{"id":5603,"date":"2023-04-10T08:00:36","date_gmt":"2023-04-10T12:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/125\/?p=5603"},"modified":"2023-10-25T10:13:20","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T14:13:20","slug":"5-tips-when-caring-for-a-loved-one-with-alzheimers-in-boston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/bostonnw\/massachusetts\/blog\/5-tips-when-caring-for-a-loved-one-with-alzheimers-in-boston\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips When Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer\u2019s"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>Although it\u2019s highly gratifying, taking care of an aging spouse, friend, or relative can be stressful even on the best days. When that loved one has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nia.nih.gov\/health\/what-alzheimers-disease\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>, it can ratchet your stress level to the breaking point as you try to keep them safe and comfortable while managing unpredictable behaviors. Implementing the following caregiving tips will help ensure your loved one receives the nurturing they deserve without compromising your health and well-being.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Alzheimer\u2019s May Cause These Unusual Behaviors<\/h2>\n<p>Some of the biggest challenges when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer\u2019s are the behavior and personality changes that often occur.<\/p>\n<p>Although not every Alzheimer\u2019s patient exhibits the same behaviors, these are some of the more common ones you can expect as the disease progresses:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alz.org\/help-support\/caregiving\/stages-behaviors\/wandering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wandering<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Incontinence<\/li>\n<li>Agitation<\/li>\n<li>Repetitive Speech or Actions (Perseveration)<\/li>\n<li>Paranoia<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alz.org\/help-support\/caregiving\/stages-behaviors\/sleep-issues-sundowning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sleep Issues\/Sundowning<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Eating\/Nutrition Issues<\/li>\n<li>Bathing Issues<\/li>\n<li>Hallucinations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to Care for Someone with Alzheimer\u2019s<\/h2>\n<p>When caring for someone with Alzheimer\u2019s, remember to maintain your sense of humor and not take things personally no matter how bizarre or irrational their behavior becomes.<\/p>\n<p>That said, be sure to include these five points in your behavior management strategy:<\/p>\n<h3>Speak with their doctor<\/h3>\n<p>Behavioral issues sometimes result from an underlying medical cause. For instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthnavigator.org.nz\/medicines\/m\/medicines-that-affect-mood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">certain medications<\/a> can induce side effects that directly or indirectly alter mood and behavior. Before jumping to conclusions, ask their doctor if a medical issue could be the problem.<\/p>\n<h3>Accept who they have become<\/h3>\n<p>Your loved one has a brain disorder that shapes who they have become. Trying to change or control their behavior will often result in resistance and failure. Instead, try to accommodate the behavior without controlling it. That might require you to change your behavior or physical environment. For example, if your loved one insists on watching the same TV shows or movies every night, let them do it.<\/p>\n<h3>Minimize behavior triggers<\/h3>\n<p>You must understand that all behavior is triggered and occurs for a reason. It might be something a person does or says that triggers a behavior or could be a change in the physical environment. Any change to their established patterns could cause them to get agitated or even aggressive. Try a different approach or a different consequence instead.<\/p>\n<h3>Adjust your care strategy accordingly<\/h3>\n<p>The only constant when caring for someone with Alzheimer\u2019s is that things will constantly change. Due to factors that include the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/alzheimers\/types-dementia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">natural progression<\/a> of the disease, methods that are successful today may need to be tweaked tomorrow or the next day. In some cases, they may no longer work at all. Managing difficult behaviors over time will require a creative and flexible strategic approach that addresses the same issue.<\/p>\n<h3>Don\u2019t hesitate to ask for help<\/h3>\n<p>Like the one you are caring for, there will be good days and bad. It\u2019s vital when assisting someone with Alzheimer\u2019s to not go it alone. Information sources such as caregiver support groups, your local chapter of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alz.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alzheimer\u2019s Association<\/a>, or friends who work in the healthcare field can all be invaluable when the level of care needed exceeds your expertise.<\/p>\n<p>At some point, it may become necessary to hire a professional <a href=\"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/massachusetts\/bostonnw\/\">in-home caregiver<\/a> so your loved one can safely remain in the comfortable and familiar surroundings of their \u2013 or your \u2013 private residence. Most importantly, don\u2019t be afraid to accept your limitations and seek outside assistance before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n<h2>Quality In-Home Alzheimer\u2019s Care for Families in Bedford, MA<\/h2>\n<p>When you need a break, finding someone trustworthy to care for a loved one with Alzheimer\u2019s can be overwhelming. At <a href=\"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/massachusetts\/bostonnw\/contact-us\/\">Assisting Hands<\/a> Home Care in Bedford, MA, our professional in-home senior care services allow clients in the greater Boston area to remain safely and comfortably in their own homes \u2013 including those with Alzheimer\u2019s. Our trained, dependable caregivers and personal assistants can help your family overcome its eldercare challenges while making your loved one\u2019s home an even better place to be.<\/p>\n<p>Our turnkey <a href=\"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/massachusetts\/bostonnw\/services\/\">home care services<\/a> include everything from companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, and transportation to light housekeeping, laundry, and personal care assistance with bathing and dressing. From a few hours a day to around-the-clock care, our customized in-home care solutions have got your family covered. Click <a href=\"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/massachusetts\/bostonnw\/\">here<\/a> now to learn more about Assisting Hands Home Care or schedule a free consultation for a senior in <a href=\"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/massachusetts\/bostonnw\/communities\/\">Northwest Boston<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Implementing the following caregiving tips will help ensure your loved one receives the nurturing they deserve without compromising your health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":225,"featured_media":5604,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[244],"tags":[344,381,434],"class_list":["post-5603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alzheimers-dementia","tag-caregiver","tag-senior-care","tag-senior-health"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5603","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=5603"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5855,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5603\/revisions\/5855"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}