It is important for caregivers to be able to recognize the signs of Alzheimer’s disease and also fully understand dementia. If you provide daily care to someone who is elderly and either has Alzheimer's or is at risk for Alzheimer's, below are some general tips that we recommend you use on a daily basis.

Keep Communicating

• Keep a calm and quiet environment.
• Avoid raising your voice or talking to them as if they were a child.
• Establish and maintain eye contact when speaking with them.
• If they don’t remember who you are, remind them.
• If they are confused, don’t argue with them. Listen to their concerns and then attempt to change the subject.
• Avoid phrases, like “don’t you remember … ” or “I told you already.”
• Never talk as if the person is not there.
• When asking a question, phrase it for the answers to be “yes” or “no.”
• If they are struggling for words, try not to fill in the blanks too quickly.
• Focus on their feelings rather than their words.

Stay Active

• Suggest familiar activities, such as looking through photo albums or watching old home videos.
• Maintain a regular routine. Attempt to eat, shower and dress at the same time daily. The routine will be less stressful.
• Include them in the activities/routine. Ask them to set the table for dinner or put the towels away while doing laundry. This may require constant direction, but upon completion, they will feel more self-confident and maintain their functionality.
• If they struggle with silverware during meal times, don’t be afraid to utilize large handled utensils or prepare finger food.
• To ensure a good night’s sleep, limit daytime naps and encourage exercise.
• Try not filling the day with too much exercise or too many activities.

Remain Safe

• Remove spoiled/expired food from the pantry/refrigerator.
• Take out of sight or lock-up potentially dangerous or toxic materials, such as cleaning supplies, vehicle keys (if they cannot drive), lawn maintenance equipment, etc.
• Never force them into an activity if they refuse to participate.
• At night, use nightlights because darkness can cause confusion.

Take the time this month during National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month to learn more about the most common form of dementia. For further information, visit the Alzheimer’s Association web page.

If you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s and find yourself overwhelmed, call Compassionate Care to see how we can assist. With respite care, personal care, or just basic homemaking services, our caregivers are trained to meet the demands that can come with Alzheimer’s.