As dementia settles in, the person you love will typically get frustrated and struggle with the effects of the disease and their ability to manage it. They begin to realize that it is no longer easy to perform everyday, common tasks. This often leads to depression, anxiety, and anger.
In this post, we’re going to discuss two common behavior challenges – confusion and hoarding – and offer some tips for dealing with these behaviors.
Confusion
One of the most common problems associated with dementia is confusion. As the disease progresses, the brain’s ability to smoothly transmit information is compromised. We commonly refer to this as “background noise” and it makes it difficult for the antalya eskort individual to focus and process information. Here are some ways to reduce confusion:
- Provide a night light to help the individual see and locate familiar things. This prevents falls in the dark and protects against wandering.
- Use communication techniques rich in reminders, cues, gestures, and physical guidance to increase their personal awareness. For example, you could say, “Hi Mom, how are you this beautiful Monday morning?” Your mother would then know it was Monday and that it was morning.
Remember, this is not a contest to see how much they can remember on their own. The more cues you can give them, the more confidence they will have in operating in their environment.
Hoarding
Uncertainty or anxiety about the future can cause your loved one to hoard items that give them comfort or are connected to memories. If the behavior is not particularly troublesome or unsafe – ignore it. While hoarding is usually related to anxiety, the disease may make it difficult for your loved one to articulate their concerns in a rational way.
Try to learn their hiding places and occasionally clean out their collection, leaving a few items behind. They will likely not notice what has been removed and this allows you to control the clutter while giving them the items they need.
One of our first clients would not let the activity calendars be removed from her apartment. Instead of directly confronting her, our Fit Minds coaches would make suggestions about why we should throw away old calendars and ask her permission. Treating the senior with dignity, no matter what the level of cognitive functioning is core to our values. Everyone has a right to make their decisions, and we have an opportunity to guide them to good decisions.
Feeling uncomfortable or unsure of how to proceed is a natural reaction to a loved one’s dementia diagnosis, but your relationship can still be meaningful. You can still enjoy your relationship, even as it changes through the progress of the disease.
To learn more about how Fit Minds can help you and your loved one, click here.