Meaningful activity can vary from daily tasks such as cooking and cleaning, to art classes, watching films, exercise and spending time with family and friends.

    Why join this session?

    It is an opportunity to consider activities and why they are important to someone with dementia. The session explores different sorts of activities might meet the different needs of an individual. There will be some practical advice and strategies about how to engage someone in activities.

    The course is for you if you would like to

    How to book

    Please book using the link below. If you would prefer to book by phone rather than online please contact our friendly staff who will be more than happy to help you 020 3096 7895 or email: .

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    Practical advice from Occupational Therapist Kate Legg about engaging someone with dementia in meaningful activity.

    Make Time For Reflection

    At each new stage of dementia, you have to alter your expectations about what your loved one is capable of. By accepting each new reality and taking time to reflect on these changes, you can better cope with the emotional loss and find greater satisfaction in your caregiving role.

    Keep a daily journal to record and reflect on your experiences. By writing down your thoughts, you can mourn losses, celebrate successes, and challenge negative thought patterns that impact your mood and outlook.

    Count your blessings. It may sound counterintuitive in the midst of such challenges, but keeping a daily gratitude list can help chase away the blues. It can also help you focus on what your loved one is still capable of, rather than the abilities theyve lost.

    Value what is possible. In the middle stages of dementia, your loved one still has many abilities. Structure activities to invite their participation on whatever level is possible. By valuing what your loved one is able to give, you can find pleasure and satisfaction on even the toughest days.

    Improve your emotional awareness. Remaining engaged, focused, and calm in the midst of such tremendous responsibility can challenge even the most capable caregivers. By developing your emotional awareness skills, however, you can relieve stress, experience positive emotions, and bring new peace and clarity to your caretaking role.

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    Tips For A Healthy And Active Lifestyle For People 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?

    Keep Up Social Connections Just 10 Minutes A Day Can Help

    Newly Diagnosed Dementia Family Support Seminar

    Things like music therapy or just playing some pleasing, quiet music, a massage, or exercise can help the mood and behavior of some people with dementia. Unfortunately, the research on these alternative therapies is not far-reaching enough to suggest them as treatment or therapy for dementia patients, but you could see if these work for your loved one.11

    Encourage people to visit and meet with the patient. Sometimes the embarrassment or fear of others seeing the changed behavior, personality, and memory of the individual can be discouraging when it comes to having visitors. Overcome this, because these relationships are crucial. Keep up their routines and hobbies and interests as much as possible. If they were a weekly church-goer, go to church with them. If they liked walking in the park every evening, they should continue to do so, but with someone to help them if they forget their way home. Keep up as much of a semblance of normalcy as you can. As one study found, the impact this can have is huge! Researchers found that dementia patients who indulged in as little as 60 minutes of conversation every week which translates to an average of 8.5 minutes a day saw reduced agitation levels. This also cut down the perception of pain they were living with.12

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    What To Do For Early

    It can be challenging to know what to do when a parent starts showing early signs of dementia.

    Do you know what to do for early-onset dementia? Or, how to help someone with early symptoms of dementia?

    Early-onset dementia is dementia that starts before someone turns 65, usually occurring around the age of 50. And since dementia is a progressive disease, your loved ones symptoms will get worse over time.

    However, living with early-onset dementia doesnt need to be crippling. When it comes to helping someone with early dementia, there are steps you can take to ensure they can maintain their quality of life for many years.

    For those looking for early-onset dementia care information, keep reading.

    In this article, were providing expert insight on the topic of early-onset dementia. Youll get an answer to How early can dementia start? and get tips on how to help family members with dementia.

    Heres everything you need to know about early-stage dementia treatment and care.

    Do Keep Eye Contact When Speaking

    Communicating with a dementia patient requires a lot of patience, especially during later stages of dementia. It is vital to ensure that you talk in a place that has good lighting, a place that is quiet and without too many distractions. Do not try and stand over the person you are talking to, but rather try to be at their level and keep eye contact at all times. Take care to make sure that body language is relaxed and open. Prepare to spend quality time with the person so that they do not feel rushed or like they are a bother.

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    Caregiving In The Early Stages Of Alzheimers Or Dementia

    In the early stages of Alzheimers disease or another type of dementia, your loved one may not need much caregiving assistance. Rather, your role initially may be to help them come to terms with their diagnosis, plan for the future, and stay as active, healthy, and engaged as possible.

    Accept the diagnosis. Accepting a dementia diagnosis can be just as difficult for family members as it for the patient. Allow yourself and your loved one time to process the news, transition to the new situation, and grieve your losses. But dont let denial prevent you from seeking early intervention.

    Deal with conflicting emotions. Feelings of anger, frustration, disbelief, grief, denial, and fear are common in the early stages of Alzheimers or dementiafor both the patient and you, the caregiver. Let your loved one express what theyre feeling and encourage them to continue pursuing activities that add meaning and purpose to their life. To deal with your own fears, doubts, and sadness, find others you can confide in.

    Make use of available resources. There are a wealth of community and online resources to help you provide effective care on this journey. Start by finding the Alzheimers Association in your country . These organizations offer practical support, helplines, advice, and training for caregivers and their families. They can also put you in touch with local support groups.

    Perseverance And Flexibility Is Key

    How to Help Someone with Dementia Communicate

    If your loved one isnt interested in the activity or seems resistant, just take a break and try again later. You could also try a different activity or ask your loved one how you could make this one more enjoyable for them. You should also focus on the process of the activity, not the results what matters most is that your loved one enjoys the time and feels useful.

    At SuperCarers, we connect families with compassionate carers in their local area, and help them manage their home care themselves. Feel free to give us a call on 020 8629 1030 for more information.

    You may also like our article about brain games for the elderly.

    If youd like to find out more about dementia, its symptoms and private care solutions available, download our guide to living with dementia for free.

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    Do Not Try To Stop A Person Who Wants To Leave A Room

    Staying in one place for long periods may result in behavior problems in the dementia patient. It is essential to have a safe environment where they can enjoy the outdoors without any problem. When someone tries to leave a room, do not force them to stop. Doing this may result in an extreme reaction such as severe distress or injuries.

    Instead, it is best to accompany the patient so that they are safe. You can even suggest going for a drive around the block so that they can experience a new environment for a short period. If they do not want company, just let them go but stay close by to make sure that the patient is safe at all times.

    Dont Ask A Person With Short

    A patient and/or loved one can construe even the simplest of conversation starters as a real question, but they honestly dont know the answer to it. This can be embarrassing and can send them back into a fogthey try their best to give an answer that makes sense to them and often produce immediate physical concerns: I’m having a lot of pain, for example. A caregiver and/or family member might ask, What did you have for breakfast? and the person with memory loss doesn’t remember at all. They might say earnestly, I haven’t had anything to eat for weeks, . So these are questions to avoid because it causes fear for the person, that they have failed. But there are things you can talk about

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