Elderly Care - Five Tips in Caring For A Loved One With Dementia By Naomi J Lolley | Submitted On July 21, 2011 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter 1 Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest Expert Author Naomi J Lolley Age progression can be a trying time, especially when additional elderly care is necessary due to the physical and mental changes happening. Loss of strength, loss of function, and loss of memory are some common occurrences that the "sandwich generation" notices in their elderly …show more content…
Read everything you can on the subject and stay abreast of any developing findings in medical journals. Sometimes, an elderly person with dementia may get combative, and you need to be ready in advance in order to handle the situation properly. Other times, they may withdraw, and not respond to any conversation or activity. Being prepared in advance for these types of situations will give you greater confidence in providing elderly care for your loved one. Elderly Care Tip #4 - Plan Regular Responses and Redirection A common problem for loved ones with dementia is the lack of short-term memory. Perhaps you heard your aging mother ask what she ate for breakfast more than five times already that morning, but it is important to answer the question instead of brushing it off or giving a belittling answer. Politely answer the question the way you did the other three or four times that it was asked. While she is thinking over the response, find a different question to ask her, or a small task to involve her in. This distraction helps her get focused on something else, while it also prevents you from getting frustrated with her for repeating herself. Elderly Care Tip #5 - Resist the Urge to …show more content…
No amount of urging will help your loved one remember something they do not. In fact, using phrases such as, "Oh, you remember, we did this..." may even cause more frustration than not remembering the activity, because now they are being coached that they should have remembered the
He often remembered to say thank you every time I fed or treated him. However, even after showing him the photos I found in his locker, he said that he could not remember the individuals and he could only assume that they were his relatives. Dementia patients especially whose condition has deteriorated have a difficult time trying to recall important things that occurred in the past (Shea, 2011). Despite his condition, Ishmael appeared to be an intelligent individual who could engage in different conversation topics. The opportunity of providing personalized care to Ishmael provided a whole new experience in my profession as a nurse. I also made a background check on the factors that influence the onset of dementia. Although I had studied this in school, I got an opportunity of doing a thorough analysis than in the
Care givers should use clear questions when speaking to someone with dementia as it may take them a little longer to process what is being asked.
It is very easy for somebody with dementia to become anorexic or obese because their short term memory can make them forget that they have had nothing to eat or in the opposite way that they have already had their something. This framework will help Amy because it would be their care workers responsibility to make sure they have had breakfast and write it down if she has or not for the next care worker who may be a part of her team because then they cannot just assume Amy has had something to eat or not.
Improving Memory: While it's common for those with dementia to have difficulty recalling everything from events to basic functions, caregivers can implement cognitive exercises to preserve memory recall. This could take the form of cards with pictures of everyday objects, or even the
People who have dementia will always forget things all the time even you have repeated instructions many times. They forget names,events and even their own families will be erased from their memory due to the progress of the disease. They will forget even doing their daily care needs like toileting.brushing their teeth,bathing and even how to eat as well. A person with dementia is challenging,their behaviours are unpredictable,they easily get irritated and angry.
Patients with dementia and Alzheimer 's generally suffer from something called sundowning syndrome. Laurie udesky from caring.com describes this disease as “increased agitation and confusion that can occur anytime but may be more noticeable in the late afternoon or early evening.”(sundown syndrome). When a person is agitated they tend to get combative and forget where they are, what they 're doing there, and who they are. Some residents often cry out for a deceased family member. A personal example that I have witnessed while working in a nursing home is that when residents start to sundown, they talk about how they need to go home because there husband and child are waiting for them at home. How do you handle a situation like that without upsetting the patient and making things escalate quickly? Perhaps lying to them is considered bad but it may keep them calm enough to change to a different topic.
Unpredictable movements and vocalizations frightened and pushed me from my comfort zone, yet cooperating with an interdisciplinary team provided invaluable practical experience and a chance to learn appropriate care for those in vulnerable positions. Accordingly, two individuals made a major difference in my experience. The first was JP Hermano, the volunteer coordinator, who assisted me greatly by providing numerous seminars and training sessions to help me understand and become comfortable with dementia. The second was Alle Choi, the head dietician, and she helped to teach more of the practical and scientific aspects, such as the theory behind good feeding practices and potential warning signs to watch for with diagnosed individuals.
Every person experiences the early stages of Alzheimer’s on various levels. During the early stage of Alzheimer’s, it is common for the patient to need assistance with cues and reminders to help with memory. For those supporting the patient, it is important to determine what can be effective and helpful in assisting the patient as their dementia may progress. Patients may need help with various tasks including:
Assisting individual with dementia can be very rewarding but circumstances can arise that are hard for the client with dementia or carer and can even be both parties. Hence, as an experienced carer it is vital to try to see things from the service user’s point of view. When dementia progresses it will create behavioural problems that can be very confusing, irritating or strenuous for family or carers to cope with and this could make the carers, family members and others very upset and stressed. As a carer it is good to understand that there are many reasons why anyone with dementia may not be prepared to do exactly what we would like them to do. Individual with dementia should not be expected to go along with our wishes or stick to our standards.
Memory is the main storage of every second of your life. A progressive failure in the brain may cause different negative difficulties on elders’ lives. As family members, you should be able to extend your patience when you want them to do something. It is better if they assisted by your chosen home health care companion from the agency of home health services in Great Plains Way, Boling.
Have you ever forgotten something like where you put your keys or to pick up shampoo from the store? How would you feel if all of sudden you couldn’t remember newly learned things? This is what happens with Alzheimer’s patients, they have trouble remembering things they have just learned. There are several different things that someone who may be developing Alzheimer’s should be aware of.
Dementia often forces family members to admit their loved ones into long-term care facilities. Unfortunately, a variety of issues commonly arises after admission. For instance, family members, especially those who have previously taken care of the resident, are sometimes reluctant to allow changes in the residents routine, medication regimen, diet, etc. This can create conflict because sometimes changes are necessary in order to create a plan of care capable of enhancing the resident’s quality of life.
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