5 Tips for Caring for Elderly Parents With Dementia at Home
As the elderly population continues to grow in the United States, many young people are finding themselves taking into the role of caretaker for one or both of their parents. While this can be a rewarding experience, it can also be challenging if your parent is suffering from dementia. Mild symptoms of dementia in elderly people include memory loss and confusion. Meanwhile, severe dementia symptoms include difficulty recalling words and getting lost in familiar places. This can make it particularly difficult to provide senior care at home. Young people who are thrust into caretaking can rest easy by deploying these five tips for caring for their elderly parents:
Determine What Level Of Care Your Parent Needs
When you take responsibility for the coordination of dementia care at home, you first need to determine the scope of care that’s needed. Someone who’s just been diagnosed with the onset of dementia commands a different level of care than someone with advanced disease. Speak with your loved one’s doctors to make sure you are able to provide the level of care that is necessary to keep you both safe.
Establish A Consistent Routine
Consistency is key when caring for a parent who has been diagnosed with dementia. This is the primary reason why specialists strongly recommend home care for elderly parents for as long as possible. Although dementia can cause the parent to forget things that were once familiar, the establishment of a consistent routine can bring comfort to both the adult child and their parent. There’s nothing more familiar to a parent than their child and their home environment. With a consistent routine in place, both parties know what to expect throughout the day.
Be Flexible
While consistency provides countless benefits, you must also be flexible. Loved ones with dementia experience personality and behavior changes. Most days, your routine will benefit all parties involved. Other days will call for more flexibility. If your parent is lacking interest or is having a difficult time on a particular day, it may be necessary to deviate from your established routine. A visit with friends and family may help to lift their spirits.
Take Advantage of Technology
Seniors with severe dementia can often wander off. Fortunately, if you worry that your parent may wander off your radar, many different types of technology can help. You can track their phone, place GPS insoles in their shoes, or even get necklaces, watches, or other trackers that are more subtle. Do some research to find what works best for you and your situation.
Engage A Senior Home Care Provider
If you aren’t able to provide adequate dementia care on your own, it’s important that you seek a home care provider to help. Providers have a specialized set of skills, and can be helpful with the more demanding aspects of dementia care. Home care providers can assist seniors with activities of daily living, provide companion care, administer medications, and more. Engaging a home care provider to help with these things can relieve much of the stress and worry that caretakers experience.
These tips will help you navigate the role you have as your parents provider for dementia care. A Better Solution in Home Care can provide further support as you adapt to your elderly parent’s needs. We provide different levels of senior home care including personal care, companion care, and homemaker services. Our 24/7 wraparound services are here to ease the stress that comes with the realities of caring for your elderly parents. Let A Better Solution in Home Care help you provide senior care at home!
