How You Can Support A Loved One With Dementia
As of 2020, more than 55 million people are living with dementia worldwide. Many of those with dementia rely on the compassionate care of loved ones to stay safe and healthy.
Caring for a loved one with dementia is an honorable thing to do, but it’s also challenging. If you have a loved one with dementia, prepare yourself to take on your caregiver role by understanding dementia and the special concerns that come with it.
Understanding Dementia
Dementia is not a single disease. Instead, it describes numerous conditions that affect an individual's ability to think, remember, and make decisions.
One of the best first steps in supporting a loved one with dementia is to educate yourself on the type of dementia they have. There are hundreds of types of dementia, each with its own nuances. Familiarizing yourself with some of the signs, symptoms, and progression of dementia can help you better empathize with what they’re going through and better equip you to support them in the future.
Special Concerns With Dementia
When caring for a loved one with dementia, there are special concerns to take into consideration to ensure their safety and well-being.
Wandering
Wandering is a common concern for people whose loved one has dementia, specifically those with Alzheimer’s disease. Wandering is when an individual becomes lost or confused about their location. It affects about six in 10 of people with dementia.
Nearly every person with dementia is at risk for wandering. Signs of wandering include getting lost on the way home, not knowing when they’re at home or a familiar place, becoming restless, or asking the whereabouts of past loved ones.
The National Institute on Aging offers tips to help reduce wandering in seniors with dementia, such as placing signs on doors reminding them not to leave or putting shoes in keys away from doors to discourage them from leaving. Keeping those with a history of wandering engaged in daily activities is also a great way to help reduce it.
Communication
Communication is one of the motor skills that can progressively decline with many types of dementia. What those communication challenges look like will depend on the type of dementia, but often, they involve not understanding or having rational thoughts, delayed speech, or an inability to speak.
If your loved one can speak, focus on speaking slowly, using short sentences, and making eye contact when you talk. Keep it simple and open-ended when asking questions, and allow them time to respond. They often understand what you’re saying but just need extra time to formulate and answer.
For nonverbal loved ones, know there’s much you can say through body language and physical contact. When speaking to them, smile and use a positive tone of voice. Respect their space, but showing light physical affection is okay, like hand holding or a gentle pat on the shoulder.
Memory
Memory changes are one of the more commonly known symptoms of dementia. Dementia-related memory loss can include asking the same questions repeatedly, getting lost in familiar places, and confusing people and timelines. Sometimes, your loved one may be confused by their current time and place, believing they’re reliving a memory.
Memory changes can also be one of the most difficult things to cope with as a family caregiver. Your initial instinct may be to want to correct them, and while that may be helpful in some situations, it’s essential to remain calm, respectful, and patient.
While there’s no way to reverse or stop memory changes with dementia, research suggests journaling is a great tool to help seniors with dementia cope with memory loss. Journaling can help individuals reaffirm their identity and feel connected to themselves as they progress through their condition.
Dementia Care With Visiting Angels Garland
Caring for a loved one with dementia is not something you have to do alone. Visiting Angels Garland is available to support you and your loved one, providing compassionate and personalized care to assist those with dementia through our Dementia care services.
Our caregivers are available for part-time and full-time care. We help provide supervision to prevent wandering, medication reminders, mobility assistance, light housekeeping, transportation to appointments and errands, and assistance with personal grooming tasks.
Our dementia care services are available to seniors in Rockwall, Rowlett, Wylie, Garland, and many surrounding Texas communities. Please contact Visiting Angels Garland to book your free, in-home assessment.