Tips for Caring for a Parent with Dementia

Has your parent recently been diagnosed with Dementia?

Taking care of parents with Dementia can be mentally taxing as they have unpredictable behavior and may show cognitive changes. Your old parents may also resist care which may add to the problems. Also, did you know that Alzheimer’s is one of the most common types of Dementia? Now you do.

The severity of their symptoms likely increases with time, as it is a progressive condition. We have shared important tips in this article to help you deal with your parent suffering from Dementia.

Have a look.

Secure Your House

If your parent progresses from mild to moderate Dementia, you need to make some changes in your house to prevent any falls or any other risks.

Here is what you can do:

Prevention of kitchen fires: You can take the knobs off from the gas or install a concealed gas valve. This will prevent your parents from turning on the stove in your absence.
Emergency contacts: You should always have a list of important contacts and addresses that can come in handy in time of any emergency.
Safety updates: It is necessary to keep your carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers up-to-date so that they come in handy in any emergency.
Lights: It is necessary to have proper lighting in your house to prevent your parent from having an unexpected fall.

Regular Family Meetings

It is challenging for one person to take care of a dementia patient.

You should regularly update everyone in the family on the condition and progression of the parent. You can also consider visiting a case manager or therapist to seek further help.

These are some tips that you can keep in mind while having the meeting:

Agenda of the meeting: It is necessary to have specific agendas for the meeting. This will help you focus better on the problems. It will also help you and your family members curate a better treatment plan.
The caregiving team: You need to shortlist some members of the family who will be taking care of the member with Dementia. Making a schedule will help both the patient and you as well.
Consider the facts: It can be very emotional for the family to take care of the patient with Dementia. It is necessary to inform every family member to come with their point of concern for the meeting. This will help the family formulate a better plan of caregiving.

Provide Physical Help

When you take care of your parents with Dementia, most of your attention will go towards their changing mental state. Along with these, your parent will also undergo some physical changes.

You can consider keeping the following points in mind:

Consider buying clothes that will not cause skin irritation and will be easy for your parents to wear.
You should find different and easy ways of communication.
Serve food that will be easy for your parents to chew and swallow. You can consider pureed food.

Treat Them With Delicious Food

Cooking for your parents can help reinvigorate love in so many ways. You can consider cooking their favorite dish or a dish they always wanted you to learn when you were young.

Feeding them your handmade food will help them focus on the dish and on you. You can also add specific ingredients that will make them nostalgic.

Note: Focus on recipes that are easy to prepare and are simple. For example, you can consider personal-size pizzas, green salads, or veggie soup for lunch. On the other hand, ice cream sundaes, pies, and applesauce are amazing dessert options.

Make sure to enjoy these recipes for the elderly with your seniors!

Final Word

Dementia requires special care and attention. Take cues from this article and make sure you take better care of your parents.

Cheers!