Dementia is characterized as the deterioration of a person’s cognitive functioning—that is, thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities. Although it is usual for individuals reaching their late, elderly years, it is definitely not something to be taken lightly, as it affects a person to such extent that it interferes with their daily life and activities.
Although their cognitive abilities are greatly affected, seniors suffering from dementia can still very much feel emotions, and at times, they may be aware of their condition—causing them to feel depressed.
Even when you choose to employ the services of non-medical home care in California—if your elderly loved one is residing in the Golden State—it is still important to know how to properly handle our loved ones who are suffering from dementia. This way, we’d know whether or not they are given proper care by the home caregivers.
As a provider of in-home care in Irvine, California, here are some tips we would like to share with you:
- Use a Positive Tone and Interaction
Body language can give off a stronger message than words do, so when you are dealing with a dementia patient, it is important to set a positive mood by using a pleasant tone of voice, kind facial expression, and a gentle touch to accompany your words—no harsh words or movement.
- Relay Your Message Clearly
Do not use too many words in one statement when you are talking to senior suffering from dementia. Speak slowly and pronounce your words clearly, although still with a soft and reassuring tone. If they do not understand at first, use the same words and repeat the statement again, or wait a few minutes before repeating the same statement in the same tone.
- Grab Their Attention
It is important for the mind of elderly suffering from dementia to focus on things one at a time, in order to increase the attention span dedicated to that specific matter. When trying to communicate with them, limit distractions such as the radio and TV, and outside noise. Once you get their attention, address them by name, and introduce yourself and your relation to them. It is also important to be at eye-level with your senior loved ones when you are communicating.
- Simplify Activities into Steps
Having the patient suffering from dementia do something on their own, or with little assistance, can be often times challenging. The key, therefore, is to break down the tasks into steps, repeating to them important reminders in doing what they need to do. Using visual cues can also be helpful, as they can follow and remember these easily than audio cues.
Live Life at Home provides quality and reliable in-home care, with caregivers who are especially trained and skilled to handle and take care of dementia patients. We offer a variety of services that cover all non-medical needs of your senior loved ones, so you can be assured that your elderly gets only the best live-in care in Irvine, California—done with genuine compassion.