NORTON META TAG

03 November 2015

Advice for Alzheimer's Caregivers: 9 Simple Tips for Simple Daily Tasks & Consejos para los cuidadores de Alzheimer: 9 consejos simples para las tareas diarias simples & Conseils pour les aidants naturels d'Alzheimer: 9 conseils simples pour de simples tâches quotidiennes 3NOV15


GREAT advise for Alzheimer's care givers, and most of it applies to those of us providing care for other family members too. From +huffingtonpost , and be sure to check out their Alzheimer's blog.....
CEO of HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, Chairman of Alzheimer’s Global Initiative

Advice for Alzheimer's Caregivers: 9 Simple Tips for Simple Daily Tasks

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Establish a Routine. Make a routine that will keep the average day predictable, and therefore less confusing. If you have to schedule new activities during the day, put them during a time where your loved one tends to be most calm.
Reduce Distractions When Possible. Try to keep things simple. Reduce distractions, particularly when trying to have a conversation with your loved one to help them stay focused.
Avoid Large Crowds. Big crowds and large social gatherings can be really overwhelming for any Alzheimer's patients. Work to avoid these situations when possible. Keep social gatherings small and avoid public places when you know they will be busy.
Give Yourself Extra Time. Things will take longer when helping your loved one with their daily task. However, if you are in a hurry it is easy to get frustrated which can frighten or overwhelm your loved one. Schedule everything to take longer than you expect.
Keep Your Loved One Involved, But Make It Easy. Don't just make decisions for your loved one, keep them involved as much as possible with decisions that impact them. However, a great way to keep this manageable and less overwhelming is to limit their choices. Instead of letting them choose anywhere they want to eat, give them two of their favorite restaurants to choose from.
Leave Notes. Whether the notes indicate what drawer napkins are in or which room is the bathroom, little sticky notes around their living area that lets your loved one know where important things are is a great way to keep them less confused and provide them with the simple reminders the often need.
Be Flexible. As your loved one begins to change and their ability to function slowly starts to decline, you need to be willing to be flexible. Switch things up, including your routine and theirs, as needed to make the routine work with their specific state.
Lock Away Dangerous Items. For their safety and your peace of mind, make sure to lock away items that can be dangerous to your loved one or that may confuse them and agitate them. This includes medicines, alcohol, sharp objects and toxic cleaning solutions.
Look Out For Fall Hazards. Falling can not only hurt an individual with Alzheimer's physically but it can be emotionally traumatizing as well. Help be their eyes and ears and look out for things that can cause falls such as extension cords and rugs.
As a caregiver, it is important that you take advantage of anything that you can do in order to improve your ability to help your loved one. Many times, just supporting loved one with Alzheimer's and being there to help with some of their most basic daily tasks is just what they need to make every day more enjoyable.





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