Dementia behavior management tips for caregivers

1. Dementia behavior management tips for caregivers One of the main challenges of caring for patients with dementia is coping with their personality changes and troubling behaviour. Eating and sleeping difficulties and wandering can be extremely difficult making it difficult to be a carer. People with dementia do not deliberately behave in an inappropriate way, but their behavioral issues are made worse by their inability to deal with stress. You can ease the stress of your loved one living with dementia by making some simple changes, which will help them to better manage their symptoms and significantly improve their overall health and well-being. The first step of resolving the troubling behaviour of your loved one is to establish why they are stressed or what’s triggering their discomfort. They respond to facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice far more than the words that you choose. So, you should convey your message and show them your compassion rather than taking their problematic behavior personally. Managing stress in a dementia patient Physical exercise is one of the best stress-relievers for both dementia patients and you as their caregivers. Seated exercise, dancing, regular walking, and other similar exercises have a positive effect on wandering, aggression, and difficulty in sleeping. Use calming music or pay your loved one’s favorite type of music as a way to relax them when agitated. Music therapy can also help soothe them during their bath times and mealtimes and make these processes easier for both of you. Dealing with Wandering Restlessness and disorientation are two major characteristic precursors to wandering. Patients may exhibit signs of restlessness when constipated, in pain, hungry or thirsty. They may also become disoriented when feeling bored, stressed or anxious due to

2. an uncomfortable environment or lack of physical activity. Some of the things that you can do to prevent wandering are: Redirect restless behavior into productive activity or exercise Reassure them if they appear disoriented Distract them with another activity at the time of day when wandering most often occurs You can notify your neighbors about your loved one’s tendency to wander and circulate their phone number Have your loved one wear ID Bracelets or labels in clothing that will help you track their extract location Consult your doctor to lower stress and support the well-being of the patient Managing sleep problems Brain disease often disrupts the sleep-wake cycle of patients. You should follow these simple tips to promote better sleep: Provide a comfortable bed Reduce noise and light Provide them a sensory cushion for dementia for ensuring better sleep Limit their caffeine, sugar and junk food intake during the day. Be consistent with the time of sleep of the patient Keep their nighttime routine the same. Some patients have difficulty waking up because they aren’t responding to day and night transitions. Using a talking alarm clock may help to improve their sleep patterns. Dealing with their eating problems Ensuring someone with dementia eats and drinks enough can be a challenge for any caregiver. Some medications can interfere with the appetite while others may cause dry mouth. So, you should make sure that your loved one gets enough food and liquids. You can discuss their eating problems with their doctors to see if their medication needs to be changed. You can also reduce distractions and avoid food that is too hot or too cold. People suffering from dementia may have trouble using normal utensils so opt

3. for dementia friendly crockery to feed them their favorite beverages and cuisines.