Taking Care Of A Person With Dementia
It is never a pleasant sight to witness the constant decay of the mind of a family member with whom you grew up and cherished. Dementia, even though often associated with illnesses such as Alzheimer, can have numerous causes. Unfortunately, at the present date it is considered irreversible – there is no cure that can stop the process or reinstate the lost brain functions – and the best thing modern medicine can accomplish is slowing down its development to a certain extent.
Most families choose to hire a specialist to help the dementia patient accommodate with the condition and guide him through the everyday tasks, which become increasingly difficult as the disease progresses. The following article aims to present some of the principles applied by specialized caregiver in dealing with dementia.
First and foremost, it is necessary to construct the daily activity list around a basic, predefined structure. In other words, the typical activities should be scheduled at similar times for every day of the week, because the repetition helps decelerate the memory decay. For instance, making sure that the patient wakes up at the same hour, brushes his teeth and then proceeds to breakfast will act as anchors between their mind and the real world. A word of advice though, the structure comprises of basic guidelines and does not imply that the patient should be forced to perform the exact same activities every day.
Simplifying the directions given to the dementia patient is another excellent means of getting them to cooperate, because he will be able to comprehend the request easier. To put it simply, rather than giving him general instructions on a task, such performing the oral hygiene routine, ask him to brush his teeth using the toothbrush and paste. Keep it simple and specific and you will notice that you are able to get through to him much faster. On a side note, simplicity does not imply talking to the patient as if he were a child or patronizing him.
Consistency is a concept similar to structure, but with a twist. Caregivers learn that the memory of the patient deteriorates slower if they are constantly corrected when they make erroneous statements regarding the present year, the name of a person, their current location, etc. Through constant repetition, that person will have an easier time remembering important details of his life and will not phase out to his personal fantasy world so quickly. In addition, consistency refers to scheduling the nutrition and medication intake or the bathroom trips on regular intervals, for the purpose of preventing the aggravation and minimizing accidents.
The environment of the patient should be improved as much as possible, meaning that his room should have brightly colored walls and fixtures and the appropriate amount of light. Positive thinking has shown remarkable results in slowing down the development of dementia, so you could even consider redecorating if neither of the rooms in your home is suitable. Lastly, it is advisable to place items that evoke pleasant memories all around the room, as well as the ones that are related to the patient’s preferences or hobbies (books, knitting set, etc.) in plain sight.
It certainly isn’t easier to manage your work life well if you have a family member with dementia who is mostly left alone. Make sure you look for established homecare agencies in Branford CT or homecare agencies in Cheshire CT to provide the much needed help!
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