{"id":4200,"date":"2021-08-09T08:04:41","date_gmt":"2021-08-09T12:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/?p=4200"},"modified":"2023-10-25T12:55:09","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T16:55:09","slug":"lets-talk-about-dementia-how-to-improve-understanding-and-caregiver-interaction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/bostonnw\/massachusetts\/blog\/lets-talk-about-dementia-how-to-improve-understanding-and-caregiver-interaction\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Talk About Dementia &#8211; How to Improve Understanding and Caregiver Interaction"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>Over nine million Americans currently live with dementia, a figure that\u2019s projected to rise sharply over the next decade. More often seen in those aged 65+, dementia is a real game-changer for every family that it touches. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>If an aging loved one in your life has dementia, you\u2019re all too familiar with the behavioral changes that it causes. As an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/aging\/caregiving\/caregiver-brief.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">informal caregiver<\/a>, providing your loved one with the care they need starts with learning more about those behaviors and how to bridge the \u201cdementia gap.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Understanding Dementia<\/h2>\n<p>Dementia describes a group of symptoms that affect memory, social skills, and cognitive abilities in ways that interfere with a person\u2019s daily activities. Dementia isn\u2019t one specific disease per se, but it can be caused by several different diseases. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alz.org\/alzheimers-dementia\/what-is-alzheimers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a> is the most common cause of progressive dementia in aging adults. And even though memory loss is typically caused by dementia, memory loss itself may have different causes.<\/p>\n<h2>Dementia Behaviors<\/h2>\n<p>Although they vary by patient, dementia behaviors may include:<\/p>\n<h3>Psychological behaviors<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Depression<\/li>\n<li>Anxiety<\/li>\n<li>Inappropriate behavior<\/li>\n<li>Personality changes<\/li>\n<li>Paranoia<\/li>\n<li>Agitation<\/li>\n<li>Hallucinations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Cognitive behaviors<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Memory loss<\/li>\n<li>Trouble communicating or finding the right words<\/li>\n<li>Getting lost frequently in familiar places<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty reasoning, problem-solving, or handling complex tasks<\/li>\n<li>Acting confused and disoriented<\/li>\n<li>Trouble planning and organizing<\/li>\n<li>Motor function and coordination difficulties<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Dementia can also cause a phenomenon known as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dementiacarecentral.com\/caregiverinfo\/wandering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wandering<\/a>.\u201d Patients who wander off typically do so because of hunger, pain, hallucinations, confusion, or a perceived urgency to use\u00a0the toilet.<\/p>\n<h2>Caring for Someone with Dementia<\/h2>\n<p>As a caregiver for someone with dementia, here\u2019s how to stay connected with them while providing the care they need:<\/p>\n<h3>\u201cBrain-healthy\u201d foods<\/h3>\n<p>Many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dementia.org\/best-foods-for-dementia-patients-to-eat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nutrient-rich foods<\/a> have been shown to prevent or slow the progression of dementia, while others may accelerate memory loss and cognitive function decline. Share \u201cbrain-healthy\u201d foods with your loved one like berries, nuts, fish, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Limit their daily intake of butter, cheese, fast foods, and alcohol. Giving them <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seniorlink.com\/blog\/what-are-the-best-vitamins-for-dementia-patients-11-vitamins-minerals-and-herbs-to-improve-well-being\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">memory supplements<\/a> like Omega-3 fatty acids and Panax ginseng may also help boost brain function, but be sure to check with their doctor first.<\/p>\n<h3>Regular exercise<\/h3>\n<p>Getting plenty of exercise is beneficial for one\u2019s mind and body at any age, and notably for an older adult with dementia. Stay fit as a team by doing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cigna.com\/individuals-families\/health-wellness\/what-is-low-impact-exercise\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">low-impact<\/a> workouts like walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, or water aerobics that strengthen muscles, improve balance and coordination, and increase flexibility. Working out together for at least 20 minutes 3 to 5 days per week will also help both of you get the healthy sleep that your bodies need.<\/p>\n<h3>Mind stimulation<\/h3>\n<p>Doing puzzles, playing board games, and going through old photo albums together are all good \u201cbrain-teasing\u201d exercises for <a href=\"http:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/bostonnw\/massachusetts\/blog\/jfcs-virtual-memory-cafe-jukebox-days\/\">someone with dementia<\/a>. Other ways to stimulate your loved one\u2019s mind is by involving them in family activities like setting the dinner table or putting up seasonal decorations.<\/p>\n<h3>Communication skills<\/h3>\n<p>People with dementia oftentimes struggle with finding the right words, processing large amounts of information at once, and language comprehension. To keep the lines of communication open, concentrate on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellhealth.com\/how-to-talk-to-someone-with-dementia-97963\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">skills<\/a> like attentive listening, eye contact, non-verbal cues, and slowing down your speech patterns.<\/p>\n<p>If your senior is being forgetful or acting confused or agitated, don\u2019t take it personally. Instead, remember to practice patience, perseverance, and empathy as you try new ways to bridge the communication gap!<\/p>\n<h3>Ask for help<\/h3>\n<p>As your loved one\u2019s disease progresses it will take more time and energy to care for them.\u00a0Prevent <a href=\"https:\/\/caregiver.com\/articles\/fighting_caregiver_fatigue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">caregiver fatigue<\/a> by enlisting the support of trained professionals who can provide the level of care that\u2019s needed, for example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Physical, speech, or occupational therapists<\/li>\n<li>Loved ones that work in the healthcare field<\/li>\n<li>Meal delivery and paratransit services<\/li>\n<li>A <a href=\"http:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/massachusetts\/bostonnw\/\">professional in-home caregiver<\/a> who\u2019s trained to care for dementia patients<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Compassionate In-Home Dementia Caregivers You Can Trust<\/h2>\n<p>Taking care of a loved one with dementia isn\u2019t easy when you can\u2019t always be there. When you need some professional assistance, contact Assisting Hands Home Care. While proudly serving seniors and families in communities Northwest of Boston, Assisting Hands provides professional in-home health services that allow our clients to remain safely and comfortably in their own homes.<\/p>\n<p>From a few hours a day to around the clock, our client-centered services include respite care, personal care, hospice care, <a href=\"http:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/massachusetts\/bostonnw\/services\/alzheimers-and-dementia-care\/\">Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia care<\/a>, Parkinson\u2019s support, and Veteran\u2019s support. At Assisting Hands, we deliver quality home care you can trust! To learn more about our dependable caregivers now, or to schedule a consultation for a senior in our service area, please <a href=\"http:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/massachusetts\/bostonnw\/\">visit us online<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a caregiver, providing your loved one with the care they need starts with learning more about their behaviors and how to bridge the \u201cdementia gap.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":225,"featured_media":4201,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[244],"tags":[245,246,247,230,238],"class_list":["post-4200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alzheimers-dementia","tag-alzheimers","tag-caregiver-interaction","tag-communication","tag-dementia","tag-family-caregiver"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/225"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4200"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4200\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4204,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4200\/revisions\/4204"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}