“Home is where the heart is”; but what if the person you love has dementia and says, “I want to go home” when he or she is already home? When you are providing care for a loved one with memory loss issues from Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, unfortunately this discussion can be a common occurrence. And the bewilderment and plaintive yearning being conveyed are nothing short of heartbreaking – and, if we’re truthful, aggravating.
At Advanced Home Health Care, our specially instructed Alzheimer’s and dementia care staff helps family members manage tricky situations such as this, and we would suggest trying the following to help you restore peacefulness to an upset senior with dementia:
- Rather than rationalize, validate. Reasoning or arguing with a senior with Alzheimer’s may actually escalate frustration and unrest. Even if the older person is in the same exact home she’s resided in for the last 19 years, inside her thoughts, “home” may possibly symbolize the security she felt in her childhood house along with her parents. Her feelings of loss are very authentic, and ought to be acknowledged.
- Provide reassurance. Have a calm, comforting tone of voice and body language and take a seat close to the senior, giving solace by a hug, hand-holding, or possibly lightly touching the person’s arm, if these kind of actions are appreciated.
- And then redirect. When you’ve presented a calming presence and validated the senior’s views, redirection to a satisfying, entertaining activity can be helpful. Taking a walk out of doors or in a different area of the home, enjoying favorite songs, or looking through photograph albums are just a few ideas; take into account the particular person and integrate the things that work best for her.
For further tips on helping reestablish peace to a troubled senior with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia, contact Advanced Home Health Care, the Iowa home care experts, at 800.791.7785. We’re able to help keep seniors safe, improve socialization, and present them with chances to reinforce both cognitive and physical wellbeing through services such as:
- Patient, sensitive help with personal care responsibilities such as bathing and dressing
- Participating in conversations and reminiscing about the past
- Assisting a senior with doctor-approved activities and exercises
- Playing mind stimulation games with the senior
- Planning and making nutritious meals
- Running errands like picking up groceries and medications
- Coordinating transportation to medical appointments and other outings
- And so much more
Whether two or three hours each week of respite care for primary family caregivers are needed, or full-time, seamless, around-the-clock care is desired, we’re always ready to partner with you to provide the very best quality Iowa dementia care to help those with memory loss live life to the fullest. Contact us to learn more about our elderly care in Burlington and other Iowa communities.
