How to Be Great Providers of Memory Care

Taking care of a person with Alzheimer’s disease is no easy feat. With every day comes new trials and challenges that you have to be ready to face. It’s a tough experience for sure, but it is also a very rewarding one. These days, families have the opportunity to partner with Home Care Services in Broward County, Florid a to provide top-notch memory care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Being good at providing memory care can be quite a challenge because just when you think you’ve got everything covered, the disease progresses, and new behavioral patterns begin to surface.

Patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia will eventually reach a point in their lives when they will have to rely heavily on the assistance of caregivers to perform once-familiar tasks and activities. Here are tips on how you can provide these individuals with the best kind of support.

1. Proper communication.Both understanding and being understood by patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia can be difficult. When communicating, make sure to be short and concise with your sentences while using a calm tone. You should also take steps to minimize noise and distractions, phrase questions in a positive manner, and be patient while waiting for an answer or for the individual to understand what you’re saying.
2. Effectively dealing with behavior changes.Caregivers often have to deal with outbursts of aggression from dementia or Alzheimer’s patients. It can be especially shocking for a family caregiver who knows that their patient is a far cry from the sweet and soft-spoken person they once were. But it’s important to understand and properly deal with these situations because they are a reality for individuals with memory loss disorders. Do your best to keep your composure and remain calm. After all, your patients might be equally as frustrated about the situation as you are.
3. Personal care.It can sometimes be a lot of work to get an elderly patient with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease to take a bath. For some patients with memory loss disorders, taking a shower or having a dip in the bathtub can be a frightening prospect. Make sure to plan in advance in order to make bath time a better and less hassling experience for both you and the patient. Whether it concerns bathing, dressing, or grooming, try to establish a personal care routine at the time of day when a patient is at their calmest and most agreeable.

If you have an elderly loved one who is starting to show signs of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, make sure you’re ready to face and overcome the challenges of providing care. While you can certainly learn to become a great memory care provider by taking to heart the tips mentioned above, you can also partner with a provider of Home Health Care in Florida that offers specially-trained caregivers to support and provide assistance to family members afflicted with memory loss disorders.

Consider TLC Nursing Registry as your partners in memory care. Don’t think twice about getting in touch with us today!