Finding out your parents are living with a memory syndrome such as Alzheimer’s or dementia can be devastating. They are extremely difficult diagnoses for the person with the diagnosis and those around them. And the indignity it brings as the symptoms progress is, for the most part, challenging and soul-destroying. For those navigating this journey, effective caregiver tips for dementia can make a significant difference.
Caring for people as they navigate challenges associated with these types of health changes can be hard, and as a caregiver, you need to access the right help and support. This post will offer a few tips that are useful for navigating this landscape.
Four caregiver tips for dementia:
1. Research
Researching their specific disease or culmination of symptoms and diagnosis is not just important; it’s vital. Understanding what you are going to be facing and what you can expect in the next few months or years is key. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to deal with medical appointments, medications, behavioral changes, and other related issues. This knowledge can be empowering, helping you deliver the right care and support and adapt to changes or progression of dementia.
2. Structure
Structuring your day and life with reminders, regular routines, and consistent habits can be a powerful tool in caregiving. It not only helps in delaying the progression of symptoms but also provides a sense of order and control. Activities such as eating, waking, bathing, and dressing each day can provide routine and structure that can be immensely beneficial. Writing down notes and other lists can further enhance this sense of organization, allowing you to set reminders and schedule specific activities at designated times.
3. Help and Support
As a caregiver, you need to have support networks in place wherever you can. Whether this is through paid help and assistance, such as home help, or you have friends and family you can lean on and rely on to help you and the person you are caring for, find it and use it. You cannot and should not do it alone, and you need support, especially as they progress and their condition worsens. It may be that you find live-in care helpful for round-the-clock support, or you look into memory care options for alternative living arrangements that take the pressure off you, find the right type of support for your situation, and utilize it.
4. Focus on the Positives
Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia is undoubtedly challenging. The progression of the syndrome: dementia is a syndrome resulting from different diseases, and Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that can alter the life and personality of the person you know and love in ways that make them unrecognizable. As a caregiver, this can be extremely difficult to respond to. However, it’s crucial to remember that it isn’t about you personally.
It can be entirely disorientating for the person and isolating, too, as their life and their mind are slowly eroded. The best thing you can do, as part of your caregiver tips for dementia toolkit, is to understand this isn’t personal, and they are not choosing to be this way. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of the situation. Even if they’re not totally the same person, the times and elements that they through and remain can give you something to focus on, fostering a sense of hope and optimism.
