June 16th, 2020 | Updated on June 30th, 2022
Dementia is a devastating disease. Dementia is not a single disease but is collectively caused by several underlying factors. It is a progressive disease that affects the patient’s cognitive functions over time.
Imagine watching someone you love slowly lose their sense of memory, communication, and thought processes.
It is a tough experience indeed. Nevertheless, to care for dementia patients, carers need to have a good understanding of the disease and also the right attitude to face it.
Today, there are many options available to properly care for dementia patients, and we will discuss several options for dementia care so you and your loved ones can get the right support throughout your journey.
Have The Right Attitude
To properly care for someone with dementia, you need empathy and compassion to help you ride out the ups and downs. And trust me, it will be a rollercoaster ride. Dementia patients are often confused and disorientated.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, three out of five dementia patients are prone to go missing as they wander off and become disoriented and confused in unfamiliar surroundings.
This situation might occur time and time again and as a carer, you need to be patient and understanding.
Put yourself in your patient’s position, it’s already bad enough that you can’t seem to remember things, but it’s even worse if your loved one does not at least try to understand your sickness.
Seek Support
Caring for a loved one is not easy, especially if they have a serious illness like dementia. It can really take a toll on your physical, emotional, and even mental wellbeing.
However, it is important for you to remember that you are not alone and you are encouraged to seek support anytime you need it. To better care for both yourself and your loved one, seek help immediately if you find yourself struggling.
Home Care For Your Loved One With Dementia
Patients with dementia require round the clock special care. It’s not simply just about taking care of them but also communicating with them to keep their minds active.
With today’s busy schedules, families lack the manpower and time to meet these requirements. As a result, their loved one’s condition might deteriorate even further, which is often the case.
Benefits Of Home Care For Your Loved One With Dementia
Thankfully, we now have home care to provide for dementia patients. Home care for dementia patients are highly encouraged whether you have the time to care for your loved one or not.
With home care, you can arrange for a professional therapist to make house calls as often as you like.
Even if you live far away from your loved one, you can arrange someone to drop by daily and take care of all their essentials, including talking to them and doing other exercises for their memory. However, it is not advisable to leave your loved one with dementia to live alone.
Unless of course, if you work during the day and come home during the night, you can arrange for someone to be there throughout your working hours.
Dementia Patients Are More Comfortable In A Familiar Environment
Home care for dementia patients is the best solution. Firstly, your loved one can remain at home, rather than sending them to an unfamiliar environment like a care facility. Staying at home will be far less disorienting for dementia patients.
Routine Is Good For Dementia Patients
While being in a familiar environment will make your loved one feel calm and safe, daily routines also give them the same sense of security.
It is best to follow their pre-dementia routines to lessen their anxiety and confusion. Try and understand what they usually do at home throughout the day, and you can discuss this with your home caregiver.
The best thing about home care is that caregivers provide a range of services from assisting your loved one with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) to specific medical care like the necessary therapies they might require.
Special Dementia Care
Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s related diseases are unfortunately very common these days. However, due to its frequency, many home care services now provide special training to their caregivers to care for dementia patients.
These trainings include methods of keeping dementia patients engaged, communicative, handling unpredictable situations and behaviours, and more. These professionals also go through safety training should anything occur during their visits.
Once your loved one is diagnosed with dementia, do not be afraid. Instead, you should try and learn all you need to know about the disease so that your loved one does not face it alone.
Thankfully today, there are many services that can help you provide the best care for dementia patients. Home care is the best option if you want to provide dementia care for your loved ones.
