Dementia is a disease that interferes with how an individual communicates, remembers, and behaves. Additionally, dementia changes the abilities and personality of an individual. Thus, dementia patients require the constant provision of care at home or in care facilities. The environment that one can cultivate and strategies employed can improve the care experience for dementia patients.
Caregivers need to understand dementia from a medical perspective. This is done via reading medical literature and physician recommendations. The more information caretakers gather on dementia, the greater compassion they develop for their patients. Additionally, the facts on disease progression assist the caregivers in differentiating the patient and the effects of dementia while allowing them to visualize things from new perspectives.
Caregivers should develop affectionate and positive attitudes when attending to dementia patients. Devoted care approach assists dementia patients to deal with or avoids the occurrence of outbursts or depression. Those providing care should use redirection and distraction as tools to deal with upheavals and tantrums. Moreover, those providing care should identify what makes the patient happy and use that during challenging times as distractions.
Caregivers should respond to patients with empathy, patience, and respect. A thoughtful and respectful response ensures the communication between patients, and those taking care of them, create positive outcomes.
Creating a comfortable environment for a dementia patient is critical in care provision. Family members providing care should minimize situations that cause distractions to patients. Furthermore, care providers should ensure patients are away from any danger by reducing their access to exit doors and kitchen appliances. Moreover, those providing care should minimize situations that might seem uncomfortable, such as extended family visits or loud television.
Physicians recommend reducing clutter, visitor traffic, and noise to avoid bewildering the patient. Caregivers can adopt daily routines, soothing music, and simple activities to create a conducive environment for dementia patients.
Currently, dementia lacks a cure, but the care providers for patients can curb its progression and improve the quality of life. Caregivers can engage the patients in brain-building exercises to minimize the symptoms of dementia. These activities include reading, art projects, and enjoying nature, such as growing flowers. These exercises improve the connection between the body and the mind.
Additionally, caregivers should encourage dementia patients to record their activities and stories in books to keep their memories alive. The adoption of recording past events assists the patients practicing reminiscing, minimizing dementia effects on patients' brains.
The effects of dementia extend beyond the patient, so if the caregiver is a family member, they should have their own support team. Family members, nursing staff, and healthcare practitioners can constitute the support team for the caretaker. Additionally, the caregiver can have an alternative caretaker and attorney to assist in the activities involved in providing care to dementia patients. Caretakers should surround themselves with people that help in emotional support and legal arrangements.
The support team for caregivers acts as therapy for them, allowing for venting and emotional support. Moreover, the support team provides the caretaker with professional support advice and coping means for dealing with the disease's challenging effects.
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