In Home Care For The Alzheimer Patients

By Author: Michael Vaughan
Total Articles: 29
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Providing home care for senior citizens with Alzheimer's disease can be difficult. Symptoms progressively worsen, and predicting how quickly that progression will be or which behavioral changes will occur each day is impossible. Both the person with Alzheimer's and the caregiver may have a hard time carrying out activities of daily life, such as eating, talking, sleeping, and coming up with activities to do. The following is a set of ideas that may help you deal with issues related to elder home care for people with Alzheimer's.

Daily Activities

It may be challenging to think of activities that will be possible and interesting for a person with Alzheimer's to do. Trying activities that build on present strengths and abilities is usually more successful than attempting to teach a new skill regarding elder care.
Try not to set your expectations too high. It may be best to do simple activities that employ current abilities.
Assist the person in starting the activity. Take the activity one step at a time, and praise the person each time he or she completes ...
... a step.
Take note of agitation or frustration with each activity. If you notice a negative change in mood, gently try to help him or her with the activity or subtly change to a new activity.
If you notice that the person enjoys a particular activity, try to make that activity a part of your schedule at a similar time each day.
Make use of adult day care centers, which provide activities and support for the person with Alzheimer's along with relief from caregiver tasks. Often, meals and transportation are provided in the cost of using these centers.
Try to use simple words and short sentences in a calm tone of voice while communicating.
Refrain from talking to the person as if he or she were a child or talking as if the person were not there.
Before talking, call the person by name to get his or her attention. Allow ample time for a response, and try not to interrupt.
When the person with Alzheimer's struggles to communicate a thought or idea, try to gently suggest a word or idea he or she seems to be thinking of.
When asking questions or giving directions, frame them in a positive way.
Meals and eating can be a challenge-some people with Alzheimer's want to eat too often, whereas others may forget that they should eat. Provide a calm, quiet atmosphere during meals;
Offer limited choices for meals and serve small portions.
Using straws or lidded cups may make drinking easier. Finger foods may be easier to handle than utensils, and bowls may be easier to use than plates.
Keeping healthy snacks in a visible place will encourage healthy eating.
See a dentist regularly to keep the person's mouth and teeth clean and healthy.
Many people with Alzheimer's become restless, agitated, and irritable at night, usually around dinnertime. This is called "sundowning syndrome," and some planning might be necessary to ensure that the person goes to bed early and stays in bed through the night.
Encourage physical activity and discourage naps during the day, but allow time for ample rest-fatigue
Schedule more physically demanding activities early in the day.
It is important to set a quiet, calm atmosphere in the evening to encourage sleep.
Encourage sleep at about the same time each night-routine may be helpful.
Refrain from offering the person caffeine during the late afternoon or evening.
Set up nightlights in the person's room, hall, and bathroom if darkness scares or disorients the person.
All these tips may be quite helpful while caring for the person suffering from Alzheimer disease. For more elder care details and tips log on to: www.thecaringspace.com