TIPS FOR CARING FOR A PERSON WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

5 Star Home Care – Atlanta Alzheimer & Dementia Care for elders & seniors living in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Fulton County, Dekalb County, and Gwinett County – Call us at 404-719-4118. 

Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease at home is a challenging task that  can become overwhelming at times. Each day brings new demands and opportunities  as the caregiver copes with changing levels of ability and new patterns of behavior. In any demanding situation, the better you care for yourself, the better you will be able to care for your loved one.

Setting up home care

Soon after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, it will be necessary to get started on making changes that help provide a sense of well being and physical safety for the affected person. Things that were taken for granted before, such as home safety and socializing, will now require some planning. There will be a need to communicate in new ways and make changes to the home environment. These changes include:

• Adjusting your communication style to the patient’s changing needs as the disease progresses. This is discussed throughout Part II of this series from talking to the early-stage Alzheimer’s patient who is in denial, to handling aggressive or paranoid behavior in the middle stage, then relating to the dying patient.
• Scheduling visitors to avoid surprises and have something to look forward to. Even if the elder with dementia does not recognize those who visit, the contact is nonetheless valuable for them.
• Establishing routines in activities of daily living
• Maintaining social contacts and fun
• Setting up a safe home environment
• Considering placement in a facility if caregiving becomes unmanageable at home

Routines in Alzheimer’s care

As symptoms progress, unfamiliar people, places and activities can be upsetting or confusing. Routines are reassuring to Alzheimer’s patients.

Here are some recommendations as mid-stage Alzheimer’s begins:

• Structure the day.
• Provide consistent environmental cues about time of day.
• Help the person to look forward to milestones of the day, such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation and eating, going outdoors, having visitors, getting ready for bed. Talk about the upcoming markers of the day.
• Enlist the patient in accomplishing small tasks around the house or yard.
• Keep the environment familiar. Put things in expected places. Novelty and surprise are not helpful to most Alzheimer’s patients.
• Be near the person. Many dementia patients feel most comfortable if their caregiver is nearby. You do not have to talk or entertain them.
• Create a routine around regular toilet visits, to avoid embarrassment, discomfort, or medical complications. The caregiver may have to help with hygiene. In late-stage Alzheimer’s, adult diapers are often needed.

Keeping the Alzheimer’s patient safe

At some point, you will need to determine that it is no longer safe to leave the Alzheimer’s patient alone in the house for more than a few minutes. Some warning signs that this time has arrived are when the patient:

• forgets to turn off the stove when done cooking, or the faucet when they are done using the water
• forgets to close the front door
• forgets to turn off is no longer able to use the telephone to call for assistance from neighbors or emergency personnel (e.g., to call 911)
• does not notice dangerous situations such as fire, or spilled water on the floor
• is unpredictable or confused under stressful conditions
• is no longer happy when left alone at home: is agitated, depressed, or withdrawn
• wanders or becomes disoriented
• does not realize that some activities he/she engages in are ones that now require supervision, such as cooking, ironing, or bathing.
• Keep evaluating whether the person can be left alone, until you finally determine that it is time to supervise or be with the Alzheimer’s patient at all times. This may be when you first seek outside helpers to be with the patient while you sleep, go grocery shopping, or have some respite care.
• Outside helpers or respite caregivers  can assist the family when they  may need a  much needed break. That is why you should call us to set you up with an experienced and licensed  caregiver from 5 Star Home Care.

5  Star Home Care employees are  patient as well as very creative caregivers. They have experience working with clients that have alzheimer’s and/or dementia. For more information about help for you and your loved ones in Atlanta call an expert at 404-250-3248. Check out out our website at www.5starhomecare.com