COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than five million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and 80 percent are age 75 or older. In her book, Hive: The Simple Guide to Multigenerational Living, aging expert Lisa M. Cini describes how to provide compassionate care for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s based on her own family experience caring for her 92-year old grandmother.
“The quality of one’s life is more important than the longevity of one’s life, so we must add value to the lives of loved ones with Alzheimer’s even if they can’t recognize or understand it,” says Cini. “Remember that emotional understanding is just as critical as a physically supportive space. There are ways to help our loved ones live the remainder of their years with dignity by transforming the way we approach the disease and how we design their surroundings.”
Lisa’s 6 tips to help care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or other dementias:
- Delegate Daily Routines: Often, certain times of the day can be more productive or lucid for those with Alzheimer’s, so detecting patterns of behavior is beneficial to help map out their day. Simple tasks like eating, drinking, getting dressed, and taking a shower can easily become confusing. Schedules can change depending on their abilities for the day, so practice patience and simple communication.
- Safety First: Six in 10 people with Alzheimer’s will wander, which can be exceptionally scary to caregivers and loved ones. Consider putting alarms or bells on doors and windows to notify the household when they are open. Utilize services like 24/7 Wandering Support by the Alzheimer’s Association which collaborates with emergency responders to help loved ones get home safely. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can be like caring for a child; a lot of precautions need to be taken. People with Alzheimer’s can be at risk to accidentally ingest cleaning supplies, medications, etc. Ensure hazardous items are stowed and locked away, even items like laundry detergent, or dish washer pods, which can resemble candy.
- Capitalize on Capabilities: If someone can climb stairs, encourage them to do so. If grandma enjoyed cooking, supervise her as she makes lunch or dinner for the family. If they can move around unassisted, urge them to do chores around the house. In appreciating their physical abilities, rather than ignoring or adjusting them, those with Alzheimer’s can retain some independence, normalcy, and hang onto their physical strengths often lost when confined to sitting or laying down.
- Energize with Activities: Encourage those with Alzheimer’s to socialize and entertain themselves and others, to keep them awake and in less of a groggy state. Those with Alzheimer’s can develop sundowning, a state of confusion that can cause anxiety, aggression, and restlessness around nighttime, so provide activities that are short and simple, with clear directions to help maintain functional skills. Providing activities can help to tire them out, leading to better sleep cycles, and decrease risk of sundowning.
- Prioritize Privacy: Bathrooms are tricky places for the memory impaired. Increase independence and dignity by implementing simple bathroom renovations. A bidet toilet or attachment, such as ones made by Brondell, can help loved ones clean up after themselves and retain a sense of privacy that is lost with aging. Brightly colored towels can help guide and orient them around the room. Decrease the chances of accidents by installing railings throughout, in addition to limiting the number of products that they can potentially ingest.
- Be Compassionate to Caregivers: Caregiving is a 24/7 job. Physically and mentally straining, caregivers are at an increased risk of depression and anxiety. Check stress levels and assess whether the situation is providing the best quality of life for all involved. It is common to feel loss, sadness, and grief. Create a caregiving plan, and utilize outside resources, like friends, family, or nurse’s aides to assist.
“By implementing simple changes to how we care for our loved ones with Alzheimer’s, we can help provide a sense of freedom and normalcy to their surroundings,” adds Cini. “Approaching care with compassion helps them hold on to their memories and helps us hold on to the people we care for and love so much.”
Lisa M. Cini is an award-winning senior living designer, President / CEO of Mosaic Design Studio and author of BOOM: The Baby Boomers Guide to Leveraging Technology, so that you can Preserve Your Independent Lifestyle & Thrive, The Future is Here: Senior Living Re-imagined, and Hive, The Simple Guide to Multigenerational Living: How Our Family Makes it Work. Go to Lisamcini.com to sign up for her blog. If you want to find the best tech products that help seniors Embrace Aging and Live Independently, visit BestLivingTech.com.
