How to Care for a Parent with Dementia: Tips and Support

According to an article published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, around 6.7 million Americans aged 65 and above are living with dementia today. Taking care of a parent with dementia is not an easy task. It can become quite overwhelming, especially as symptoms progress.

For most families, looking after a parent with dementia is not one person's job. Family members share responsibilities and tasks to ensure their loved one is comfortable.

Let's discover some tips for dealing with a parent with dementia and resources that may support caregivers.

Assist Them in Their Everyday Tasks

During the early stages of dementia, people experience changes in reasoning and thinking, which may affect their daily lives. Eventually, your parent will need help with simple tasks like grooming, bathing, and dressing. It may not be easy for a parent with dementia to accept help in these personal activities.

Some memory care tips you can consider early on as the condition progresses include the following:

• Allowing them to take part in dressing after bathing them
• Buying comfortable and easy-to-wear clothing, such as clothes with large zipper pulls and elastic waistbands
• Serving meals in a familiar space and allowing the person to feed themselves
• Helping your parent write down events, appointments, and to-do lists in a calendar or notebook
• Keeping a routine of eating, bathing, and dressing

Improve Communication Skills

People with dementia may find it challenging to communicate clearly. They may become confused and agitated or forget specific conversations, words, and names. As a caregiver, you can communicate with your parent in a way that makes them feel reassured, understood, and involved.

Some of the critical communication skills for dementia care for parents include the following:

• Minimize distractions: Limit background noises such as television and maintain eye contact when communicating with your parent.
• Speak clearly and calmly: Use words that are easy to understand and ensure your voice is not too loud.
• Convey a positive mood: You can express this through your body language, tone of your voice, and facial expressions.
• Use a sense of humor: This helps lighten the mood and allows the parent to laugh.
• Remind them of fond memories: It can cheer them up and help them feel more involved in the conversation.

Ensure Home Safety

As a caregiver to a parent with dementia, you need to ensure your home is safe. Adding safety features and removing hazards from the home can help the person move more freely and independently. Some of the senior safety tips you can implement include the following:

• Insert safety latches on cabinet doors and plugs in unused electrical outlets.
• Ensure good lighting in all rooms accessible to your parent with dementia.
• Clear unused items and remove objects that may cause them to trip over.
• Put safety grip strips or a carpet on the stairs.
• Lock up household products like matches and paint thinners.

Provide an Active and Healthy Lifestyle for Your Parent

Staying active and eating healthy is vital for people with dementia. As the condition progresses, they may struggle to exercise and eat healthy foods. Some tips that may help include the following:

• Motivate the person by adding music during physical exercises.
• Take a walk together every day if possible.
• Give the parents a chance to decide what they would like to eat.
• Stock various healthy foods but prioritize those that are easy to prepare.
• Encourage them to take part in activities they like, such as cooking, baking, and gardening.

Manage Frustration

Supporting a parent with dementia requires patience, resilience, and flexibility, and at times you may be frustrated. However, extreme frustration may affect your well-being and how you care for your parent.

Here are ways you can manage it:

• Take steps to help you calm down: Take deep breaths, shower, listen to music, and meditate to help you relax.
• Notice signs of frustration such as increased alcohol consumption, shortness of breath, overeating, and headaches.
• Communicate assertively about how you feel without blaming others.

Accept Help From Others

Seeking help from your neighbors, family members, and friends allows you to have time for yourself, socialize, and rest. You may also arrange in-home care for your parent, such as:

• A qualified caregiver who handles medical concerns like physical therapy, administering injections, and dressing wounds
• A partner who visits often and shares conversations and recreational activities
• People who handle house chores and meal planning
• Someone to help with personal care like going to the bathroom, dressing, and bathing

You can also consider taking your parent to an assisted living community to get the necessary care. The American Health Care Association reports that about 18% of senior living communities have a dementia care unit. Fairfield Place Assisted Living provides a memory care program that supports caregivers of parents with dementia.

Take Care of Yourself

Despite the overwhelming task of supporting a parent with dementia, you must find time to take care of yourself. This action helps avoid loneliness and puts you in a better mind space to care for your parent.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that caregivers of dementia patients are at greater risk of depression, anxiety, and poor quality of life compared to others.

Below are some tips to help you get some relief:

• Exercise as often as you can; go for a walk or do yoga.
• Keep up with your hobbies and spend some time with your friends.
• Take a break daily and make yourself a cup of tea to relax.
• Eat healthy.
• Seek assistance from mental health experts and organizations that offer emotional support for caregivers.

Learn Tips for Taking Care of a Parent with Dementia Like a Pro

Being the primary caregiver to a parent with dementia can be rewarding, but it comes with a lot of challenges. It's advisable to make the person comfortable at home and develop a daily routine. Further, you should take good care of yourself to prevent burnout and mental health issues that may arise as a result of loneliness and frustration.

Addington Place of Fairfield in Iowa offers first-class senior living services to meet the unique needs of people with dementia. Our highly trained staff provides personalized care and compassionate support to our residents.

Contact us to schedule a personal tour of our community.