If you are caring for someone with dementia, your role in managing their daily routine will increase as the disease progresses. A person with dementia will need a caregiver's support to organize their daily routine. Planned activities can often reduce anxiety and improve the mood of your loved one with dementia. Whether the primary caregiver is a loving partner, a close relative, or a trained professional, creating a dementia care plan enables the individual to remain in control of their daily life. Daily care planning will help you understand what needs to be done and when.
An effective dementia care plan requires assisting individuals with their everyday tasks, knowing the medication they need, and ensuring safety and security. It is necessary to explore and examine the world from their point of view and the life they led before they developed dementia. Taking a holistic approach and knowing the person's likes, dislikes, moods, and character establish the best ways the caregiver can assist the individual in continuing to achieve the activities of daily living, adapting the care given as needs change.
Memory loss, dementia may affect sight, speech, hearing, the use and understanding of language, judgment, problem-solving recognition, and muscle control. Incorporating an ongoing assessment process of memory and cognitive abilities will enable the caregiver to adapt and tailor the level of care given by the changing needs and skills of the person with dementia.
Dementia patient’s seniors struggle with remembering things in the short term, but their long-term memories might still be intact. Setting time aside in a care plan for dementia to reminisce and reflect on happy memories, whether by making them see old pictures and videos or telling past stories from the past, helps fire up the brain and improve cognitive functions.
Taking care of physical health and controlling other ailments are very important when creating a dementia care plan. Aspects that should be considered are pain management, continence, mobility and exercise, and maintaining a healthy diet and adequate hydration.
Getting to know, in-depth, the character of a person with dementia is most important. Looking at the person they were before the diagnosis and what they are now helping the caregiver be on the same wavelength. This also allows the caregiver to be more attuned to changing needs, attitudes, moods, and behaviors. Personality also plays a key role in how a person with dementia responds to and copes with their condition; some may be extroverted and tackle it head-on, while others may be reflective and require heightened emotional support and reassurance.
See Also: Early Signs of Dementia: Things You Need to Know
Dementia Care Plan can give your family a way to anticipate and deal with the changes the illness brings. You can get started with a dementia care plan by:
There are many other types of dementia. Each form of dementia may have a different course of time. And each type, in combination with various other health conditions, could require different approaches to management.
The Dementia Association provides a lot of information online and offers a free, 24-hour helpline.
Plan around the problems you and your loved ones currently face with dementia and work accordingly.
Apart from creating a daily care plan to improve the overall well-being of dementia patients, you also need to focus on these points:
Help your loved ones with morning hygiene routines such as washing face, brushing, getting dressed, preparing breakfast and having it together, taking a break, and meditating.
Make and eat lunch, wash dishes together, look at family photos, and indulge in talk about memories of the images.
Talk about having dessert or coffee; do comforting activities like giving a massage, watching a movie, playing cards; read a favorite book, or discussing the good moments in life before going to bed.
See Also: Understanding Dementia: Caring Tips to Deal With Dementia Patients
If you are looking for assistance in taking care of your loved one with dementia or home care for dementia patients, contact Newport Home Care. We are based in Orange County, California, and are dedicated to serve senior citizens and take care of their well-being from the comfort of their own home.
