Seniors with dementia may exhibit increased anxiety, agitation, and depression. Because of cognitive deficits, they may no longer trust people, which makes caregiving challenging. However, you can do the following things to reassure a senior loved one who has dementia.
Maintain Routines
Routines are extremely important when caring for older adults with cognitive decline. If you’re providing care for an elderly person with dementia, regular routines related to eating, bathing, dressing, and grooming may provide reassurance. Deviating from routines may lead to anxiety and agitation.
Living with serious health conditions can make it challenging for seniors to age in place. However, they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional live-in care. Roseville seniors can benefit from assistance with meal prep, bathing, transportation to the doctor’s office, medication reminders, and much more.
Provide Choices
When you allow choices in daily routines, your loved one may feel in control of his or her life. Just because seniors with dementia have decreased cognitive abilities doesn’t mean they’re unable to make certain decisions for themselves. When elderly people are more in control of their lives, they may feel reassured.
Encourage Exercise
Daily exercise is important to the health and wellbeing of seniors with dementia. Exercise increases muscle strength and mobility and boosts wellbeing. Regular physical activity releases endorphins in the body, which make seniors feel calmer, happier, and reassured. Endorphins also diminish the perception of pain, which further enhances feelings of reassurance and contentment. While exercise has many positive benefits for people with dementia, check with your loved one’s physician before encouraging a new exercise routine.
Older adults who need help exercising should consider professional in-home care. Home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently.
Consider Pet Therapy
Cuddling with a dog or a cat can be therapeutic for seniors with dementia. Coupled with the tactile stimulation, the bond between people and animals is powerful and reassuring. If your loved one doesn’t have a pet, consider scheduling regular visits to a pet shelter or petting zoo so he or she can have exposure to animals. Seniors with dementia have a great capacity for feeling love, whether the love is for humans or animals. Giving and receiving love from pets stimulates the release of endorphins and offers positive reassurance. If your loved one has allergies, talk to his or her physician before initiating a pet therapy routine. While pet therapy isn’t always contraindicated in those with allergies, seniors may be susceptible to experiencing more severe symptoms.
Monitor Nutrition
Nutritional deficits, dehydration, and malnutrition can cause anxiety, depression, and cognitive issues and lead to distrust and fear. In some cases, correcting nutritional deficiencies may eliminate negative psychological and emotional feelings, reestablish feelings of confidence, and offer reassurance to seniors with dementia.
Dementia can be challenging for seniors to manage, but they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional home care service. Roseville seniors can benefit greatly from the Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program designed to promote cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. CTM is included at no additional charge with any of the in-home care plans provided by Home Care Assistance. If you need professional home care for your loved one, reach out to one of our Care Managers today at (916) 226-3737.