One of the manifestations of the disease is the fading of the ability to think, to master additional knowledge, to adapt to new conditions. Therefore, when organizing care, it is important that elderly people with dementia are in a familiar environment that is most comfortable for them.
As long as a person retains the ability to communicate, take part in a conversation, it is important to maintain any conversation with him, discuss various issues – this significantly slows down the development of dementia. However, it is important to choose topics that are interesting and understandable to sick people, otherwise the dialogue will come to naught. Unfortunately, over time, a patient in a severe stage of dementia loses the ability to communicate.
Friends and relatives who have taken on the burden of caring for elderly people with dementia need to accept the fact that such patients are, in fact, like children. But if a child has the ability to develop and learn about the world around him, strives for independence, then the life of a patient
with dementia from the moment of the disease is a constant regression.
Therefore, it is so important to give him the opportunity to do what he still remembers:
solve crosswords, provide all possible assistance in household management, etc. By activating the brain, concentrating on performing simple tasks, a person with dementia will be able to preserve his mental abilities longer. Otherwise, it will lose important functions much faster.
The issue of creating comfortable living conditions for each patient with dementia should be solved individually. If we are talking about severe disorders that occur, for example, with Alzheimer’s disease, we need round-the-clock care. There are cases when elderly people during this period become passive, and are not interested in anything.
But often the disintegration of the personality is accompanied by the fact that a person becomes too active – he constantly tries to go somewhere, tries to do something. In such circumstances, the patient must be constantly monitored.
It is also worth equipping the house with various devices for protection (as families with young children do): locks for doors, plugs for sockets, etc. If the patient is in an excited state, you should consult a
doctor who will prescribe sedatives.
In the early stages of the disease, changes in personality are not yet very noticeable, often the patient himself is sure that everything is fine with him. But the disorder of functions can manifest itself suddenly: a person goes outside in full consciousness, but at some point forgets where he is; turns on the stove – and does not understand why he did it and how to use it.
Therefore, in the early period of the development of the disease, such patients also need supervision. It is important to take care of elderly people with dementia delicately, without allowing rude remarks.
At this stage, a person realizes that he is losing his integrity as a person. He also understands that his relatives are beginning to control his actions and actions. This, as a rule, deeply affects the patient, causes irritation, leading to conflicts with those who provide care.
In case of partial disorders (partial forms of the disease) and in the early stages, communication between the elderly and children is allowed. This will benefit
both sides: older patients with dementia will be able to maintain their intelligence longer, and the younger generation will learn another lesson of care and mercy.
Of course, constant supervision and assistance of an adult are necessary, one-on-one contact will create a stress situation for both the child and the
old man, whose condition may worsen due to emotional stress.
If the patient is in the stage almost completely lost connections with loved ones (forget their names, or do not know), loses the ability to clearly and coherently communicate that communication with children is meaningful only in the case when the child is large enough
consciously wants to participate in the care of the elderly, to which you are attached. Communication of the patient with younger family members is excluded if
he constantly falls into an excited or aggressive state.
Care for the elderly with dementia
Caring for a relative with dementia requires the utmost attention and endurance. It is important for relatives to take good care of a patient with senile dementia, to support him in every possible way. How to properly organize care for elderly people with dementia and communicate with them? It is necessary to follow certain recommendations:
- Do not raise your voice during a conversation with a patient, the pace of speech should be smooth.
- Build a conversation so that the old man’s attention is drawn to the interlocutor. To do this, you can take the patient by the hand, look at him when communicating, and not to the side.
- Initiate a conversation with the patient yourself, since with the development of the disease, it becomes difficult for elderly people with dementia to start a conversation.
- Provide comprehensive assistance to a relative. Caring for sick elderly people assumes that caregivers support them in everything: they carry out hygiene procedures, calm them down when attacks of aggression or anxiety occur, etc.
Incontinence: Dementia requires a thorough care and understanding
Unfortunately, incontinence becomes a frequent companion of a dementia patient. The patient may forget when to relieve himself and where the restroom is located.
How to organize care for elderly people with dementia in this case?
- Remind the patient about the need to visit the toilet.
- Make a schedule according to which a relative with dementia will perform this procedure.
- The door to the toilet must be open at all times. It is better to hang a special noticeable sign on it.
- Clothing should be such that the patient himself can easily take it off.
- To simplify the care of elderly people with dementia, it is better to limit their fluid intake before going to bed, it is advisable to place a chamber pot near the bed.
In certain circumstances, it is better to use diapers for hygiene.
Quite often, a symptom of dementia in elderly people, whose care is taken over by their relatives, is the loss of hygiene skills. Old people not only forget to wash, but also do not remember how to do it at all. Taking care of such a patient includes assistance in conducting water procedures. It is important not to humiliate the dignity of a sick person and adhere to the recommendations:
- Do not get nervous, if the patient does not want to take a shower or bath, it is better to wait – he may change his mind.
- If a person has not yet lost a sense of shame due to the disease, he may be shy of an extraneous presence, so it is better to leave certain parts of the body closed.
- It is important to ensure safe conditions for bathing: secure the handrail that the patient will hold on to, put an anti-slip mat on the bottom of the bath and put a chair.
- When washing an old man, try to take into account his habits.
Anxiety during dementia
Anxiety during dementia is a manifestation of a mental disorder. In this case, the psychotherapist prescribes drugs that stop this condition. When caring for elderly people with dementia, it is important to exclude coffee and alcohol from their diet, and not allow them to smoke. Do not panic when the patient begins to show anxiety, it is better to distract him, to transfer the conversation to another channel.
Alas, elderly people suffering from dementia are characterized by night wakefulness: the elderly may not sleep until the morning, interfering with the rest of the family members.
So how can we deal with this situation?
In fact the first thing we can do is to provide daytime sleep for the patient. If possible, it is better to have walks with him/her to take out the energy.
Whenever you get home, try to provide comfortable conditions for the patient. Sometimes it is possible that the patient gets nervous for small things like he has lost a pen or something special for him.
That’s why we must try to pay attention to what and where he puts something.
Don’t get angry if older people accuse you of something. This is a common manifestation of dementia, it is better to agree with them in everything and try to calm them down as soon as possible.
Consult a doctor who will prescribe medications for insomnia.