TOP TEN TIPS FOR DEALING WITH DEMENTIA SYMPTOMS
STOP!! Think about what you are about to do and consider the best way to do it.
PLAN AND EXPLAIN – Who you are; what you want to do; why you want to do it etc.
SMILE!! The person who takes their cue from you will mirror your relaxed and positive body language and tone of voice.
GO SLOW!! You have a lot to do and you are in a rush; but the person you are caring for isn’t. If the person is resistive or aggressive but is NOT causing harm to themselves or others, leave them alone. Give them time to settle down and approach them later.
GIVE THEM SPACE!! Any activity that involves invasion of personal space INCREASES THE RISK OF ASSAULT AND/OR AGGRESSION. Every time you provide care for a person you are invading their space.
STAND ASIDE!! Always provide care from the side not the front of the person, where you may be a target to hit, kick etc.
DISTRACT THEM!! Talk to the person about things they enjoyed in the past. Whilst you are providing care, allow them to hold a towel or something that will distract them.
KEEP IT QUIET!! Check noise level and reduce it when and where possible. Turn off the radio and TV etc.
DON’T ARGUE!! They are RIGHT and you are WRONG! The demented brain tells the person they can’t be wrong.
KNOW THE PERSON!! Orientate to their surroundings as necessary. If they become upset by this reality, validate and agree with their feelings.
MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES
For an individual with dementia a meaningful activity is anything that fills time with a purpose and keeps them occupied. Being occupied and feeling included are two of the main psychological needs of people with dementia. Examples of meaningful activities include:
1. Sorting laundry
2. Going for a walk
3. Reading the newspaper or looking at pictures in magazines
4. Potting plants or bulbs or watering plants
Cooking in safety may be valuable and will make the person with dementia feel they are contributing to the daily tasks in the house. Setting tables, clearing up, washing and drying dishes are all familiar activities.
Music as a therapy has been well documented in dementia care.
Activities should be about pleasure and success, not stretching or challenging the person.
Activities should complement lifetime habits so it is important to be familiar with the likes and dislikes of the person with dementia. Things that gave the person pleasure and made them laugh before the dementia will still do so later on.
References
1. The Dementia India Report 2010
2. Dementia Care: A Guide for Family Caregivers by Home Instead Senior Care
____________________________________________________________________________
Author Profile:
Sanchita Chakraborti, a Minnesota Graduate with 14 years of Corporate Experience in various capacities in global sales, strategy and research functions, a fitness freak and a voracious reader.
Monday 29 September 2014
Wednesday 3 September 2014
DADA Series (Dignified Ageing and Dementia Awareness) Courtesy: Sanchita Chakraborty
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes dementia as: “…a syndrome due to disease of the brain, usually of a chronic or progressive nature, of which there is impairment of multiple higher cortical functions…”
What this definition means is that the following functions may be affected in a person with dementia:
Memory – This is where a person may become forgetful of things such as names or recent events. The person’s short-term memory is usually affected leading them to forget recent events.
Orientation – A person with dementia may become lost even in a familiar environment.
Comprehension – The person may have difficulty understanding what it is you are trying to explain to them or what you are asking of them.
Emotions – Very low stress levels can occur in someone with dementia and they may therefore overreact to seemingly ordinary situations. A person with dementia may misinterpret a situation and become easily upset or agitated.
Judgment – A culmination of some or all of the above can result in poor judgment regarding others or themselves.
India is a diverse country with geographical and socio-cultural differences. We have a rapidly aging population, which currently exceeds more than a 100 million people. This number will steadily increase in the coming decades. Age related disabling conditions like dementia would increase and have a wider impact depending on the socio-cultural context.
It is estimated that over 3.7 million people were affected by dementia in our country in 2010. This is expected to double by 2030. Despite the magnitude, there is gross ignorance; neglect and services are scarce for people with dementia and their families. We know that dementia is not part of aging and it is caused by a variety of diseases. We now have a range of options to treat the symptoms of dementia and offer practical help to those affected. The challenge posed by dementia as a health and social issue is of a scale we can no longer ignore.
CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR
People with dementia exhibit the following behaviors:
1. Restlessness
2. Aggression
3. Agitation
4. Wandering
5. Shadowing
6. Anxiety
7. Depressed mood
8. Hallucinations
9. Delusions
Caregivers are encouraged to view dementia as a disability that can be compensated for by positive approaches. People with dementia continue to function at an emotional level and will pick up on another person’s feelings (particularly if they are stressed or upset or annoyed) via body language, tone of voice and facial expression.
References
1. The Dementia India Report 2010
2. Dementia Care: A Guide for Family Caregivers by Home Instead Senior Care
____________________________________________________________________________
Author Profile:
Sanchita Chakraborti, a Minnesota Graduate with 14 years of Corporate Experience in various capacities in global sales, strategy and research functions, a fitness freak and a voracious reader.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes dementia as: “…a syndrome due to disease of the brain, usually of a chronic or progressive nature, of which there is impairment of multiple higher cortical functions…”
What this definition means is that the following functions may be affected in a person with dementia:
Memory – This is where a person may become forgetful of things such as names or recent events. The person’s short-term memory is usually affected leading them to forget recent events.
Orientation – A person with dementia may become lost even in a familiar environment.
Comprehension – The person may have difficulty understanding what it is you are trying to explain to them or what you are asking of them.
Emotions – Very low stress levels can occur in someone with dementia and they may therefore overreact to seemingly ordinary situations. A person with dementia may misinterpret a situation and become easily upset or agitated.
Judgment – A culmination of some or all of the above can result in poor judgment regarding others or themselves.
India is a diverse country with geographical and socio-cultural differences. We have a rapidly aging population, which currently exceeds more than a 100 million people. This number will steadily increase in the coming decades. Age related disabling conditions like dementia would increase and have a wider impact depending on the socio-cultural context.
It is estimated that over 3.7 million people were affected by dementia in our country in 2010. This is expected to double by 2030. Despite the magnitude, there is gross ignorance; neglect and services are scarce for people with dementia and their families. We know that dementia is not part of aging and it is caused by a variety of diseases. We now have a range of options to treat the symptoms of dementia and offer practical help to those affected. The challenge posed by dementia as a health and social issue is of a scale we can no longer ignore.
CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR
People with dementia exhibit the following behaviors:
1. Restlessness
2. Aggression
3. Agitation
4. Wandering
5. Shadowing
6. Anxiety
7. Depressed mood
8. Hallucinations
9. Delusions
Caregivers are encouraged to view dementia as a disability that can be compensated for by positive approaches. People with dementia continue to function at an emotional level and will pick up on another person’s feelings (particularly if they are stressed or upset or annoyed) via body language, tone of voice and facial expression.
References
1. The Dementia India Report 2010
2. Dementia Care: A Guide for Family Caregivers by Home Instead Senior Care
____________________________________________________________________________
Author Profile:
Sanchita Chakraborti, a Minnesota Graduate with 14 years of Corporate Experience in various capacities in global sales, strategy and research functions, a fitness freak and a voracious reader.
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