Dealing with dementia can be tough on a family. It’s heartbreaking to watch an elderly loved one struggle to accomplish tasks that they once completed easily. Additionally, it can also put a serious strain on the caretaker, who is probably busy with work, children, and other commitments. When it comes to senior care, the professionals of Always Best Care Asheville-Hendersonville explain that hiring someone to assist your loved one is often the best way to ensure that they enjoy a high quality of life.
It’s simply not possible for you to attend to your elderly loved one’s needs on a daily basis, while also caring for your children, working, and maintaining a relationship with your spouse. For this reason, seeking assistance from an eldercare professional will become essential. Even if this person only stops by a few days each week, their help takes a serious burden off of family members, and ensures that the senior has everything they need to live well.
How home care can help
Despite their struggles with dementia, it’s likely that your elderly loved one will still crave their independence. To satisfy your senior without putting their health or safety at risk, home care is a must. Your elderly loved one gets to stay in their own space, but doesn’t have to worry about going grocery shopping, remembering to take their medication, or cleaning up the house.
Studies show that a technique known as “graded assistance” can be highly beneficial for seniors with dementia. Graded assistance is essentially a way to help an elderly individual accomplish a task with the least amount of aid possible. Home care professionals rely on verbal prompts, physical guidance, and partial physical assistance in order to help the senior function without feeling as if they are helpless. If your senior is particularly resistant to the idea of home care or help in general, this approach may be ideal.
Other effective care strategies for seniors with dementia
Music is also a powerful tool to soothe seniors who are facing dementia. It is common for elderly individuals with dementia to lash out and display aggressive behavior. Studies show that music can help to soothe these undesirable behaviors, while also helping your elderly loved one to relax. If your senior is particularly passionate about a type of music, play a few songs for them when they begin to become irritable or agitated.
While it’s never easy to watch a loved one deal with the effects of dementia, proper home care and an understanding of the condition allow you to do your part to keep your elderly loved one well cared for.
It's amazing how the things we take for granted become so important when they are threatened. Being able to brush one's teeth, or get from the bedroom to the kitchen, can suddenly become marks of independence. A little help can maintain something of this sense.
ReplyDeletePaul | comforcare.com