Caring for a family member or friend with a progressive neurodegenerative disorder can really take a toll on you. Just as the world slowly becomes smaller and more puzzling for the affected individual, so does the world of the caregiver. This unfamiliar and often demanding journey causes distress for both parties.

Developing specialized memory care skills is essential to maintain your loved one’s physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being – and your own. Read on for our best recommendations on helping someone with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or another form of memory loss.

Millions of Americans Need to Know How to Care for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s or Dementia

According to the Alzheimer's Association, almost 7 million Americans, most of them age 65 and older, are living with Alzheimer’s dementia. Experts project that number will rise to nearly 13 million over the next few decades. Incredibly, more than 11 million unpaid caregivers provide them with an estimated 18.4 billion hours of care that’s valued at nearly $350 billion.

If you’re among them, you might agree with:

• The 70% of dementia caregivers who state it’s stressful to coordinate care.
• The two-thirds of caregivers who struggle to find adequate resources and support.
• The 74% express concern about preserving their own health since becoming dementia caregivers.

It probably wouldn’t surprise you, either, that 60% of healthcare workers agree that the U.S. healthcare system does not help patients and their families navigate dementia care effectively.

So, What Can You Do to Support a Person with Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia?

To cover all the many responsibilities and challenges throughout the day successfully, whether in person or from afar, link up with a circle of other family members, friends, or other caregivers. They can aid you in creating and maintaining:

1. An Everyday Care Routine That’s Consistent

People with Alzheimer’s and related dementias undergo changes in thinking, remembering, and reasoning, which alter how they experience daily life. In time, they will require more help with personal activities that were once simple – a fact that may be troubling for your loved one.

But you can make each day more familiar and flow more smoothly. Organize it into a schedule and patterns that the person recognizes and can follow. Assist with writing up to-do lists and a calendar of appointments and events. Ensure prescriptions and treatments are taken promptly and at the safe, proper dosage by organizing a medication management system.

You’ll want to schedule bathing, dressing, eating, and even leisure activities for consistent, predictable times. Let the person manage as many tasks as possible independently. And when you do lend a hand, gently tell them what you’re going to do, step by step. For bathing and dressing, we suggest loose-fitting clothing with no or easy-to-fasten closures. To prevent falls and accidents, install an accessible shower/tub, a shower chair, a raised toilet, slip-resistant flooring, and grab bars. For eating, serve meals in the same spot, and allow the person enough time to finish.

2. Upbeat and Respectful Communication

You’re likely to witness new changes in the way your loved one communicates and behaves. In those instances, remember that it’s the disease impacting their language abilities, raising challenges with talking and finding the correct words, and fueling emotions like anxiety, fear, anger, agitation, impatience, and frustration.

Try your best to communicate constructively. Remain compassionate, and encourage pleasant, lengthy, two-way conversations where you take turns speaking and listening. Quiet time and activities that appeal to the person can also be vital to their ongoing comfort.

3. A Lifestyle That’s Nourishing, Active, and Filled with Social Interactions

Of course, a nutritious diet, plenty of exercise and human connections are three of the most important factors in anyone’s health – including the caregiver’s. For people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, they’re especially critical, but also more difficult to uphold as the disease progresses and interest or initiative decreases. If you manage the planning process for your loved one, however, they are more likely to participate in good habits.

To help encourage them to eat sufficient, balanced meals, purchase an array of healthy foods that they enjoy, meet their dietary needs, provide a variety of meal options, and are simple to prepare, cook, and clean up after.

When it comes to adequate exercise, ensure that fitness efforts are suited to the person’s abilities and stamina. From household chores to cooking/baking and gardening, to dancing to music they love, to casual walks around the home or neighborhood – any fun activities that get them moving can be beneficial.

Did you know that cultivating positive relationships is the secret to total wellness and longevity? Don’t miss this significant step in caring for your loved one. Spend as much time as you can interacting with them, and have other people join you whenever possible.

4. Safety and Security in the Person’s Home

Each day, in-home dangers can mount, impeding your loved one’s movements, stripping away their valued independence, and leaving them vulnerable to several hazards – resulting in falls, other accidents, and even fatality. To support their mobility and well-being, start by setting up these safety and security measures:

• A single-floor, stair-free living environment. If stairs are unavoidable, install handrails and/or stair lifts and features like slip-resistant carpet or grip strips and brightly colored tape that make them more visible.
• Wide pathways and hallways that are clear of all obstacles, such as small rugs, electrical cords, and other items that can cause tripping
• Rooms free of curtains, rugs, and décor with busy patterns that can cause confusion
• Slip-resistant, smooth flooring, and easy-to-grip handrails, grab bars, and door handles throughout the home.
• Effective lighting designed for older adults in all rooms and outdoor areas.
• A safer bathroom with features like a raised toilet, non-skid surfaces, grab bars, barrier-free showers/tubs, and accessible storage.
• The locking up or removing unused items, especially fragile items, as well as hazardous items, cleaning products, and medications.
• The installation of safety latches on cabinet doors and insertion of safety plugs into unused electrical outlets.
• Door and window locks designed for seniors with dementia.

You can help further by installing fire alarms, smoke detectors, and a home security system, as well as putting together and teaching an emergency preparedness plan, which takes the individual’s memory issues and any mobility, hearing, and vision impairments and other disabilities into account. A wireless medical alert pendant with around-the-clock monitoring and response for urgent situations is also a necessity.

5. A Plan to Age Gracefully as the Disease Progresses

By creating a plan now, you can lessen preventable stress and burdens on the part of the senior and their loved ones. You may be able to make important decisions using the input of the individual while they have the capacity to do so. The longer you wait, the more likely everyone will encounter greater concerns and changes that will need to be addressed. Among the matters to discuss are everyday care, ongoing medical care, and legal, financial, and insurance details.

For peace of mind all around, look into Alzheimer’s/dementia support services. Some senior living communities in your area ensure 24/7, long-term memory care where residents receive expert aid managed by teams trained in this specialty.

At Stoney Brook, for instance, we’ve skillfully designed our assisted living and memory care communities in Central Texas to enable residents to flourish in one, relationship-centered location that focuses on their unique needs and personalities.

Throughout the stages of the aging process, they can thrive with a home and a continuum of care that’s tailored to their changing needs, including:

• A community where accessibility, safety, and security are a top priority, featuring a setting that’s purposely built for memory care.
• A customized care plan that speaks with and assesses residents (and their loved ones) and organizes personalized support to enhance their overall wellness.
• A focus on nutrition, exercise, and social opportunities with caregivers, residents, team members, and guests.
• A knowledgeable team that provides specialized memory care engagement and activities, brain health fitness programming, and behavioral support.
• Attentive supervision and onsite, personal help with daily living activities, such as eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, using the restroom, and escorts around the grounds.
• Supportive care services and transportation to medical appointments.
• A medication management system that ensures prescriptions and treatments are taken correctly and on schedule, avoiding dangerous medication mistakes.
• Wander protection, such as secured doors and medication storage, increased security, staff members monitoring the exits, and more precautions.
• An array of services covering risky and exhausting household maintenanceand chores.

Is it time to talk about your memory care options? Allow Stoney Brook’s professional team to provide the guidance and support you need. Schedule a complimentary visit to meet us in person and learn more firsthand, or subscribe to our blog for more of Stoney Brook’s free, insightful resources, devoted to helping seniors and their caregivers.