5 Essential Tips to Care For a Dementia Patient
After a person is diagnosed with dementia, their life undergoes a landslide change as occasional forgetfulness and confusion repels a normal life. If not cared for, the problem may aggravate and the patient may quickly go off track. Taking care of a dementia patient can, however, be quite taxing, and therefore, you may require help from a professional caregiver. Whether or not, you hire a professional help, here are the five essential tips to care for a dementia patient. Take a look.
1. Take Care of Their Nutritional Requirements As dementia affects the cognitive ability of an individual, most patients either lose their interest in eating or forget to eat at all. If the nutritional requirements are not met, it can take a toll on the overall health of the patient. It is, therefore, important to ensure that a dementia patient drinks plenty of fluids and eats nutritious food that contains fruits and vegetables. Only a healthy diet can help ensure that a dementia patient remains in good shape and develops immunity to fight against several other diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
2. Help the Patient De-stress When a person experiences stress, the body releases cortisol, a hormone which damages brain cells controlling the memory. The condition is even more damaging for a dementia patient as a considerable decline in their cognitive ability is already in progress. To reduce stress that a dementia patient experiences, encourage them to do meditation and deep breathing that regulates the cortisol levels in the body.
3. Encourage the Patient to Stimulate Their Mind Dementia is a disorder that progresses with time, however, keeping the brain active and stimulated can slow down th e deterioration of brain cells in the early stages. Though it’s not easy to push a dementia patient to indulge in activities that stimulate their mind, it is something inevitable. Encourage the patient to develop interest in activities such as reading a book, playing chess, solving a puzzle or playing the occasional word game. Keeping a dementia patient busy and engaged not only helps in slowing down the progression, but also helps in preventing mood swings and frustration.
4. Make Sure the Patient is Physically Active An unhealthy mind can take a toll on the physical health, and dementia is a classic example. Many patients start feeling low the moment they realize dementia has negatively impacted their way of livin g. Promoting physical activity and exercises can cut down the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by up to 50 percent. Ensure that the patient exercises regularly and participates in other physical activities such as walking or playing a sport of their choice. A dementia patient can start feeling left out quite so on and therefore, you need to accompany them in every activity to maintain the maximum level of physical activity.
5. Assure the Patient that their Life is Normal Living with dementia is hard to accept for a patient and all too often, this undeserved forgetfulness causes deep anguish. Often, people caring for a dementia patient have to be at the receiving end, however, it is essential to empathize with the patient to help them lead a normal life and bring back their lost confidence. Try to simplify the routine things for a dementia patient by minimizing memory intensive tasks. Even if they lash out on you, don’t retaliate. Make efforts to calm them down, and try to explain thing to them.
Wrapping Up Dementia is one of those disorders which can’t be treated without empathy. Caring for a dementia patient is difficult as they require constant monitoring that may take a toll on your other commitments. Though you can’t eliminate the need to monitor, you can always reach out to professional dementia elderly care service providers. The caregivers care for a dementia patient lik e their own family member, helping patients lead a normal life, despite the disorder.
Contact Details In-case you have any query regarding Senior Dementia Care, feel free to get in touch with us
Preston Center 6029 Berkshire Lane Dallas, TX 75225
infodallas@homecareassistance.com
214-363-3400