Jul
8
More Helpful Hints for Kansas and Missouri Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Filed Under Kansas City Elder Care, Kansas and Missouri Alzheimer's Care
Caring for a friend or family member can present a variety of challenges…here are some more helpful hints that our Alzheimer’s Resource Center have found to be effective. As always, please feel free to contact us or request our free guide to caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease in Kansas and Missouri if you have any questions that aren’t answered here.
Is your loved one crying? Depressed? Wanting to be alone? Wanting to stay in bed?
We all have a right to our blue days, and at times, the person with this disease just feels deeply sad. They sense the changes in their lives, and they feel their losses. Put your arms around them and say it’s okay to cry, it’s okay to feel sad. Bit by bit, you may coax them up and about. Try old, familiar stories or old familiar prayers. If they refuse still to get up, come back in a little while and try again, or have a different person try. Music can make an extraordinary difference. Play music they once loved; it will help them to reconnect to life.
In this case, you will be involved in a lot of physical care. Use touch. Stroking and rubbing of hands and feet (unless medically not advised for some other reason) will help keep the person “in touch,” and help with circulation to prevent skin breakdown. Your loved one will also need to be turned from side to back to the other side at regular intervals to prevent skin breakdown, commonly called bedsores.
Is your loved one bedfast (i.e. unable to get out of bed at all, or only with great effort)
Even if the person cannot move on their own, they can be repositioned — such as moved to an upright chair, or a recliner if available. They can therefore be involved in the social activity going on around them and can be a part of it, too. Don’t forget pet therapy or music.
A home health nurse can give instructions on how to do exercises that are appropriate for your loved one.
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