Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease

Here are the fundamentals to supporting a loved one with Dementia.

Whether you care for a parent or senior loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, or are a senior care professional approaching your role with some knowledge — the right attitude is crucial to success.

Here are some important facts to consider when approaching your role caring for someone with dementia by alzheimers.net

1. Accept support.

Many family caregivers find support groups immensely helpful. Support groups allow caregivers to vent in a group setting with people who understand what one another is going through. Contact Heal at Home Nursing for more resources with support.

2. Actively empathize.

Care starts with compassion and empathy. This holds true in all human relationships but may be especially salient for dementia caregivers.

3. Be a realistic caregiver. 

Success is helping to assure that the person you are caring for is as comfortable, happy and safe as possible. Most experienced dementia caregivers will tell you that the person they care for has good days and bad days. Try your best to foster the good days and even the good moments for the person with dementia, don’t try to force them. 

4. Dementia is more than memory loss.

Memory loss is a classic dementia symptom. But some types of dementia, particularly frontotemporal dementia and Pick’s disease, manifest themselves as personality changes rather than memory loss.  In the latest stages of most types of dementia, patients become unable to attend to activities of daily living (such as dressing and toileting) independently. They may become non-communicative, unable to recognize loved ones and even unable to move about.

5. Plan for the future.

The only inevitable is change when you are caring for someone with dementia. Never get too used to the status quo.  This involves both financial planning and identifying the most appropriate care options in your area.

Heal at Home Nursing is a licensed Home Care Organization in Los Angeles, California and other locations. We are highly qualified RNs or LVNs to match your needs around the clock or for wellness checks in the comfort of your own home. Contact Heal at Home Nursing at 424-253-8035 or email
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