Caring For a Loved One With Dementia

Caring for someone with dementia can be extremely mentally and emotionally taxing.  It involves trying to make sense of what seems nonsensical, and often responding in ways that seem counterintuitive to everything you understand.  Yet with these skills and strategies you will feel well-informed and capable in your role as caregiver to a loved one with dementia and can help your loved one to feel accepted, understood and content.

How can I become a better dementia caregiver?  In order to improve your knowledge and skills regarding dementia, follow these guidelines below to improve your caregiving efforts:

• Recognize and accept your flaws:  Coming to terms with your flaws and accepting them as natural allows you to be human.  There will be lots of times you wish you had dealt with a situation differently, and that’s ok.  Try not to blame yourself, and most of all learn from the experience!
• Let go of reason:  With Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, traditional reasoning and logic are almost always completely ineffective.  Rather than arguing with your loved one or engaging in a debate over something you disagree with, such as the need to eat dinner, instead pivot to using short, simple and straightforward statements, such as: “Let’s take a few bites then have dessert.”
• Sometimes a little white lie is best.  With dementia, unfortunately honestly isn’t always the best policy, and instead can lead to confusion, agitation, and even a meltdown!  If the Senior believes they are an employee of the Doctor’s office, play along with their alternate reality, perhaps by giving them a clipboard and paperwork to take along to the next visit!
• Leave extra time and space for independence.  While it might be simpler for you to take control of all the day-to-day tasks your loved one can no longer do easily or quickly, this may also contribute to reducing their self-worth.  If getting dressed solo takes them three times as long, plan for that additional time so neither of you feels rushed and your loved one can feel good about completing the task on their own!
• Simplify questions.  While it might seem perfectly acceptable to ask your loved one what they would like for dinner or what they want to do today, the person may be unable to articulate their answer, which can lead to frustration and undesirable behavior on the part of your loved one.   Instead, a simple “yes” or “no” question may be more effective, such as:  “Would you like fish for dinner?” or “Would you like to go for a walk in the park?”
• Remind yourself that you don’t have to do it alone!  It’s okay to ask for help, especially when you are feeling overwhelmed.  Dementia care, especially as the disease progresses, is a 24/7 responsibility, and attempting to do it on your own is a surefire way to experience caregiver burnout.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help, either from a family member or friend or from professional caregivers like Caregiver’s Home Solutions!

One of the best ways to ensure the ideal care for your loved one with dementia is to partner with a dementia care expert like Caregiver’s Home Solutions!  We are knowledgeable and experienced in providing homecare services to individuals with dementia, giving their families and friends peace of mind and giving their family caregiver’s the opportunity to take care of themselves and avoid caregiver burnout!  If you need support caring for your loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia please call Caregiver’s Home Solutions at 203-870-9850 or email us at [email protected]!