Guide offers help dealing with Alzheimer’s patients
Taking care of elderly relatives is difficult. Taking care of elderly relatives with Alzheimer’s disease is an especially daunting prospect.
For those facing that situation, "Caregiver Guide: Tips for Caregivers of People with Alzheimer’s Disease" is a good place to start for concise information on how to deal with the challenges the disease presents.
While any degenerative condition presents difficulties for caregivers, Alzheimer’s is different because the person with this disease may be able to get around quite well — which presents its own set of challenges.
Considerable lifestyle changes required
"Caregiver Guide" makes it clear that caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients must make considerable lifestyle changes. Topics include communication, bathing, dressing, eating, activities, exercise, incontinence, sleep problems, hallucinations, wandering, home safety, driving, visiting the doctor, coping with holidays, visiting a person with Alzheimer’s, and choosing a nursing home.
Here are some of the suggestions included:
- Allow the person to choose from a limited selection of outfits. If he or she has a favorite outfit, consider buying several identical sets.
- Turn off the television set when violent and disturbing programs are on. The person with Alzheimer’s disease may not be able to distinguish television programming from reality.
- Make sure the person carries some kind of identification or wears a medical bracelet. If he or she gets lost and is unable to communicate adequately, this will alert others to his or her identity and medical condition.
- Look for clues that the patient is losing the ability to drive safely, such as getting lost in familiar places, driving too fast or too slow, disregarding traffic signs, or getting angry or confused while driving.
- Install secure locks on all outside windows and doors, especially if the person is prone to wandering.
- Remove locks on bathroom doors to prevent the person from accidentally locking himself or herself in.
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