Dementia is a disease that will keep progressing. It doesn’t take it easy on anyone. Even if your elderly loved one’s dementia doesn’t progress as fast as someone else’s dementia case, it will over time. Learning how to handle the progressive symptoms of dementia now, can help you to be more prepared for the disease in the later stages. Personal care at home can help you through the process.
Safety of the Home
One of the main things you will need to think about if your elderly loved one has dementia is the safety of their home. If your elderly loved one is staying in their house, you need to help make it more secure, supportive, and accessible. Some of the things that you might need to do to your elderly loved one’s home include:
-Improving the lighting
-Putting mobility equipment in the home such as a cane or walker (if needed)
-Reduce trip hazards (pick up cords, tape down carpets, and get rid of clutter)
-Put locks on doors to prevent your loved one from wandering
If you can make your elderly loved one’s home safer and more secure, it can help to prevent injuries and other issues throughout the progression of the disease.
Sleeplessness and Sundowning
Most people with dementia will experience some degree of sleeplessness and sundowning.
If your elderly loved one experiences sleeplessness, this can cause them to become agitated, frustrated, argumentative, and overwhelmed. It is very important to help make your elderly loved one’s home darker at night. Make sure you try to prevent shadows and noises, so they can try to sleep better.
If your elderly loved one has sundowning, their symptoms are going to be worse in the evening at night. While you can make your elderly loved one’s home more comforting, sometimes, you can’t get rid of all the triggers that lead to sundowning. It should also be noted that sundowning often causes wandering. That is when your elderly loved one may try to leave their house or another place they are at because of heightened emotions. It may be best to get personal care at home services for later in the day. The elderly care providers can be there to help manage your elderly loved one’s symptoms and care during the late evening and nighttime hours.
Personal Hygiene and Basic Care
As your elderly loved one’s dementia symptoms progress, they are going to have a more difficult time handling their personal hygiene and their basic care. In the more severe stages of dementia, they won’t be able to do any of these tasks on their own.
For this reason, it may be best to get personal care at home for your elderly loved one now. The senior care providers can help your elderly loved one with the following:
-Brushing their hair and teeth
-Taking a shower or bath
-Getting dressed
-Using the toilet
-Reminding them to take medications
-Eating right
If you or the home care providers help with these things, it will be easier to manage your loved one’s symptoms.
Having a Plan with Personal Care at Home Services
These are some of the best tips for handling the progression of your elderly loved one’s dementia. Making a plan before the symptoms get bad is usually the best option. That way, you can be more prepared for what is to come.
Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-dementia-symptoms-types-and-diagnosis