Do your loved ones have dementia? Well, if they do, there are some common do’s and don’ts you need to know about. After all, it is always possible to promote a happy and positive atmosphere for your loved ones suffering from dementia.
And remember, having dementia is enough hardship for your loved ones, the last thing you want to do is to make them feel worse about it. Here are some of the top do’s and don’ts tips in regard to dementia care for your loved ones.
Do’s: Understand Dementia
One of the best things you can do for your loved ones is to understand dementia. After all, knowledge is power, and only when you fully understand what is dementia, can you gain a glimpse of what dementia is like for them, and how you can help them best.
Dementia results in your loved ones’ brains changing physically, and this will impair their capacity to think, recall, communicate, and recall. This can be frustrating for your loved ones with dementia, and as such, they may resort to screaming, shouting, or striking out to express themselves.
Because noise sensitivity and changes in taste and smell are typical effects of dementia, your loved ones may lose interest and enjoyment in food, and even their favorite meals become flavorless. With that said, unfortunately, such brain changes are uncontrollable, but you may make modifications to the environment and activities to lessen the chance of these changes generating troublesome behavior.
Do’s: Enhance Communication
Dementia has an impact on how your loved ones interact. What this means is your loved ones will struggle to comprehend information, and may even respond inappropriately, as the condition progresses. After all, it can be a terrifying process to be constantly forgetting something, and if someone has poor communication skills or is constantly reminding you of your poor memory or dementia, it can make the situation worse.
With that said, you can enhance your communication with your loved ones by exhibiting patience and using simpler words and sentences. Instead of asking open-ended inquiries, give them two easy alternatives. For instance, instead of asking what they want for drinks, ask if they want a cup of coffee or tea. Allow for plenty of time for comprehension, and then double that by three. Repeating instructions or words precisely in the same exact way is also a good way to improve communication.
Don’t: Argue with Your Loved ones
Even if your loved ones mention things that do not quite make sense or are blatantly false, you should try your best to not debate or argue with them. After all, they believe what they are saying because their brain tells them to.
Allowing them to communicate their feelings and validate their reality makes them feel happier and calmer. Arguing will not only not change their minds, but you will also not win. Instead, you will nearly always increase both of your frustration levels.
Don’t: Change Them
Your loved one has a neurological condition (dementia) that has shaped who they are. If you try to control or influence his or her conduct, you will most likely fail or face opposition. It is critical to strive to adapt to their behavior rather than control it.
