Dementia Interactions: How to Make Them Better
Does your elderly loved one have dementia? If so, you may be trying to think of all the ways that you can make things better with them or for them. One of the things that might be on your mind is how you interact with your elderly loved one and how they interact with you. The good news is there are numerous tips that can help you and their personal care at home providers to make dementia interactions more productive and better in general.
Staying Calm
Personal Care at Home Bernardsville NJ – Dementia Interactions: How to Make Them Better
The number one thing that you should do when interacting with your elderly loved one if they have dementia is to stay calm. People who have this disease aren’t able to control their emotions like you can. They get irritable and are more sensitive to random things throughout the day. If you can stay calm when your elderly loved one is being irritable, it could help them to calm down quicker. If you feel on edge, it could be a good idea to take time off from taking care of your elderly loved one, even if it is just for an afternoon. You can have personal care at home providers fill in for you.
Approaching Properly
How do you generally approach your elderly loved one? Do you notice that they often get upset if you talk behind them or if they can’t see you when you are speaking? If so, it may be helpful to know that approaching your elderly loved one differently could change the interactions you have with them. In fact, studies show that approaching someone who has dementia from in front of them, can help them to stay calmer throughout your interactions. Now that you know this, you may want to start changing how you walk up to or talk to your elderly loved one.
Asking One Thing at a Time
Have you noticed when you talk to your elderly loved one they get overwhelmed? For example, if you ask your elderly loved one to do something, are you asking them to do multiple things at a time. You might ask them to pick up a plate, put it in the sink, and put something else away. People who have dementia can’t easily process too many directions at once. Later in the disease, it is impossible for them to do this. The interactions you have with your elderly loved one would go better if you ask them to do one thing at a time. If there are tasks that you or personal care at home providers can do to help your elderly loved one, that would be helpful, as well.
Having You and Personal Care at Home Services Trying These Tips
These are some of the ways that you can make interactions with someone who has dementia more productive and generally better. If you haven’t been doing these things, try doing even one of them. See how much it positively impacts your elderly loved one.
Sources: https://www.nia.nih.gov/about/living-long-well-21st-century-strategic-directions-research-aging/research-suggests-positive
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional Personal Care at Home Services in Bernardsville NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today. Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.
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