Caring for a senior loved one with dementia presents many challenges, but there are ways to simplify daily tasks and boost your loved one’s health. An effective care plan could reduce the risk of errors and prevent you from being overworked. Below you’ll find tips that can make caring for your loved one with dementia easier for you and your family.
1. Get Support
Accepting help from others is one of the best ways to prevent caregiver burnout. When you take on the role without assistance, you’re putting your health and your parent’s safety at risk. Accepting help means you’re open to change and willing to listen to suggestions from others. If you remain open, family members and friends will be more likely to help with your loved one’s care.
Caring for seniors with dementia can be challenging for family caregivers. Luckily, there is dementia care Cincinnati families can rely on. Professional dementia caregivers help seniors with dementia stay safe and comfortable at home by preventing wandering, providing cognitive stimulation, and assisting with household chores.
2. Stay Positive
Even when times are difficult, you should remain optimistic. Family caregivers need to stay positive because it can reduce the risk of combative behavior in their senior loved ones with dementia. Aging adults who have dementia often look to their caregivers for guidance. For instance, if you’re confused and irate, your parent could mimic this behavior.
3. Encourage Healthy Eating
The foods your loved one eats can boost dopamine production and delay the progression of cognitive decline. For example, seniors who eat more fatty fish, lean meats, fruits, leafy green vegetables, and nuts can boost circulation and prevent clots and tangles in the brain that cause dementia symptoms to worsen.
4. Promote Physical Activity
Exercise can increase metabolic function and cardiovascular fitness, which are vital to brain health. Family caregivers who promote physical activity for their loved ones with dementia can help them increase cell growth and reduce issues like brain inflammation.
Helping your loved one exercise safely is just one of the many forms of everyday assistance a home caregiver can provide. At-home care professionals can be a wonderful boon to seniors. Whether they require around-the-clock supervision or just need assistance with exercise and household tasks a few days a week, seniors can enjoy a higher quality of life with the help of trusted in-home caregivers.
5. Offer Purposeful Tasks
Although your loved one is living with dementia, he or she should still engage in meaningful activities around the home, such as cleaning, cooking, and organizing. Offering purposeful tasks can boost self-confidence, keep your loved one busy, and provide cognitive stimulation. When choosing household chores and activities for your loved one, avoid tasks with multiple instructions, as they could increase the odds of confusion and frustration.
6. Learn More about Dementia
Even though short-term memory problems generally occur early on, dementia is more than memory loss. By learning more about your loved one’s condition from doctors, nurses, therapists, and social workers, you can know what to expect. You should also conduct research online and read books for dementia caregivers. Join support groups and online forums to get encouragement and tips from other caregivers going through similar situations.
7. Plan Ahead
There are various stages of dementia, and as the condition progresses, its symptoms will likely worsen. Plan for these challenges rather than waiting until the issues occur. Even if your loved one can care for him or herself now with little or no assistance, you should plan ahead for the time when you and your siblings will need to be more involved in your loved one’s daily care. Create a schedule or look into services such as respite care. Planning allows you to discuss plans with your parent and receive his or her feedback.
The responsibilities that come with caring for a loved one with dementia can sometimes feel overwhelming, but help is available. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of home care Cincinnati families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. To talk to one of our friendly Care Specialists and create a customized senior care plan, call us today.
