How to Care for an Elderly Parent with Dementia

Dementia is the umbrella term given to a range of memory conditions including Alzheimer’s Disease. If your elderly parent suffers from dementia, they will likely need support to complete their daily tasks. Even though caring for an elderly parent with dementia comes from a place of love, it can be overwhelming and challenging, which is why we’ve put together the following guide.  

Create a Routine

Dementia can make it difficult to remember simple daily tasks like taking care of personal hygiene and eating, which can lead to further health complications. The best way to keep dementia sufferers on track while improving independence is by creating and sticking to a daily routine, which lets them know exactly what’s expected of them and when. 

Complete Daily Tasks Together

Daily tasks like brushing our teeth are easy for most people. However, once dementia sets in, tasks people take for granted become a lot more difficult. Therefore, if your parent is having difficulties in their daily routine, try completing all tasks together. If you do daily tasks at the same time, they can copy you.

Ensure All Communication is Clear

Verbal communication can be challenging for dementia sufferers, which is why you need to be direct and make contact when communicating. As well as this, it’s important to steer clear of unnecessary demands because it will only make matters worse. Instead, it’s best to keep calm, use short sentences and get their attention by placing your hand lightly on their shoulders. 

Put Labels Around the Home

Having dementia often means struggling with navigation in familiar places. Therefore, to avoid any confusion, you should put labels around the home including on every single cupboard. As well as labels, you can draw a map of each room and stick it to the door, allowing them to refresh their memory and avoid tripping over furniture. 

Know When to Seek Support

There may come a time when your parent’s dementia symptoms become too much for you to handle alone, and that’s absolutely acceptable. You need to learn how to recognise when you’re struggling and understand that it’s okay to ask for help. For example, arranging for your elderly parent to be moved into Baily House care home in Mansfield may be the best action for both you and your loved one.

Take Care of Yourself

Even though you’re committed to taking care of your elderly parent with dementia, it shouldn’t be at the expense of your own health and well-being. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you take time out for yourself, whether that’s by having another family member take over to using an at-home care provider. Once you’ve had a much-deserved break, you’ll feel in a better frame of mind to provide the level of care your parent deserves. 

Taking care of a dementia sufferer is challenging, especially if it’s a parent. To make both of your lives easier, follow the insights outlined above and remember that asking for help is never a sign of weakness.