A Caregiver’s Guide To Understanding And Managing Dementia Behaviors

Dementia affects memory and thinking. You may need to care for a loved one as dementia worsens. You may take some crucial actions to prepare for daily demands and future changes in this tough profession.

You should also accept help from others when caring for your loved one, including care from friends and family and social help from Home Care Service Northern Kentucky. Let’s take a look at the guide:

Ethyl cares for her husband, Clint, who has a cognitive disorder. Ethyl finds that understanding dementia behaviors and how to manage them has made her a more effective caregiver.

Agitated Behavior

Dementia changes a person’s personality. Clint now has fits of irritability, verbal and physical aggression, and insomnia. To manage these agitated behaviors, Ethyl limits the number of visitors and keeps the house as it has always been. She uses food or activities Clint enjoys to calm him down. During a physical outburst, Ethyl doesn’t try to restrain Clint, and rather than reprimand him; she shows empathy and understanding.

Fear And Mistrust

Sometimes his dementia makes Clint think that someone is stealing from him. Ethyl has her husband keep a few dollars in his pocket so Clint can find the money he thought was stolen. Clint will misplace items and declare them pilfered. To take Clint’s mind off the vanished object, Ethyl searches for the missing item as a pretense to engage Clint in something he enjoys.

Neglecting Personal Hygiene

Clint’s hygiene routine has been erased by dementia. Ethyl grooms Clint as he used to. Clint prefers to shower in the morning, and Ethyl helps him and gives him his favorite grooming items. Ethyl stays with Clint until he’s ready to leave the bathroom, knowing dementia patients shouldn’t bathe alone.

Not Eating

Clint’s brain no longer knows how to interpret signals that Clint is hungry or thirsty. Were it not for his wife; Clint would have become dehydrated and malnourished. People with dementia need to eat several times daily, so Ethyl feeds Clint six mini meals daily. Ethyl understands that routine is comforting to someone with dementia, so she serves the mini-meals on a regular schedule.

Loss Of Bladder Or Bowel Control

Dementia causes incontinence. Sometimes, Clint forgets where the bathroom is, so Ethyl marks the bathroom with a sign bearing a picture of a commode. Ethyl takes Clint to the toilet every two hours, just in case. When Clint loses control of his bladder or bowels, Ethyl responds with love and understanding.

Perseveration

When Clint becomes fearful, bored, or anxious, he constantly repeats words or actions, and a dementia symptom is called perseveration. Ethyl has learned to manage her husband’s perseveration by watching for signs that Clint is fearful, bored, or nervous and distracting him with food or an activity.

Wandering

Ethyl’s worst fear is that Clint will wander off and become lost. Knowing the dangers of dementia-related wandering, Ethyl has secured all the exterior doors in the house, so Clint needs her to open them. She has informed the neighbors and PD that Clint is a wandering risk and has asked both to contact her if they see Clint outside alone. Ethyl provides the more police with updated photos of Clint.

Bottom line

This guide is very useful. It helps you to take care of your loved one more effectively. But sometimes, many seniors have to deal with this disease alone; in that case, hiring professional help from Northern Kentucky Senior Care is the best option. They’re cost-effective and useful for saving lives and providing security daily.