April 16, 2010
How to take care of an elderly person with dementia?
Category: Dementia
A close friend’s mum is in the early stages of dementia and they don’t know how to care for her and handle her ‘dark moments’. I really want to help them but need some advice too, so anyone who could help with information on care and maintenance of dementia or any tips on useful websites which could give more info….I’d really appreciate it.
5 Responses to “How to take care of an elderly person with dementia?”
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April 16th, 2010 at 1:25 am
http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=391
This is a good website for some tips…it covers everything..hope it helps.
April 16th, 2010 at 1:38 am
Dementia patients need “live” or “life” around them to help remind them who they are and what’s going on around them. When a “dark moment(s)” arrives take her to a garden of growth. It can be anything from flowers to fruits and veggies. Have her pick them and if it’s a garden of fruit and veggies, have her taste them. The picking should help her remember that she was picked as “her name” and that she is struggling but that she is still alive and well. Good luck.
April 16th, 2010 at 2:08 am
I guess it depends on what kind of symptoms the person is having. My friend’s father has dementia. He is usually calmer in the mornings so they do the things that he has trouble with at that time, like going to the doctor or if he has to go anywhere unfamiliar to him. Even really simple things will frustrate him, like shaving. He can’t do that by himself anymore, but he gets frustrated and angry when anyone suggests that they do it for him. So they let him grow a beard. He doesn’t seem to mind them trimming the beard and he doesn’t have the frustration of not being allowed to use a razor. People with dementia can get very cranky and unreasonable, so the hardest thing has been for everyone to realize that they’re not going to get a reasoned response from him anymore. In other words, they’ve lowered their expectations of what he can and can not do. They’ve been dealing with it for several years now, and they don’t feel like it’s their dad anymore, and that’s been the saddest part. There are lots of websites on line to help your friend deal with their mum. Just google dementia. I found these right away. They could also look in their local library. There are lots of books on the subject.
April 16th, 2010 at 2:33 am
Have a look at this website it has excellent resources
http://www.alzheimers.org.au/
April 16th, 2010 at 3:01 am
I don’t want to sound cold and heartless, but your friend’s mum probably should be placed into a nursing home where they can watch after her 24/7. The downside is that nursing homes sometimes get a bad rap and maybe it is for good cause, maybe not. Just consider it and if it is decided that is the way to go, make sure you choose a home you trust. Do the research on them also.