Caring for a Loved One With Dementia
Presidio Home Care knows from personal and professional experience that caring for a loved one who is suffering from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia can be exhausting, both physically and mentally. More often than not, the responsibility of caring for someone afflicted with Alzheimer’s falls on a single family member. It’s easy to lose perspective of just how intense this type of care can be and having a family member “burn out” while providing this type of care is common.
If you are caring for a loved one with dementia, consider the following recommendations:
1. Take breaks! You don’t have to be a martyr and you don’t have to do this alone. Calling on family, friends, or professionals like Presidio Home Care to provide respite care can help keep you energized, passionate, and positive. If you’re not at your best, you won’t be providing your best care. Take care of yourself, too.
2. Try to find quiet activities for your loved one to enjoy. If you can engage your loved one in something quiet it will give you some space to relax, read a book, or just have a few minutes to yourself. Activities that require good cognitive function are not the best choices: reading, crossword puzzles, and even watching TV in some cases can be too difficult and may be frustrating rather than soothing. Try providing activities that aren’t linear and do not require one to “play by the rules:” coloring books, picture books, hobby clay, light gardening, light exercise, and music are good choices. Connecting these types of activities to your loved one’s past can be especially effective: Was your loved one an artist? They’ll probably take to coloring books. Was your loved one a car enthusiast? Buy or borrow a book of photographs depicting classic cars. Be creative! This can be fun for both of you.
3. Seek support. You are not alone and you do not have to embark on this journey by yourself. Getting together with another friend or family member who also cares for someone with dementia can be very therapeutic. In most major cities there are support groups that can be attended for free or for a small fee. Therapists and counselors can be a wonderful resource to help guide you through tough times. Feel free to reach out to Presidio Home Care for a recommendation for support groups or therapists.
4. Bring in professional help. Presidio Home Care can provide qualified caregivers to provide all the assistance and supervision your loved one needs. Having professional care can allow you to do the things that make you happy while enjoying the comfort of knowing that your loved one will be well cared for. The caregivers we provide to clients who have cognitive disabilities are all experienced and receive supplemental training and coaching from Presidio Home Care’s staff. Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are among the most common ailments Presidio Home Care deals with. Call us any time to discuss how we can be of service to you and your loved one.
Click here to see how easy it is to get started with the professionals at Presidio Home Care.
