How to Help People With Alzheimer's Disease
Educate yourself about Alzheimer’s disease., Assess safety risks in the home., Foster their independence., Allow their emotional responses., Plan ahead., Develop routines., Prioritize self-care.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Educate yourself about Alzheimer’s disease.
If you suspect that a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, learn about signs, symptoms, early detection, and your role as a potential caregiver.
The more you learn about this brain disease, the better prepared you will be to handle impending changes in your loved one.Check with your local health department for resources, such as support groups and classes dealing with Alzheimer’s education.
Your local hospital may have printed resources in their library for your use.
Several websites offer accessible, easy to read information about Alzheimer’s disease.
These include http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp and http://www.alzfdn.org/AboutAlzheimers/definition.html -
Step 2: Assess safety risks in the home.
You’ll need to assess safety risks in the home in which the person with Alzheimer’s disease lives.
If you find potential safety risks, make every effort to remedy them right away.
Even if the person is in the early stages of the disease, it’s best not to leave them alone until safety risks are resolved.When looking for safety issues, evaluate every part of the home for the patient’s potential to harm themselves, another person, or damage property.
For example, they may have a gas stove, which poses a few safety risks (gas poisoning, unattended open flame, potential burns).
Purchase knob covers so that the patient won’t be able to turn the gas or the stove on.
For larger safety risks that aren’t easily resolved, such as steep stairs, you may find yourself in a position of having to decide if it is in the patient’s best interest to remain in the home. , Encouraging Alzheimer’s patients to maintain independence and carry on with daily responsibilities helps foster their independence.
It also helps them focus, remember, and maintain organization, which are important exercises in the beginning stages of dementia.
How active you must be in these activities may fluctuate and depends entirely on the person whom you’re helping.You may need to take initiative and oversee areas of their life, but can foster independence at the same time.
The tasks that they will need assistance with may deal primarily with management and organization: managing their money, transportation, keeping appointments, keeping track of medications, and even remember words, people, and places. , Living with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be intensely difficult for some people, and will elicit a variety of emotional responses from most patients.
You can be helpful by facilitating those emotions, allowing the person to feel them without explanation, but also helping them move from frustration to proactively helping themselves.Typical responses include fear, denial, anger, anxiety, and depression.
Encourage them to write their feelings and thoughts down, such as in a journal.
This is a safe way for them to work through what they’re feeling, and also helps them practice writing and organizing their thoughts. , Talk with the person that you’re helping about the future, especially while they’re in the beginning stages of the disease.
Find out how they’d like to be cared for, where they would like to stay, what sort of medical interventions they approve of, how this care will be financed, and update documents such as their will and power of attorney designation.Having the conversations now and planning ahead now will not only be easier on you both, but will help ensure that you’re giving the person the sort of care that they want. , Routines are helpful for anyone, whether they have Alzheimer’s or not, because they remove uncertainty.
With a routine, you already know what your tasks are and how you need to accomplish them.
Develop routines for yourself and the person with Alzheimer’s disease, which will help foster their independence, alleviate some potential anxiety on their part, and also help you see any changes in their physical or cognitive abilities., To be an effective caregiver, you must prioritize how you care for yourself.
If you do not take care of yourself, you won’t have the physical, mental, or emotional resources to care for anyone else.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, meaning it is increasingly demanding.
Every month or so, honestly evaluate your needs and abilities, to ensure that you’re providing the best care for yourself and the Alzheimer’s patient.Caregivers often report feeling guilty for needing assistance with an Alzheimer’s patient, or even a day or week off.
It’s important that you understand that you have to recharge if you’re going to be helpful.
You’re not less of a loved one or caregiver if you ask for help.
In fact, you’re demonstrating that you’ve considered what’s best for your loved one and your abilities to meet their needs.
Asking for help shows that you are doing what you can to make sure those needs are met.
Find support — through local groups, through doctors, online, and with family.
Your loved one needs assistance, and you need support.
Sharing experiences with others will help you work through your emotions, and may even point you toward good resources or tips that help you in your care giving. -
Step 3: Foster their independence.
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Step 4: Allow their emotional responses.
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Step 5: Plan ahead.
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Step 6: Develop routines.
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Step 7: Prioritize self-care.
Detailed Guide
If you suspect that a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, learn about signs, symptoms, early detection, and your role as a potential caregiver.
The more you learn about this brain disease, the better prepared you will be to handle impending changes in your loved one.Check with your local health department for resources, such as support groups and classes dealing with Alzheimer’s education.
Your local hospital may have printed resources in their library for your use.
Several websites offer accessible, easy to read information about Alzheimer’s disease.
These include http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp and http://www.alzfdn.org/AboutAlzheimers/definition.html
You’ll need to assess safety risks in the home in which the person with Alzheimer’s disease lives.
If you find potential safety risks, make every effort to remedy them right away.
Even if the person is in the early stages of the disease, it’s best not to leave them alone until safety risks are resolved.When looking for safety issues, evaluate every part of the home for the patient’s potential to harm themselves, another person, or damage property.
For example, they may have a gas stove, which poses a few safety risks (gas poisoning, unattended open flame, potential burns).
Purchase knob covers so that the patient won’t be able to turn the gas or the stove on.
For larger safety risks that aren’t easily resolved, such as steep stairs, you may find yourself in a position of having to decide if it is in the patient’s best interest to remain in the home. , Encouraging Alzheimer’s patients to maintain independence and carry on with daily responsibilities helps foster their independence.
It also helps them focus, remember, and maintain organization, which are important exercises in the beginning stages of dementia.
How active you must be in these activities may fluctuate and depends entirely on the person whom you’re helping.You may need to take initiative and oversee areas of their life, but can foster independence at the same time.
The tasks that they will need assistance with may deal primarily with management and organization: managing their money, transportation, keeping appointments, keeping track of medications, and even remember words, people, and places. , Living with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be intensely difficult for some people, and will elicit a variety of emotional responses from most patients.
You can be helpful by facilitating those emotions, allowing the person to feel them without explanation, but also helping them move from frustration to proactively helping themselves.Typical responses include fear, denial, anger, anxiety, and depression.
Encourage them to write their feelings and thoughts down, such as in a journal.
This is a safe way for them to work through what they’re feeling, and also helps them practice writing and organizing their thoughts. , Talk with the person that you’re helping about the future, especially while they’re in the beginning stages of the disease.
Find out how they’d like to be cared for, where they would like to stay, what sort of medical interventions they approve of, how this care will be financed, and update documents such as their will and power of attorney designation.Having the conversations now and planning ahead now will not only be easier on you both, but will help ensure that you’re giving the person the sort of care that they want. , Routines are helpful for anyone, whether they have Alzheimer’s or not, because they remove uncertainty.
With a routine, you already know what your tasks are and how you need to accomplish them.
Develop routines for yourself and the person with Alzheimer’s disease, which will help foster their independence, alleviate some potential anxiety on their part, and also help you see any changes in their physical or cognitive abilities., To be an effective caregiver, you must prioritize how you care for yourself.
If you do not take care of yourself, you won’t have the physical, mental, or emotional resources to care for anyone else.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, meaning it is increasingly demanding.
Every month or so, honestly evaluate your needs and abilities, to ensure that you’re providing the best care for yourself and the Alzheimer’s patient.Caregivers often report feeling guilty for needing assistance with an Alzheimer’s patient, or even a day or week off.
It’s important that you understand that you have to recharge if you’re going to be helpful.
You’re not less of a loved one or caregiver if you ask for help.
In fact, you’re demonstrating that you’ve considered what’s best for your loved one and your abilities to meet their needs.
Asking for help shows that you are doing what you can to make sure those needs are met.
Find support — through local groups, through doctors, online, and with family.
Your loved one needs assistance, and you need support.
Sharing experiences with others will help you work through your emotions, and may even point you toward good resources or tips that help you in your care giving.
About the Author
Dorothy Gonzales
Enthusiastic about teaching home improvement techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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