Providing Dementia Care at Home

For most dementia patients, receiving dementia care at home is more ideal.  The prospect of having close friends and family members intimately involved in care giving in a familiar environment can be reassuring for an elderly person suffering from memory loss problems. 

However, providing memory care at home is not without setbacks, especially if the elderly patient’s needs suddenly change without a warning. 

But with meticulous planning and proper assessment of patient’s needs, plus patience and understanding on the part of the live-in caregiver, providing in-home care to an elderly person with dementia can be a success. 

Here are a couple of tips on how to make in-home care for people with dementia effective:

• Re-design your elderly loved one’s home.  Making a few adjustments in the family home where your elderly loved one lives can help minimize likelihood of injury and distress to people with dementia.  These adjustments can be as simple as installing handrails in the toilet area.
• It’s all about the routine.  Establishing a routine is crucial in creating a comfortable environment for your loved one with dementia.  It doesn’t have to be rigid.  But, activities must happen at predictable times of the day.  This will minimize confusion and disorientation people with dementia are prone to suffer.  You can employ subtle cues, such as dimming the lights for downtime or opening the curtains to signal wake up time, to help your elderly loved one follow the schedule. 
• Easy-to-follow activities.  Daily activities do more than just enriching the lives of people with dementia.  They can also promote the use of cognitive and motor skills.  However, be careful when choosing activities for your loved ones.  Some may be too complex or too challenging for a person with dementia and this can be frustrating.  It may result to behavioral changes such as aggression. 
• Go for activities which will not only stimulate the senses but also provide therapy.  Animal assisted therapies are a good example. 
• Provide opportunities for socialization.  Whether it’s visiting the local park, or receiving visitors, providing opportunities for socialization can reduce depression and feelings of isolation among people with dementia.  However, schedule these activities at a time when your loved one is more relaxed and open.  This will vary from person to person. 
• Take a break – Time-offs are not a luxury, but a necessity.  A few hours to a few days breather can help you recharge and detoxify to help you face the challenges of providing memory care at home head on, once you get back.

Respite programs like adult day-care or day health care can give you a few hours break to run errands or go to work.    

However, it is important to note that these tips are not 100% foolproof.  Factors like the level of care required as well as the stage of dementia your loved one is in can play a huge factor in the success or failure of providing in-home dementia care.