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Article Series: Alzheimers Disease
Help Me Understand Alzheimer's Disease
Caring
For Someone With Alzheimer's Disease
In many cases when someone is diagnosed with
a serious disease those closest to them may decide to personally
care for them at home. This may not always be possible, and
there are certainly some fine institutions that exist to help
in extreme situations, but for the most part it is understood
that the kind of care that can be given by someone who loves
the patient can be of a quality that adds to the dignity, comfort
and overall feeling of security for the patient.
This is not an easy path to take and will require good communication
amongst everyone involved. You will need planning, extra help,
and an awareness of what is available to you in the way of
community services.
In the case of individuals suffering from Alzheimer's there
are some basic approaches that can help ensure that the quality
of their lives is preserved to the best extent possible. Alzheimer's
can progress at different rates. It may be that your loved
one has many good days. If so, it is good to plan to make the
most of these times by arranging to participate in activities
that have always been of interest to them. Do they enjoy going
for walks in the park? Going to Museums, or on a picnic? Some
people find sitting near the water restful and rejuvenating.
Others like to be where there is a little bit of socializing
and action going on, like at a mall or a local fair. Or perhaps
family visits and meals. By arranging an activity that has
always been a source of pleasure it will help to keep your
loved one involved and may help stimulate to some degree their
mental abilities. At the very least it will contribute to their
sense of self-esteem and dignity and thus contribute to their
overall health.
With the progress of Alzheimer's comes the increasing difficulty
to express clearly one's thoughts and desires. The caregiver
will need to take a calm and patient approach while keeping
their tone light. It has been suggested that using shorter
sentences that perhaps contain one simple idea at a time will
lessen the possibility of added confusion. Give thoughtful,
kind eye contact and allow sufficient time for them to complete
their thoughts.
Another
area to give attention to is providing a home environment
that will ensure the safety of someone who may at times be
unaware of certain hazards. This may mean locking securely
certain substances such as cleaning solutions, painting products
or any chemicals that would be harmful if ingested. In fact,
it would be good to find a system of monitoring any medication
that the patient may need to take in case they have a bad day
and forget their prescribed dose.
The home may need to be prepared to allow for protected movement.
For example, staircases may need a small gate to prevent falling,
area rugs may need to be taped down to prevent slipping, furniture
may need to be moved or removed to allow a greater freedom
of movement. Especially if a wheelchair is needed at some point.
As well, it is good to install solid grab bars in the washroom.
It may be advisable to install a shower chair or invest in
a tub that allows the person to enter through a small door
that later closes and seals securely against water leakage.
This will help eliminate some of the chances of your loved
one falling and seriously hurting themselves.
As noted before, the caring of someone with Alzheimer's will
be a challenge. But caring for the person you love as they
go through this difficult time and seeing that they have a
measure of dignity and a sense of security is something that
has it's own deep rewards.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2009
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