The Seven Stages Of Dementia
One of the most difficult things to hear about dementia is that, in most cases, dementia is irreversible and incurable. However, with an early diagnosis and proper care, the progression of some forms of dementia can be managed and slowed down. The cognitive decline that accompanies dementia conditions does not happen all at once – the progression of dementia can be divided into seven distinct, identifiable stages.
Learning about the stages of dementia can help with identifying signs and symptoms early on, as well as assisting sufferers and caretakers in knowing what to expect in further stages. The earlier dementia is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can start.
Should Dementia Patients Watch Tv
Watching TV is a popular leisure activity for many older people, but it can become a challenge when disturbed by dementia symptoms. It is generally advisable not to allow dementia patients to watch TV unsupervised. However, watching TV with a caregiver or a person close to them can be good for the emotional well-being of the dementia patient.
Perseverance And Flexibility Is Key
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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How To Calm Someone With Dementia The Best Explanation
They could be a symptom of the physical changes in the brain caused by dementia. A person may become agitated suddenly because of a change or specific cause, such as increased noise or not being able to do something they previously could. They dont know why they feel a general sense of angst.
Dementia is a progressive brain disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. People with dementia have trouble remembering things they once did well. They may also have difficulty thinking clearly and making decisions.
Include Enjoyable Sensory Experiences
Some sensory experiences that the person with dementia might like include:
- enjoying a hand, neck or foot massage
- brushing their hair
- smelling fresh flowers or pot pourri
- using essential oils and fragrances
- stroking an animal or differently textured materials
- visiting a herb farm or a flower show
- rummaging in a box containing things that the person has been interested in.
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Games Puzzles And Around The Home Activities For Dementia Patients
Sex And Dementia: The Surprising Truth
Douglas Wornell MD, geriatric neuropsychiatrist and medical director, Behavioral Wellness Center, Auburn Regional Medical Center, Auburn, Washington. He also is director of Wornell Psychiatry and Associates in Fox Island, Washington, and author of Sexuality & Dementia: Compassionate & Practical Strategies for Dealing with Unexpected or Inappropriate Behaviors and Wandering Explorers: Practical Dementia for Families and Caregivers . DougWornell.com
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For a society in which the topic of sex is anything but taboo, we are shockingly silent on an aspect of sexuality that touches millions of lives. It has to do with sexuality and dementia, a condition that currently affects nearly seven million Americans and is expected to affect more and more in the future.
For some patients, dementia robs them of all sexual desire, leaving their partners feeling frustrated and bereft. For other dementia patients, sex becomes an obsession, so partners feel harassed or even afraidor perhaps guilty, because one has to ask the question of whether theres any such thing as consensual sex when one partner has dementia. And unfortunately, theres very little help available for people facing these quandaries.
Dr. Wornell, who has participated in the treatment of more than 20,000 dementia patients in the past 10 years, gave me straight and insightful answers to some difficult and delicate questions
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Dementia Behaviors How To Recognize Them And What To Do About Them
Dementia behaviors can make it difficult to care for a person who has been a major part of your life. Perhaps they were always kind, gentle, and optimistic. Maybe they were always alert, realistic, and followed a set routine as they went about their days. They may have been a great negotiator, getting what they wanted in a way that made people happy to give it to them.
Once dementia progresses past the mild stages, your loved one may behave very differently. What can you do when dementia behavior happens? You can help them if you recognize the behavior quickly, find out its cause, and respond to the need behind the behavior.
The Timing Must Be Right
In order to ensure success in activities for dementia patients, the timing has to be just right.
People suffering from dementia can be unpredictable, so be prepared to be flexible and patient.
Pay attention to times when the person seems:
Make sure that your loved one isnt preoccupied, so they can fully focus on the activity. If the time is not right, switch gears and try a less-stressful activity.
When the timing is right, pick a clutter-free area away from noise and distractions.
As you are planning activities for dementia patients, it can also help to consider the time of day. For instance, choose calm and relaxing activities, like listening to music, around bedtime.
And remember, an activity that was a great success one day may not receive the same welcome the next.
The key is to focus on the needs of your loved one and be ready to move on to a new activity, if necessary.
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Cooking Household Tasks And Gardening
You can keep or start cooking, as long as it is safe for you. If it becomes difficult, there are some small changes that can make things easier.
For example, you can:
- ask someone to help you in the kitchen
- try recipes that have fewer steps or ingredients
- use pre-prepared ingredients such as ready-made
- sauces or chopped vegetables.
Many jobs around the home also provide a good form of gentle exercise and can help you to keep physically active. These include:
- doing housework for example, washing up, folding clothes or dusting
- gardening for example, gently weeding the garden, maintaining houseplants, or growing herbs or flowers in window boxes.
You can ask someone to do these tasks with you if this makes them more enjoyable or easier.
Tip: It can be helpful to put out the things you need before starting a task so that you have a visual prompt for example, tools for gardening or ingredients for cooking.
Reminisce About Their Life
Long-term memory often remains stronger for longer in people living with dementia. It can be wonderful to engage your loved one in discussions or activities about their lives. Its also a fantastic opportunity for you to learn more about your loved one.
Some ideas include:
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Interview your loved one about their life using a video recorder
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Talk to them about their life, their childhood, and their family
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Look through photos and make a photo album
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Watch family videos together
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Ask them about their favourite memories around a particular topic, such as their favourite holiday or oldest friend
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Household Chores / Everyday Activities
You might assume that household chores are tedious, but for dementia patients, they are rewarding. They help the senior gain a sense of accomplishment and independence. In fact, the person may get agitated if you leave them alone to take care or essential household tasks such as laundry.
If so, try finding ways for the dementia patient to help with the following:
- Folding laundry
- Playing with paperclips
- Shuffling and arranging a deck of cards
The activities above might not always be performed up to your standard by the dementia patient, but he/she will enjoy feeling helpful.
Things About Dementia People Wish They’d Known Earlier
Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “ignorance is bliss.” It’s the belief that people are happier when they’re unaware of their problems.
But ignorance is not always bliss. When it comes to caring for someone with dementia, knowledge is key. It’s better to be informed than to be living in ignorance.
If you provide care for someone with dementia, the suggestions below might help you navigate this uncharted territory.
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Fun Activities For Dementia Patients To Keep Them Engaged
Weve all heard it before that keeping your mind active and engaged can help prevent dementia in the later years. But what about for those who are already suffering from dementia?
A person with dementia can feel isolated and confused even in the company of family and friends. This can cause them to develop apathy and depression which will worsen their condition and in turn, negatively impact on the people around them.
If you have loved ones who suffer from dementia, know that there are ways to keep them engaged in life and that it is possible for them to enjoy themselves as much as possible despite their condition.
Just Be With The Person
If you are comfortable just being with the person, you may choose to simply sit and spend time with the person, and respond to anything that they might be doing or noises they might be making.
Sometimes there will be lovely moments when the persons facial expressions sparkling eyes, a smile or a grip of the hand will indicate that the person is noticing and responding to our attempts to reach out to them. However, there will be other times when the person doesnt open their eyes or even appears to turn their head or body away from us, which can make us wonder whether we are getting through to the person. It is important to continue to relate to the person as if they are still able to understand what you are saying.
Barbara Pointon cared for her husband Malcolm, who had dementia, right until his death. She says Malcolm had a very expressionless and stoney face in the very late stages of his illness. She believes that he had lost his ability to synchronise his facial muscles to smile . As a result care staff and visitors thought their efforts were having no effect. Barbara had to remind them that, although Malcolm could no longer outwardly express pleasure, they had no way of telling what his feelings were inside. As she said, We must always trust that feelings are still there.
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Activities That Promote Healthy Eating
- Cook together ask the person about their favorite meal and work together to make it. Or look up healthy cooking videos online and try to make them yourselves.
- Plant vegetables together in the garden or in pots.
- Have a picnic together bring healthy food options the person likes. Bring a portable or camping chair if the person has trouble sitting on the ground.
Is Coloring Good For Dementia Patients
Coloring is a good activity for dementia patients since it shows positive outcomes, most notably a decrease in anxiety and agitation. The therapeutic value of activities like coloring partly comes from the persons need to concentrate and in participating so that they essentially stop thinking about their troubles while coloring.
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What Are Signs That Dementia Is Getting Worse
Increasing confusion or poor judgment. greater memory loss, including a loss of events in the more distant past. needing assistance with tasks, such as getting dressed, bathing, and grooming. significant personality and behavior changes, often caused by the use of drugs or alcohol. Alcohol abuse or dependence is a serious medical condition that can lead to serious physical and mental health problems.
It can also affect your ability to work, care for yourself, or enjoy life. Signs of an alcohol problem include: drinking too much or too little of any alcoholic beverage drinking excessively or drinking on a regular basis .
The Plate Colour Matters
In a study conducted at Boston University, researchers found that patients eating from red plates consumed 25 percent more food than those eating from white plates. This appears to be connected with the way someone living with dementia sees food on a plate. If you cant really see food because its on a white background you are much less likely to eat it.
The use of colour helps to stimulate interest in dementia patents, as often they have trouble distinguishing between colour. If the food is too close to the colour palette of the plate, people with dementia can struggle to distinguish the contrast between the two and realise there is food to be eaten.
A company called Eatwell Tableware have a fantastic selection of innovative tablewear designed for those with dementia or motor impairment.
Sentai – Meal reminders and much more
Using smart technology, Sentai can take care of daily reminders like gently telling someone with dementia that its time to eat. Sentai can help them to retain their independence by giving you piece of mind with live updates and insights as to their wellbeing, without being intrusive. If something doesnt seem right, or they press and emergency button, Sentai will immediately let you know.
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Exercise And Physical Activity
Exercise and physical activity can have lots of benefits for people with dementia. It can help regulate their sleep and prevent restlessness and sleeplessness in the evening. It can also help maintain a positive mood and lower the risk of them developing depression.
Physical activities may include:
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Walking around their neighbourhood or a local park
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Depending on age and fitness, you could try tandem biking
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Water aerobics health and fitness centres often have workshops and classes specifically for elderly people or people with dementia
The Impact Of Dementia On The Individual
Most people living with dementia experience problems with their memory and thinking. This can lead to loss of:
- Self-esteem and confidence
- The ability to carry out hobbies
- Everyday life skills
However, the person will still keep some of their abilities. They will still feel an emotional connection to people and their environment, even later on in the condition.
Dementia will affect a person’s day-to-day life. There are approaches carers can take to lessen the impact of any changes and help the person keep a sense of normality for as long as possible.
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What Are The Three Behavioral Problems Associated With Dementia
Agitation is a term used to describe behavioral problems in dementia, such as verbal and physical aggression. The symptoms cause distress and lead to the discontinuation of nursing home care. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the severity of dementia and the presence of behavioral disturbances. We hypothesized that patients with dementia would be more likely to have a behavioral disturbance than patients without dementia.
To test this hypothesis, a cross-sectional study was conducted in a community-dwelling population of older adults with mild to moderate cognitive impairment and a history of at least one psychiatric disorder. Participants were recruited from the community and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a control group, an intervention group , or the intervention and control groups .
The intervention consisted of a cognitive behavioral therapy program that was delivered by a licensed clinical social worker who was trained in the use of CBT.
Sensory Activities For Dementia Patients
#1: Get Cooking
There’s nothing quite like cooking to stimulate all five of your senses. Cooking is the perfect activity for dementia patients at home or in memory care.
Not only is cooking practical, but it also delivers a tasty treat as a reward.
Allow your loved one to do as much of the process as possible, always keeping safety at the forefront of your mind.
Depending on their abilities, your loved one may create the entire recipe from start to finish.
Or, they may only be able to help with a step or two. And if they are unable to perform any of the processes but are interested and engaged, they may benefit from simply watching you cook.
Keep it simple with recipes such as:
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Garlic bread or
#2: Look at Scrapbooks
Looking through photo albums is a wonderful way to bring back favorite memories and spark meaningful conversation.
Lend a listening ear as the senior reminisces over their photos.
Ask questions to help them remember, or encourage them to create simple stories about what they see.
#3: Do Pasta Threading
Threading pasta is not only a fun activity, but your loved one can wear the end product as evidence of their success.
Simply use colorful yarn and plenty of dry pasta with big holes, such as:
You can easily make a needle by wrapping masking tape around the end of the yarn .
Your patient can even create patterns by using different colors of pasta or varying the types of pasta.
#4: Work in the Garden
Fill the garden with edible plants such as:
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