When a family member or loved one has Alzheimer’s, it
will often fall on family or friends to be the primary caregiver during the
early stages of the illness. Knowing the most effective ways to care for your
loved one while also keeping yourself healthy can be a major challenge, but
once you know how to handle this new change, both your life and the lives of
your loved one will be much more comfortable.
Work with Doctors
and Other Experts.
· Doctors and other
people who are involved with your loved one living with Alzheimer’s will have
tips and requirements for their care
· Doctors will know how
to administer medicine and occupational doctors will know how to keep the home
safe
· When the time comes
that your loved one needs 24 hour care, a memory care residence has experts that will help you through the
transition
Understand How to
Communicate.
It doesn’t matter if the person with Alzheimer’s is your
mother, grandpa, or childhood friend. Communication troubles will become a
problem early on unless you both learn how to communicate. Many people with Alzheimer’s and dementia are
still independent during the early stages of the disease and will still dress,
work, and continue with their daily schedule, so it can be difficult to
determine when they need help - and you don’t want to smother them by asking
every ten minutes, either.
One of the best things to do in order to keep you
communicating is looking at the causes of frustration. If a particular task,
such as going grocery shopping, causes them frustration because making lists is
hard, you can help them make the list but let them go shopping themselves.
Understanding why they are frustrated will help you understand them.
