Do you care a lot about your loved one suffering from dementia and want the best dementia care plan for your person? We understand that seeing your person in this condition is very painful, and you can’t do anything to undo their disease. All you can do is take the best care of them emotionally and physically to keep them happy and healthy!
Your person requires different treatments customized according to their stage as dementia progresses. Creating a dementia plan can be stressful and overwhelming, but you don’t need to worry about it. Here we have a quick guide on a dementia care plan, guiding you in detail about each stage, which has improved the lives of thousands of dementia patients as well as their caregivers.
Overview
According to the Mayo Clinic, dementia is ”a term used to describe a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities”. Those symptoms can be cognitive (memory loss, problems communicating or with reasoning, poor coordination, confusion, etc.) and psychological (depression, agitation, paranoia, etc.).
The following plan will help you help your loved one in the management of those symptoms. Let’s dive into our dementia care plan!
Stage 1. Early Stage Dementia Care Plan
In the early stages, a person having dementia can perform many of their tasks normally. Following these practices can improve your person’s life and stop the disease from progressing. Remember that proper support from your side can be a healing medicine for them.
Support them Emotionally
Does your loved one seem unusually sad, depressed, or anxious? It can be a sign of dementia. Emotional support is the most important thing for every stage of this disease. You must talk to your person and consult with your doctor about this condition. Tell your person you are here for them every time they need.
Initially, it is hard to accept this condition. You can give them proper time and find a community or group where your person can talk to people with the same experiences and conditions. This practice can make them feel normal; your loved one will realize they are not alone.
Create a Symphony of Routine
- Create an easy-to-follow routine for your person. Set alarms and reminders for every task to keep them on track.
- Must set reminders for meals and medications to ensure the good health of your person.
- You can set automatic bill payment methods and help them manage their budget and finances.
- Manage their important documents and keep copies to avoid any uncertainty later.
Check-in all the Safety Measures
- Remove all the fire hazards
Keep all the fire and smoke detectors installed in the home and properly working. You can install an automatic switch-off stove or timer stove in their kitchen. Make sure that all the fire extinguishers are in working condition.
- Remove potential fall hazards
Remove electrical cords, throws, and rugs. It is best to get a medical alert device in case your loved one falls and cannot call you for help.
- Track their location
A GPS tracker or medical ID bracelet is a must-have in this condition and for the safety of your person.
Cognitive Exercise
In a dementia care plan, cognitive and brain-activating exercises are the most important ones to slow down the progression of this disease.
The best way for cognitive exercise is to encourage your person to participate in senior community games like sudoku, solitaire, chess, crosswords, etc. Thousands of smartphone games are also built specifically for dementia and memory care patients.
Stage 2. Middle Stage Dementia Care Plan
Your loved one’s brain cells get more damaged as the disease progresses, and they need more emotional and physical support from your side. Taking care of your loved one gets more important and difficult with the progressing disease.
In this condition, you may get overwhelmed by the process and emotions and want some help and support. Now, there is no need to worry. Tahara Health is here to help you whenever you need it! We are here to provide your loved one full emotional and physical support to live a positive and fulfilling life. Our professional and trained staff take great care of your loved one.
Complications
- Your person may face mental health problems like depression, anxiety, aggression, and irritability due to their disease.
- They may also face sleeping problems and become restless.
- They may not be able to speak and communicate properly.
You must be worried to see your person in this condition. But still, it’s not too late. You can stop or at least slow down the progression of this disease by following this care plan for dementia.
Help them in Common Activities
They feel extremely weak sometimes and can’t perform common activities. So, you will be helping them with eating, dressing, bathing, and toileting.
Don’t Let Them Drive
It’s totally unsafe for them to drive in this condition. So, don’t take the risk and drive yourself or hire a personal driver to keep them safe and secure.
Take Care of their Hygiene
In this condition, your loved one may forget about their hygiene, so always remind them to wash their hands after the toilet and any other activity.
Focus on their Good Nutrition
You can slow down the progression of this disease by taking care of their nutrition. Add some brain-strengthening foods, like nuts, juices, etc., to their diet after consulting with their doctor.
Your person might be forgetting and skipping their meals. This can lead to unhealthy weight loss for them and even lead to the progress of the disease. At this stage, you must set reminders for meals and medications to keep your person healthy.
Stage 3. Late Stage Dementia Care Plan
At late-stage dementia, the situation gets worst, and your loved one is no longer able to perform normal life activities. The brain cells get fully damaged at this stage.
You have to be there for your person 24 hours, as leaving your person alone is no longer safe. This happens because of complications in even common activities like swallowing, breathing, and so on.
Complications
- Difficulty in walking and moving the body.
- Weakened immune system and more vulnerable to infections.
- Problems in speaking, thinking, and expressing their thoughts clearly.
- Problems in swallowing and even breathing.
Extra Physical and Emotional Support
Extra emotional and physical support from your side can act as a healing medicine for them. So, never underestimate the power of communication and moral support of a patient.
Talk to them and spend some quality time reminding them of happy and funny events. Give them sympathy showing your love and support. Your quality time can relieve your person from their pain and suffering.
Professional Care is Necessary
At the last stage of dementia, your loved one is in a more serious condition. Your person’s immune system is no longer strong, and complications of this stage can make the situation worse. Sometimes breathing complications and swallowing problems can make you and your loved one panic.
So, providing your person with the best and most professional care becomes necessary. You can hire a nurse, helper, or agency for their full-time care. We highly recommend you seek help from an expert senior care agency like Tahara Health.
Final Verdict
Overall well being of your loved one depends on how you manage their life and activities. They need you, and you must be there for them.
While taking full-time care of your loved one, you may naturally feel burnt out or overwhelmed. To avoid such a situation, you can hire a nurse or contact an organization specialized in taking care of dementia patients and improving the life of your loved one, like Tahara Health.
Tahara Health is a senior care agency with trained staff for taking care of dementia patients and making a positive change in your and your loved one’s life.
