Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Dealing With The Different Stages Of Dementia

By Jack Morgan


People who are suffering from dementia undergo many changes in behavior or daily functioning, with regards to daily interactions and chores. One of its common signs is memory loss which along with other signs indicates the beginning of its effects on an individual. Things, such as cognitive skills, language skills, memory and perceptive abilities are altered with many other impairments. This takes place because the nerve cells stop to function, losing connection with other neurons and may end up dying. There are some treatments that can help reverse or hinder this condition. Dealing with dementia can be easy if you use the following tips.

Once one is diagnosed with dementia, there are series stages that will occur before the disease becomes full blown. There are various ways that can help both the affected and their loved ones to deal with dementia. The following are some of the best ways to deal with dementia, which have been tried and tested.

Since the symptoms of dementia include hallucinations, confusions and lack of understanding, you should keep the patient's living environment safe. Safety tips include; keeping the house clean and clutter free from objects, such as wires or rugs; installing handrails near the stairs or in bathrooms to prevent a fall; and using non-slippery mats in the bathrooms.

You need to be extremely careful and patient when communicating with a dementia patient. Remember that this condition affects the communicating and learning abilities of the patient which makes it difficult for them to express themselves or understand you. Don't talk to them like a small child, but try to be as simple as possible.

Restructuring is a must when it comes to dealing with dementia. One has to ensure the set up of the home or facility is a safe environment in regards to the behaviour of the patient. For instance, if the affected person tends to regularly disassemble items, then one has to place safe and non-essential items in the immediate environment of the person. This will ensure the safety of the person. One has to set up the house with the consideration that there is a person in the house with special needs who does absorb and process information like a regular healthy person.

Include music, massage as well as reading time to relax yourself. Read aloud from your favorite book or play music. If you become irritated, have a range of activities to do. Taking a walk, looking through photos, and preparing a snack are nice activities.

Most seniors with dementia enjoy doing activities similar to their hobbies. For example, if the patient has always enjoyed cooking, allow them to do small cooking tasks in the kitchen such as washing the vegetable, tossing the salad, wiping the spoons and so on.

Dementia is an unfortunate disease to have, but that does mean that one cannot find ways of coping with their loved one's condition. When people use the right methods when dealing with dementia, then the person affected can live a relatively happy life.




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