An estimated nine million Americans live with some form of dementia, including many aged 65-and-over. Watching an aging family member battle dementia can be emotional and even heartbreaking. As their cognitive decline continues behaviors like forgetfulness, confusion and wandering off are common. As a family caregiver, ensuring that your loved one maintains their quality-of-life starts with learning more about the behaviors involved with dementia and how you can help. Using these caregiving tips should make the process a more rewarding one. 

What is Dementia?

Dementia describes a group of symptoms that affect memory, social skills and cognitive abilities in ways that interfere with a person’s daily activities. Dementia isn’t one specific disease, but it can be caused by several different diseases.

For example, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of progressive dementia in older adults. And even though memory loss is typically caused by dementia, memory loss itself can have different causes.

Common Dementia Behaviors  

Although they vary by individual, seniors with dementia exhibit one or more of these behaviors:

Cognitive behaviors

  • Memory loss
  • Trouble communicating or finding the right words
  • Getting lost frequently in familiar places
  • Difficulty reasoning, problem-solving or handling complex tasks
  • Acting confused and disoriented
  • Trouble planning and organizing
  • Motor function and coordination difficulties

Psychological behaviors

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Inappropriate behavior
  • Personality changes
  • Paranoia
  • Agitation
  • Hallucinations

Wandering is another behavior that dementia can cause. Those who wander off usually do so because they are hungry, in pain, hallucinating, confused or simply need to use the bathroom.

Caring for a Senior with Dementia

Here’s how you can help your loved one with dementia enjoy a happier, healthier, more productive life:

Encourage them to exercise

Getting plenty of exercise is beneficial for one’s mind and body at any age, and especially for an older adult with dementia. Staying fit by doing low-impact workouts like walking, swimming, Yoga, Pilates or water aerobics will help strengthen muscles, improve balance and increase flexibility- all of which helps prevent injurious falls.

Working out for at least 20 minutes 3 to 5 days per week will also promote a more restful sleep, which is also a positive for someone living with dementia.

Serve them “brain-healthy” foods 

Many nutrient-rich foods have been shown to prevent or slow the progression of dementia, while others may accelerate memory loss and cognitive function decline. Serve your senior brain-healthy foods like berries, nuts, fish, green leafy vegetables and whole grains. Limit their daily intake of butter, cheese, fast foods and alcohol.

Taking memory supplements including Omega-3 fatty acids and panax ginseng may also help boost brain function, but check with your loved one’s doctor first.

Stimulate their mind

Doing puzzles, playing board games, and going through old photo albums are all good “brain-teasing” exercises for someone with dementia. Other ways to stimulate your loved one’s mind is by involving them in family activities like setting the dinner table or putting up Holiday decorations.

Learn new communication skills

People with dementia oftentimes struggle with finding the right words, processing large amounts of information at once, and language comprehension. To keep the lines of communication open, learn new skills like attentive listening, eye contact, non-verbal cues, and slowing down your speech patterns.

Seek outside assistance

As your senior’s dementia progresses it will take more time and energy to care for them. Avoid caregiver fatigue by recruiting outsiders who can provide the daily living assistance that’s needed, such as:

  • Physical, speech or occupational therapists
  • Other family members
  • Friends, neighbors and community volunteers
  • Meal delivery and paratransit services
  • Professional in-home caregivers

Compassionate In-Home Dementia Care for Seniors in Alabama

Although it’s highly rewarding, caring for an aging loved one with dementia can be stressful and challenging. At Seniors Prefer Homecare, our dementia-focused home care services support the efforts of concerned family members and their loved ones. Our compassionate professionals use a unique approach that’s designed to lift the spirits of those we serve while maintaining their dignity, independence and self-esteem.

While serving as an extended family in the home, our highly trained caregivers can provide daily living assistance for personal care, respite care, companionship care, dementia care, household duties, and even live-in and 24-hour care. To learn more about Seniors Prefer Homecare now, or to schedule a FREE initial consultation for a senior in Huntsville or Tuscaloosa, AL, today, please visit us at www.seniorspreferhomecare.com!