Having a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia can be difficult. Not only are these issues hard emotionally, but you may also struggle to know how to help your loved one the right way. If your loved one is showing signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia and you want to know what you can do for them, here are some things to think about.
Know When They Need Help
If you are looking for a memory care facility for your loved one, you may check out places like Harvest Home & Inwood Crossing memory care center In Tomball, TX for more info. Both Alzheimer’s and dementia can develop and worsen slowly over time, and because of this it may be difficult to pinpoint an exact time when your loved one needs to begin living somewhere like memory care Denver or with a family member as opposed to staying at home by themselves. Another option for your senior loved one is home hospice care. Some signs that they need more support can be that they are frequently misplacing important items like their wallet or keys. Additionally, if they frequently seem disoriented and struggle to do basic things for themselves like maintain good hygiene or keep their home clean, then it is very likely that they need more support and should no longer be living alone. If that’s the case for your loved one, you may need to bring them to an assisted living community like Palm Vista Senior Living; visit now to know more information. Many assisted living communities include safety features to alert for immediate help if needed, plus more responsive care and monitoring, especially for memory care residents.
Be Patient With Them
When helping your loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia, whether they live with you or you see them on a more infrequent basis, it is important to be patient with them. Often when someone is struggling with these diseases, they are forgetful and tend to repeat themselves. If they are not forgetful, they are frequently confused or disoriented, and may not understand what is going on, even after things have been clearly explained to them. For someone without any memory issues, this can be frustrating and at times difficult to deal with. However, it is important to keep in mind that they have no control over this and that you showing frustration could hurt their feelings and put unnecessarily stress on them.
Engage Them In New Tasks
Although patients with these issues may struggle to remember even old information, teaching them new things and engaging them in new tasks can be highly beneficial for keeping their brains active and improving their moods. The more that they can use their brain, the more that it can help slow the progress of their disease, and put them in better mood, too. This is key because issues like anxiety and depression are common in these kinds of patients.
When a loved one has Alzheimer’s or dementia, it can be hard to know what to do. The good news is, though, that by getting them help when they need it, like hiring senior in-home care services to assist them with their daily needs, being patient and engaging them in new tasks, you can help ease the situation for both them, and yourself, too.