Fundamentals Of Caring For Someone With Dementia

1. Resthaven Care Center https://resthaven.org/

2. Caring for a dementia patient can be overwhelming. Although there are many challenges as you would expect, they are not as challenging to deal with as you would think. Whether you are someone caring for a senior loved one, a parent with dementia, or a senior care professional, having the right attitude is crucial to success. The key to maintaining an element of control as a caregiver is to become well informed and maintain a positive but realistic attitude towards it. Many dementia nursing homes use these fundamentals of caring for dementia patients.

3. Be a realistic caregiver • It generally helps, in the long run, to be realistic about what comprises success during the progression of the disease. You can call it a successful caregiving experience if it ensures that the person you are caring for is safe, feels comfortable, and happy. Many experienced dementia caregivers say that the person they care for tends to have good days and bad days. As a caregiver, make sure you encourage the good days and good moments for the person with dementia. • Most dementia types are progressive and irreversible, including Alzheimer's, and there is no known cure for it.

4. Accept support • Finding a good support group that could lend a helping hand can immensely benefit you. Never be afraid when it comes to asking for a helping hand. It does not matter whether you are taking care of someone in your family or providing dementia care facilities professionally. Support groups allow caregivers to find a space in a group setting where people understand each other better and know what the other is going through. Especially for home caregivers it becomes easy for them to connect with support groups providing specialized dementia care facilities in Michigan. At Resthaven, we provide in-home care and household help for those that need extra support staying in their own homes. • Even professional caregivers should not resist when it comes to asking a colleague for support. Challenges are inevitable, and you might even face some exceptional ones at times. Caregiving for someone with dementia can get tricky at times, and there will undoubtedly be moments when caregivers need a hand and someone to talk to.

5. Actively empathize • Empathy is an element you cannot afford to miss when taking care of someone with dementia. However, this holds true for every human relationship, but it's probably most vital for dementia caregivers. Compassion towards the sufferer will make this possible. People with dementia are prone to becoming confused about the time period in which they are living and their whereabouts. The job of a caregiver is to be empathetic towards their condition. Acknowledge their needs, give them the comfort of knowing they are safe. It could be a completely different experience of finding oneself disoriented and in an unfamiliar place with no exact knowledge of the time and even their own identity.

6. Dementia is more than just memory loss. • Loss of memory is a typical symptom of dementia. The patient is experiencing a neurological decline while suffering from dementia, which can lead to a host of other issues. This results in significant behavioral changes in a person. Dementia also causes a person to lose their ability to express themseleves and understand others as well. The key to dealing with the behavioural changes lies in proper communication. Caregiver must communicate consciously and must take certain things into account like maintaining eye contact, using the person’s name while talking to them, asking yes or no questions and expressing affection through facial expressions with positivity in tone of voice

7. Plan for the future • Change is unavoidable when you are caring for someone with dementia. Family caregivers should keep themselves prepared for a time when their loved one may need professional memory care in dementia nursing homes in a residential setting. You must plan financially and identify the most appropriate care options in your area. • The professional caregivers working for dementia nursing homes must plan ahead too. They should constantly reassess the needs and health status of residents with dementia. The needs will inevitably increase and they must be prepared for any transitions that the resident may require in the future, such as moving the residents to a more skilled-nursing provider or keep under medical supervision.

8. Summary • Skilled care is crucial for dementia patients, and it can be overwhelming while transitioning your loved one from home caregiving to a residential setting. At Resthaven, we understand that and dedicatedly offer quality care and support from independent living to long term care and every stage of aging in between. Giving seniors a place to call home and providing access to a variety of living arrangements and care programs.

9. CONTACT US Resthaven, 948 Washington, Holland, MI 49423 616-796-3606