Dealing with dementia: tips for those affected
The diagnosis of dementia triggers fears, worries and questions for many of those affected: How long can I continue to care for myself? How should I deal with the increasing dementia symptoms? What can I do to alleviate them?
In the early stages of dementia, experience has shown that those affected cope best in their everyday lives if they are well informed about the disease, deal with it openly and seek help when needed.
Maintaining social contacts and hobbies
To cope well with dementia, it is important to stay active. Regular meetings with friends, excursions and hobbies that were cultivated before the diagnosis should be maintained as long as possible. Those who are active can retain what they have learned for longer and train their independence. Sufficient activity during the day also ensures a good night’s sleep.
It also makes sense to participate in recreational or senior citizen groups. In advanced stages of dementia, those affected should join a care group for dementia patients.
When planning and organizing leisure time, those affected should not overexert themselves: It is better to carry out fewer occupations at leisure than to rush through the day from one activity to the next.
Adapt activities and learn new things
For example, one can prefer to read short stories and newspaper articles, take on easier puzzles or get easier models with larger components.
Such activities are good brain and memory training. However, dementia patients should not only stick to tried and tested activities, but also learn new ones such as dancing, making music, painting or putting together puzzles. Equally useful are games for dementia patients, such as parlor games (possibly simplified), ball games or word games (such as guessing or completing proverbs).
Structuring the day
Dealing with dementia and its symptoms is easier for those affected if they structure their day well. For all activities such as sleeping, eating, washing, going for a walk, meeting friends, sports, etc., people should get into the habit of fixed times as far as possible. This helps with orientation and avoids stress.
Stay mobile
Dealing with dementia in the right way allows many people affected to continue running the household themselves for a long time, for example cooking, shopping, doing the laundry or working in the garden. If necessary, relatives or caregivers can provide assistance.
If walking and standing cause problems, walkers and rollators can help.
Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty
If patients do not eat a balanced diet and drink too little, this can worsen dementia symptoms. Therefore, a varied diet and sufficient fluid intake are very important.
However, some patients lose their sense of taste, enjoyment of food and appetite. Strategies against this are more intensive seasoning of the food and more variety in the menu. Small bowls with pieces of fruit, vegetables and chocolate can also be placed around the home. This tempts dementia patients to reach for it again and again. Those who can no longer cook for themselves have the option of ordering “meals on wheels.”
The daily drinking quantity should be at least 1.5 liters, preferably in the form of soups, water, juices or tea. Again, it makes sense to place beverage bottles in several places in the home.
Tips against forgetfulness
Dementia patients should try to keep important items that they need frequently (keys, wallet, glasses, etc.) in the same place at all times. Important telephone numbers and addresses should always be within reach, preferably both in a fixed place in the home and in the handbag/wallet.
Appointments and dates should be entered in a calendar.
It is easier for relatives and caregivers to deal with dementia, just as it is for those affected, if they know about the type and possible course of the disease. There are also other tips that can improve and facilitate dealing with dementia patients.
Communicate correctly
Good dementia care includes proper communication with patients. However, this becomes increasingly difficult as the disease progresses – patients are more and more forgetful, can no longer remember names, dates, word meanings and often only formulate sentences slowly. This requires a great deal of understanding and patience on the part of others.
Reminders can be helpful here: For example, information about the daily routine or answers to frequent questions from patients (such as the day of the week, where they live, etc.) can be written down on small pieces of paper. These notes can then be stuck in frequented places such as the refrigerator or bathroom door.
Another reminder that can facilitate and promote communication in dementia is a memory book. Photos of important events and people from the patient’s life are stuck into the book and a short note is written underneath (type of event, name, etc.).
When talking to dementia patients, the following communication tips should be taken to heart:
- Wait patiently for the patient to answer questions or comply with a request.
- If possible, formulate questions in such a way that the patient can answer “yes” or “no”.
- Before each conversation, make eye contact and address the patient by name.
- Speak slowly, clearly and in short sentences.
- Avoid ironic or satirical remarks – the dementia patient usually does not understand them.
- Repeat important information several times, such as the time to leave for a doctor’s appointment or a walk.
- Avoid discussions.
- Ignore accusations and reproaches from the person with dementia as much as possible – they are often not meant personally, but only reflect the fear, frustration and helplessness of the person affected.
- Do not offer more than two choices (such as food or drinks) – anything else will confuse dementia patients.
An important model for communicating with people with dementia is called validation: dementia patients are tried to be reached where they are, so to speak. One leaves them in their own world and does not doubt their opinions and views. It is therefore a matter of appreciating and taking seriously (= validation) the dementia patient.
As much help as necessary – no more!
However, it is better not to take everything off the patient’s hands, but to give him time to do things himself. This not only trains the brain, but also prevents dementia patients from feeling treated like a child.
It is also not very helpful to stand impatiently by. Dementia patients then feel put under additional pressure.
Stimulating the senses
Familiar smells from the past can awaken memories that were thought to have been buried. This could be the perfume of one’s mother or the smell of machine oil if a person with dementia used to work in a car repair shop.
Other sensory stimuli (touch, taste, sight) can also stimulate dementia patients, give them pleasure and awaken memories.
Provide for your own relief
Patience, strength, time, understanding – dealing with dementia patients is exhausting and demands a lot from family members and caregivers. Regular rest and relief are therefore very important.
