Dementia care can be very daunting and take a toll on one’s emotional and physical health, with better understanding of the disease you will be able to manage your loved one with fewer challenges. Regardless of whether you are to care for a parent, a senior loved one or your partner, the right attitude to approaching dementia care is extremely crucial for success.
There are also highly renowned senior care centres in India for caregiving; Samvedna Care in Delhi, NCR is one of the best that you can rely on for dementia care! With that said, here are the five fundamentals of managing care for a loved one with dementia in the best possible way:
One of the pre-requisites of dementia care is to educate yourself on what dementia is, and maintain a realistically positive attitude which allows you to persevere with the much-needed element of control as a caregiver. While Samvedna Care is known for the expertise of the caregivers it provides with its home and community care services for the elderly, you too can take the sting out of the surprising challenges during your role as a caregiver if you keep in mind the following factors. It can also significantly improve the quality of care that you provide for your loved one with dementia.
- Seek and accept support
Whenever you decide to take up the responsibility of caregiving for a loved one, DO NOT be afraid to ask for help if needed! Most family caregivers find it incredibly helpful to participate in support groups. It allows them a place to express their concerns in a group setting with people who can empathize with one another, and also, it provides them with the inputs from other caregivers on what is working for them in their caregiving. Caregiving for a loved one with dementia is not easy on any accord, and there will be multiple times when you might feel lost and would need a hand or someone to talk to. Apart from these support groups, there are also speciality dementia care services provided by institutions like Samvedna Care. It expertises in caregiving for senior citizens at their homes in Gurgaon, Delhi and the NCR.
- Be actively empathetic
Caregiving starts with compassion and empathy, all the more for someone with dementia! Empathizing is of paramount importance in all human relationships. However, it is a lot more salient for dementia caregivers. People with dementia are naturally very prone to becoming confused about the most basic of things like their whereabouts and even the time in which they are presently living. Think of how you would feel if you suddenly found yourself disassociated and disoriented in an unfamiliar place, being unaware of the year you are currently living in, and also even your own identity! The thought alone is nerve-wracking; which is why treating dementia patients with empathy is a must!
- Be realistic in your caregiving
Be realistic with the understanding of what constitutes success during the progression of the disease. Ensuring that the individual you are caring for is as happy, safe and comfortable as possible is the success you should be aspiring for in your caregiving. Even the most experienced of dementia caregivers will tell you that the individuals they attend to have good and bad days. You should try your best to encourage them and foster these good moments, no matter how temporary that may be. It’s the understanding of the discourse of the disease (knowing that most types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, are irreversible and progressive) that will allow you to be more realistic in your caregiving.
- Understand that dementia is more than just memory loss
Yes, memory loss is a classic, and one of the most common symptoms of dementia but some types of dementia, Pick’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, in particular, manifest themselves more as personality changes as compared to memory loss. The symptoms of dementia are dependent on the areas of the brain that are affected by it. Even if memory loss is the most evident symptom, a person with dementia may experience a host of other issues due to the neurological decline. A person with dementia may likely develop unkind behaviours and moods. In some instances, a caring and loving grandmother may start to curse, and curse excessively. While in other cases, a formally trusting gentleman may have to deal with unruly delusions and hallucinations. Patients of dementia, especially in the latest stages, might be unable to attend to daily activities like that of dressing and using the toilet independently. They may even not be able to communicate or identify their loved ones after a point. Caring can become extremely difficult then. Hence, Samvedna Care in Delhi aid with their specialised caregiving services for your loved ones with dementia.
- Plan for the future
Understand that you may have to eventually shift to a professional caregiving facility as the care needs will inevitably increase. Planning for the transitions well in ahead will allow you and your loved one to adjust and transition better when the need arises.
With Samvedna Care’s multifarious home care services for the elderly, you can rest assured that your loved one with dementia, will be catered to in the best ways possible!
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