How can a family member care for someone with dementia?
Caring for a family member with dementia can be not only a stressful but also an emotional journey. It is important to take regular breaks and look after one’s own health too.
Be positive and clear in communication. Do activities together with the person. Take advise of doctors and seek help with household chores if required.
Can you care for someone with dementia at home?
Especially during the early stages of dementia, it is possible to care for someone at home and bring in help if required. In India, especially people may find caring for someone with dementia at home cost effective and easy apart from wanting to be near them during this difficult time. Key is to be able to get maximum support from family and friends during this time.
What not to say to someone with dementia?
Asking too many questions to jog their memory or treating them patronizingly like a child may be upsetting for someone with dementia.
Should I correct my mom with dementia?
Just be correcting someone with dementia will not help them remember better! It may be kinder sometimes to agree and distract them to something happening then and there.
How to take care of my health as a carer of someone with dementia?
Carers must look after their own health. They must eat well, exercise and get adequate rest. They must get regular breaks and socialize to avoid burn out as carers. It will be useful if they can find friends who care similarly for people with dementia.
How should I calm down someone with dementia?
Maintaining routines for eating, resting, exercise, personal hygiene and sleep will help a person with dementia stay calm. Providing lots of reassurance, music, calming television programmes, having pets can all help a person with dementia stay calm.
How can I get my mom with dementia to have a bath?
It is important to have a routine and set time to have a bath. Patients with dementia can be scared of water, scared because they may be fearful of falls or forgotten how to have a bath. Explain and remind the process carefully and ask them if they need any help. If they need help you can help as required always staying calm. Sometimes music or talking in a reassuring way helps.
How can I handle violence of a person I care for with dementia?
First stay calm. There is usually a reason why a person with dementia starts getting aggressive. Is it because they are in pain or, are they confused? Is it because they don’t recognise the people around them or their environment?
Talk in a calming and non-threatening manner. Leave them alone for some time if it is safe to do so. Sometimes medications may be required to calm down a person if it is a regular phenomenon. Talk to your psychiatrist about this.
What can I do when someone with dementia refuses medication?
People with dementia may refuse medications because they are scared to take it, upset about side effects or do not know why they need it etc.
Think about whether there is an alternative to medications and discuss the options with the psychiatrist. Also discuss if the person needs to definitely take medications if they have a capacity to consent. The doctor may be able to advise on the best interest of the patient.
What happens when someone with dementia stops eating?
People with dementia may lose an interest in eating because they may be depressed, tired, constipated or unsure of how to feed themselves. Sometimes there may be swallowing difficulties too.
Try to find the root cause of why the person has stopped eating. Try to include liquid foods with high vitamins and nutrients. Try to make meal times calm and make foods that the person likes. Contact a doctor if you feel a person is getting dehydrated or suffering from under nourishment as a result or losing weight.
How can environment affect a person with dementia?
Too noisy or a busy and unfamiliar environment may be a source of stress for people with dementia.
How can I create a good environment to help someone with dementia?
Familiar walk around spaces including specifications of where the toilet or kitchen is reduces anxiety and stress levels for people with dementia. It is important is have well lit spaces to minimise risk of falls. Less noise is always better.
How can a positive attitude help a person with dementia?
A positive attitude in an individual is in itself a protective factor towards dementia. If someone has developed dementia, when carers are more positive and instil positivity it goes a long way in affecting how a person copes with the challenges of dementia.
Can a person with dementia live alone?
Especially in the early stages of dementia it is possible for a person to live alone and independently. However, it may be safer for a carer to move in with them to help them and monitor them as dementia progresses.
Can someone with dementia drive a car?
You need to stop driving if you have symptoms that affect judgment and concentration. If you have a doubt contact the Regional Transport Office and your psychiatrist for advice.
Does someone with dementia need 24-hour support?
As dementia progresses a person may require round the clock support for various activities of daily living.
I need support in looking after someone with dementia. What do I do?
You must seek help as much as possible from friends and relatives. Do not feel embarrassed about asking for help and support. If you can afford it you must consider paid carers to help you care for a person with dementia. Try to talk to friends for emotional support. You can also consider talk therapy for yourself to manage your stress as a carer.
I am getting angry and tearful as a carer. Why?
It is understandable to get frustrated and upset when caring for someone with dementia. Not only the fact that it is physically exhausting buy when the person does not recognise you, you can get quite upset too. Getting information about the condition and looking after your own physical and mental health all goes a long way.
How can I help a family member who has been diagnosed with dementia?
Being understanding of what they go through itself goes a long way. Try to help them as and when required and look out for their safety. Keep doctor appointments with them and help with daily tasks like shopping and cooking if you are able to.
How to talk to someone with dementia?
Do not talk down to them or be patronizing. Use simple language and talk slowly pausing for them to reply.
Can I take someone with dementia out for a walk?
It will be stress relieving to go walking with a person with dementia both for the carer and for the person with dementia. It is a very good form of exercise too.
I am scared I will get dementia too. What should I do?
Many children of people with dementia are worried about the risk of getting it themselves. It must be noted that the majority of dementias are not inherited from family. Rarer forms of dementia are inherited and forms a tiny percentage. Taking good care of your physical and mental health will always help protect dementia.
Should I force someone with dementia to eat and bathe?
You should not force someone with dementia to eat or bathe. Try to understand the reasons behind their refusal. Correcting this will help them rather than forcing them.
Should I keep talking to someone with dementia I care for?
It is important to keep optimum communication. Talk positively but sometimes over communication can be exhausting too.
How do people with dementia die?
People with dementia die due commonly to lung or heart complications.
What to do when people with dementia get scared?
Reassuring goes a long way in helping people with dementia. Try to distract and take them out of a scary situation. Keep talking to them till they are settled.
What to do when people with dementia don’t recognize me?
It is always painful when your loved ones stop recognizing you. Keep talking to them and working through your own feelings, getting support from family and friends will help you cope with this.
