Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be difficult for some family members. When you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, it is common for a family caregiver to experience frustration and may even lose hope. Caregiving for an individual with Alzheimer’s requires patience, and we have some tips to help reduce frustrations with Alzheimer’s care.
Be Flexible
When caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, it is important to be flexible while they may rely more on your assistance. While routine is helpful, it may sometimes lead to hygiene issues if your loved one wants to wear the same outfit daily or use the same dining place setting. If you experience this while caring for your loved one with Alzheimer’s, we recommend buying a few of that same outfit, plate, bowl, utensils, and so on. This makes your caretaking tasks a bit easier as you won’t have to fight to wash your loved one’s favorite outfit or rush to wash their preferred dishes.
Take Necessary Safety Precautions
Individuals with Alzheimer’s each experience the symptoms and the disease’s progression differently. Since Alzheimer’s impacts memory, your loved one may forget that there are certain tasks they can no longer complete independently and that change may come on quickly. It’s important as a caregiver that you take necessary safety precautions in case your loved one forgets. We recommend that you avoid any clutter that could result in falls, such as some types of rugs and extension cords. If you cannot find the time to do this on your own, consider using Kind Senior Care’s light housekeeping services. It can also be beneficial to install hand rails for extra aid in areas like the bathroom. Another recommended precaution is to add locks to anything that could be a hazard such as alcohol, medication, dangerous utensils, and toxic cleaning supplies.
Reduce Frustrations
As mentioned, caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can result in frustrations, but it’s possible to limit those frustrations within reason. While you as a caregiver may experience frustrations during care, your loved one experiencing limitations may also experience frustration. In order to reduce frustration all around:
- Plan ahead and be patient: Create a daily schedule. Certain actions, like taking a bath or going to a doctor’s visit, are simpler when the person is most awake and rested. Give yourself some leeway for unplanned events or particularly trying days. Plan more time for tasks and be prepared for them to take longer than usual. Allow time between tasks for breaks.
- Foster independence when possible: With the least amount of assistance, let the person with Alzheimer’s perform as many tasks as they can. By laying out garments in the order they go on, for instance, he or she might be able to dress themselves or set the table on their own with the aid of visual clues.
- Provide simple instructions: Individuals with Alzheimer’s best understand one-step instructions. You can reduce frustrations by ensuring any instructions you give are as simple and clear as possible.
Individualize Your Care Plan with Kind Senior Care
Each person with Alzheimer’s disease will have a unique experience with the disease’s symptoms and progression. You can adapt these helpful suggestions to your family member’s needs. If you are experiencing frustration or barriers in caring for your loved one with Alzheimer’s – don’t give up. Kind Senior Care offers Alzheimer’s and dementia care that helps to enhance the client’s quality of life each day. Once you’ve given Kind Senior Care your trust, our caring staff will take over and act as an extended family in your home. While your loved one is being cared for by compassionate, highly trained professionals, you as the family caregiver can concentrate on self-care and attend to your own needs during this respite period.
Contact Kind Senior Care for Your Free In-Home Assessment
Fill out our contact form or call us at 978-242-7449 to schedule a time for a team member from Kind Senior Care to meet with you and/or your loved ones in the comfort of your own home. Our team will listen to understand your needs to work together to develop a care plan that best fits your needs. We look forward to being in touch!
