Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia and not only does it afflict more than 25 million people around the world, family members such as a spouse or child are often faced with the task of caring for an individual who eventually might not even remember them and also may be aggressive and angry due to the effects of dementia.
Typically the disease progresses in stages, and the early stages can be difficult because while you might encourage your parent or spouse to visit a doctor and see if Alzheimer's is the cause of their issues, the person is obviously quite fearful of hearing the diagnosis and might resist seeing a medical professional. Once the diagnosis has been made, many patients become understandably angry and fearful and might lash out at loved ones.
It isn't easy, but keep in mind that their anger is absolutely not about you, but about fear and confusion. Imagine how you would feel if you lost your memory and were constantly confused and bewildered. Anxiety can be lessened to an extent by reducing the stimulus and stress surrounding the person with the disease. Make life as simple as possible with no responsibilities, and just meals and activities. Skip events where there will be too many people and too much noise, and while visiting with people is very important, limit the visits to just one or two people. Clean up the house and bedroom so that taking care of basic needs is as simple as possible.
Because those with dementia are confused, they often lose their grip on time and cannot remember many important events or even where they are or who you are. When a parent asks, "where am I and sho are you," calmly respond by saying that they are in a safe place and then distract them with promise of a meal or perhaps a walk or reading to them from a book. They might begin to insist that they have to visit a relative who already has passed away, so instead of arguing, just ask them to tell you about the person. Keep the person as comfortable as possible and you might even provide them with a specific comfort object, such as a soft pillow that they can hold when they feel tense.
In many cases, dementia has progressed to a point where providing care is extremely difficult and stressful. In addition, many people simply cannot accommodate a parent safely in their home. At this point, you probably need to find a good eldercare facility for your parent or spouse. Many facilities specialize in helping people with memory issues and are trained to deal with all aspects of Alzheimer's. Finding a facility can be tricky, so consider talking to the staff at CarePlacement.com to find out about your options.
The staff at CarePlacement.com can help you find a suitable assisted living facility, a nursing home, a board & care facility or perhaps an in-home caregiver. They will look for facilities that have staff trained specifically to help residents with memory problems, such as Alzheimer's disease. Skilled nursing facilities, also called nursing homes, are the most affordable option as some of the cost may be covered by Medi-Cal. Assisted living homes or a board & care home might be an option for those with a larger budget.
Typically the disease progresses in stages, and the early stages can be difficult because while you might encourage your parent or spouse to visit a doctor and see if Alzheimer's is the cause of their issues, the person is obviously quite fearful of hearing the diagnosis and might resist seeing a medical professional. Once the diagnosis has been made, many patients become understandably angry and fearful and might lash out at loved ones.
It isn't easy, but keep in mind that their anger is absolutely not about you, but about fear and confusion. Imagine how you would feel if you lost your memory and were constantly confused and bewildered. Anxiety can be lessened to an extent by reducing the stimulus and stress surrounding the person with the disease. Make life as simple as possible with no responsibilities, and just meals and activities. Skip events where there will be too many people and too much noise, and while visiting with people is very important, limit the visits to just one or two people. Clean up the house and bedroom so that taking care of basic needs is as simple as possible.
Because those with dementia are confused, they often lose their grip on time and cannot remember many important events or even where they are or who you are. When a parent asks, "where am I and sho are you," calmly respond by saying that they are in a safe place and then distract them with promise of a meal or perhaps a walk or reading to them from a book. They might begin to insist that they have to visit a relative who already has passed away, so instead of arguing, just ask them to tell you about the person. Keep the person as comfortable as possible and you might even provide them with a specific comfort object, such as a soft pillow that they can hold when they feel tense.
In many cases, dementia has progressed to a point where providing care is extremely difficult and stressful. In addition, many people simply cannot accommodate a parent safely in their home. At this point, you probably need to find a good eldercare facility for your parent or spouse. Many facilities specialize in helping people with memory issues and are trained to deal with all aspects of Alzheimer's. Finding a facility can be tricky, so consider talking to the staff at CarePlacement.com to find out about your options.
The staff at CarePlacement.com can help you find a suitable assisted living facility, a nursing home, a board & care facility or perhaps an in-home caregiver. They will look for facilities that have staff trained specifically to help residents with memory problems, such as Alzheimer's disease. Skilled nursing facilities, also called nursing homes, are the most affordable option as some of the cost may be covered by Medi-Cal. Assisted living homes or a board & care home might be an option for those with a larger budget.
About the Author:
Kristana Jenson loves reading home health care blogs. For additional details regarding assisted living San Diego facilities or for expert help finding board and care Solana Beach services, please check out the CarePlacement site today.
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