Imagine a place where expressing yourself becomes even more difficult and you are confused about things in every day life that used to seem simple. Joyce, one of the thousands of Canadians living with Alzheimer’s, found the transition from the early stage of dementia to the mid stage, a stressful time. This increased anxiety for her and her caregivers made dealing with mid level dementia emotional and sometimes scary. But by utilising positive strategies and having home care for seniors it is possible to build a comfortable, safe and less frightening lifestyle for people suffering from this chronic medical condition. When dementia is positively managed, it can help you or your family member continue to live their best life possible.
How Joyce’s Family Coped with her Mid Level Dementia
As Joyce’s Alzheimer’s progressed, her caregivers found that her ability to communicate worsened. She was unable to express herself properly and often at a loss for words. This inability to communicate created a dramatic change in her behaviour, most likely out of a sense of frustration. There were also new episodes where she was confused and suspicious. She required additional help in dressing and feeding herself and with her day-to-day activities.
Her family had to adapt finding creative ways to communicate with her and to help her find the joy in her life. One family member noticed she loved looking at family pictures so they spent time with her going through many years of family photos and let her choose the ones she loved the most. Afterwards, they placed these photos in places where Joyce could see and enjoy them and this appeared to make her happy. The important thing when dealing with dementia is to try and enable opportunities where there is still some control in life. What are you able to do and what do you enjoy? Or consider what makes your family member smile? Meaningful activities that are simple, repetitive and related to hobbies from their past are strategies to enrich the life of someone dealing with dementia.
Having a great support system in place for you or a loved one is also important. Home care for seniors may be an option to help alleviate some of the new responsibilities that come when dealing with mid level dementia. First Class Home Care offers many services that can help you create a safe and engaging environment for your loved one.
Best Strategies When Dealing With Mid Level Dementia
- Find new ways to communicate with your loved one – always stay calm and realize you may need to repeat things more than once.
- Plan simple but repetitive activities – bring back a hobby that they enjoy.
- If you experience an unpleasant behavioural episode, it is important to know it’s the disease, not the person causing the behaviour – try to find the trigger and use distraction techniques to help with the situation.
- Ensure your home is Alzheimer-friendly – Leave post-it notes around the house to help direct a loved one or leave the lights on at night to alleviate new fears.
- Contact a home care for senior’s organization like First Class Home Care that understands dementia and seek advice.
Alzheimer’s is not something you or your loved ones need to face alone. First Class Home Care is here to help you understand the elements of mid level dementia and consult with you about strategies and in home care that works to keep them living independently as long as possible. Contact us today and let’s discuss your situation and how we can help.
