Help & Advice for Primary Caregivers for People with Dementia
This is a collaborative post.
Looking after your elderly parent or another close friend can be a trying and emotional time, but when that individual is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, stress, pressure, and frustration are exceedingly common.
With this in mind, continue reading to discover four key pieces of help and advice for primary caregivers for people with dementia.
1. Remain Physically Active Together
Depending on how the dementia illness affects your loved one, it may well be the case that they would much rather stay at home where they are safe and comfortable than head out for a brisk winter walk.
Pledging to remain as active, fit, and healthy as possible will be a fantastic way to motivate your loved one and ensure you are taking care of your own health too.
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2. Strive to Make the Home Safer
Whether you are the primary caregiver for your loved one or are part of a family-based team, one incredibly helpful task that everyone can get involved with would be looking for ways and means to make the home safer overall.
As people with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory-based illnesses tend to become considerably less steady and confident on their feet, the following tips should be helpful:
- Inserting safety covers and plugs into electrical outlets
- Ensuring there is good and bright lighting throughout the property
- Decluttering the floor space of each room
- Installing handrails around the basin, bath, shower, and toilet
- Removing unsecured rugs and mats
3. Learn to Adapt the Way You Communicate
Another common symptom of dementia is a reduced ability to converse and communicate, with people forgetting words to simple items and losing their train of thought when they are in mid-conversation.
Fortunately, there are many small changes that you can make to improve how comfortable and confident your loved one feels in talking to you and for them to get the most out of each interaction.
Always minimize the number of distractions in the room by ensuring the television volume is turned down and that the room is empty except for you and them, sitting closer to them than you normally would, and maintaining a normal level of eye contact.
4. Take Care of Yourself Too
The fourth and final most important tip for caregivers of loved ones suffering from dementia is to make sure your own needs are being met, with burnout not being helpful for anyone, least of all your loved one.
Spend time with friends, family members, and work colleagues in different settings, try not to cancel appointments and meetings with work because you feel guilty, and join one of the many caregiving support groups for people with dementia online.
Furthermore, ensure you are eating plenty of nutritious yet delicious meals and not skipping breakfast to take care of your loved one.