Tips for Caring for Your Loved One With Dementia

If your loved one is living with dementia, you're probably aware that it's a complex condition that affects both the individual and the family. The progression of symptoms may require family members to adapt to new conditions in the household while everyone navigates the emotions that often come with a dementia diagnosis. While it can be challenging, specialized dementia care and a patient approach can play a significant role in creating a supportive environment that allows your loved one to live as comfortably as possible. 

What Is Dementia?

Dementia isn't a single disease but a group of related symptoms that point to cognitive decline. Not everyone who has dementia experiences the condition in the same way, but there are some common signs that may occur, such as:

• Memory loss.
• Decreased ability to concentrate.
• Difficulty with reasoning, judgment, and problem-solving.
• Challenges with communication.

Although these symptoms are often normal parts of aging, when they're associated with dementia, they can become significant enough to affect a person's daily life. In addition, because dementia is a progressive condition, the symptoms gradually worsen over time. Eventually, a person living with dementia might come to forget familiar words, places, and the names and faces of even their closest loved ones. Additionally, there can be physical changes, including a decrease in mobility. In such cases, around-the-clock care may become essential to ensure their safety and well-being. 

6 Tips for Caring For a Loved One With Dementia

To help you and your family adapt to the challenges the diagnosis represents, consider the below six tips for caring for a loved one with dementia.

Try To Keep Things Familiar

Familiarity is about creating a consistent and predictable environment for your loved one. This is important because familiarity can reduce stress and provide comfort, even while dementia creates confusion and affects one's ability to plan, perform, and complete tasks. Strive to keep things familiar in your household by establishing routines, such as dressing, eating, and enjoying activities together at the same time every day. You could also serve meals in the same setting, help your loved one maintain a planner of important tasks and events, and create reminders for medications and therapies.

Keep Things Simple

Simplifying interactions can reduce some of the confusion that dementia causes. Try to break tasks down into smaller, easily manageable steps when helping your loved one. When asking questions, ask them one at a time and present choices whenever possible. 

Create a Calming Environment

A calming environment, too, can reduce confusion by removing stressors that cause agitation and distraction. You can create a calming environment by surrounding your loved one with well-loved objects, including photographs and mementos, and minimizing background noise, such as from the television or radio. 

Focus on Positive Interactions

Interacting with a person with dementia can be a unique experience, especially when their language skills are affected by the condition. These challenges can sometimes lead to frustration as they work to express themselves. You can minimize frustration and help make your family member feel more comfortable by intentionally fostering positive interactions. To that end, we recommend speaking as calmly and reassuringly as possible when you engage with your loved one, using gentle nonverbal language, and freely conveying your affection to demonstrate your good intentions.

Encourage Physical Activity

Physical activity can benefit people with dementia by improving mood and providing opportunities for social engagement. Certain activities, such as walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike, can also reduce dementia-related anxiety because they're easy to understand and don't require the individual to make complex decisions.

Stimulate the Mind

Mentally stimulating activities serve as exercise for the brain, which could help slow memory loss and other signs of cognitive decline. Activities such as reading, solving puzzles, and even playing engaging video games can contribute to achieving these positive effects. 

What Resources Are Available for Families Supporting Loved Ones With Dementia?

Reaching out to others is important for learning more about dementia and coping with the emotional experience of supporting your loved one. 

Support Groups

You'll likely find a wide variety of support groups aimed at assisting caregivers, family members, and friends of people with dementia both online and in the Asheville community. Recognizing that others are sharing in your experience can help you realize that it's possible to help yourself and your loved one through the difficulties dementia presents.

Professional Assistance

Though it can be a tough decision to make, you may want to discuss pursuing professional assistance for dementia when your loved one begins exhibiting severe symptoms of cognitive decline, such as:

• Wandering and getting lost.
• Losing track of the time, day, year, or important events.
• Difficulty with bathing, dressing, eating, and other daily activities.
• Behavioral changes, such as increased aggression.
• Increased social isolation.

At Visiting Angels, we believe that a personalized approach is essential for effective dementia care. That's why we begin our client relationships with a free phone consultation that allows us to understand your loved one's unique challenges, needs, and desires. Our consultation serves as the basis of the care plan we develop specifically for the individual, with activities and services including the following:

• Wandering prevention.
• Client monitoring.
• Transportation assistance.
• Fall prevention and safety.
• Walking assistance.
• Meal preparation.
• Bathing and dressing.
• Household organization.
• Medication reminders.
• Light housekeeping.
• Grocery shopping.

Do You Need Dementia Care for Your Loved One in Western North Carolina?

Because cognitive decline can be a confusing and often isolating experience, we emphasize the importance of understanding, patience, and specialized care when you're looking after a loved one living with dementia. We also encourage you to learn more about the condition, use all the resources available, and seek support when needed. Should you need additional resources, guidance, or care services in Asheville, fill out our online contact form or call/text us at 828-665-3944 to get in contact with our team today.