Loved One’s Memory Disorder
Memory disorders, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, are a growing concern as people live longer. Dementia affects 5% of older adults and can lead to Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative issues. A loved one’s memory disorder can be overwhelming, making it hard to know how to help. Watching a parent, grandparent, or relative change before your eyes is heartbreaking. Here are some tips to help you cope and support them.
Learning more about their behaviors
Dementia affects not just memory, but personality and mood. Websites like lbda.org help you understand behavior changes and how to manage them. You can’t change the person, but recognizing triggers for anger or agitation, like noise, clutter, or pain, can help prevent them. Wandering may happen when they forget something they need or somewhere they want to go.
Helping with treatment
Unless you’re a medically licensed practitioner, it might seem like you don’t have anything practical to offer when it comes to the treatment of your loved one but that isn’t necessarily true. Helping them coordinate their care and ensuring that it’s done in the safest way possible can help. For instance, you can help with medication by organizing it by day and ensuring they take it at a routine time every day. You can organize transport to and from appointments for them and join them on those appointments, so you can ask questions and note down answers if they become confused or stressed, too.
Developing routines
One of the most painful experiences, when someone in your life has dementia or other memory disorders, is that it doesn’t only affect their memory, but their personality and mood, as well. Websites like lbda.org can be crucial in helping you understand what changes in behavior you can expect, as well as how to deal with them.
Learning about memory in general could also be a good idea, and this article about Semantic Memory Psychology: Exploring The Depths goes into great detail about one of the most important areas of memory that has a massive impact on everyday life, and how memory disorders can affect it. You cannot change the person or turn them back into the person they were, but by understanding the triggers of hurtful or angry behavior, you can identify the risks and try to prevent them.
For instance, agitation can be caused by noise, clutter, breaking the routine, genuine pain, and more. Wandering (the act of walking or moving around seemingly aimlessly) may begin because the person has a genuine need to find something or go somewhere that they have forgotten.
Building communication
As a memory disorder develops, you may begin to see that your loved one is not able to communicate as effectively as they once were. They may struggle to keep up with conversations, remember information, or express themselves. It’s tempting to simplify things, but that can be hurtful and hinder understanding. Use a positive tone, ensure you have their attention, and be clear in your message. When asking questions, offer easy choices. For example, when helping them dress, show both dresses and ask if they prefer the blue or yellow one.
Providing nutrition
The food we eat has been shown to play a major factor in both the risk and development of disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s. Providing nutritious meals is essential for the daily care of your loved one. A balanced diet, avoiding cholesterol, refined sugar, sodium, salt, and high saturated fats is important. Sites like Alz.org can also help you look at how to make mealtimes easier, and how to find the potential reasons behind a loss of appetite. For instance, it’s wise to avoid foods that are hard to chew or swallow and to keep an eye out for signs of choking.
Getting active
Exercise is great for those with memory disorders. It can help improve mood and well-being, as well as reduce harmful or challenging behavior. Exercise, or the lack of it, is also another leading factor in the development of dementia. It can also help them prevent other health issues, such as those that might limit their mobility.
Offering company
One of the leading problems that people with memory disorders have is isolation. Not only can dementia cause isolation, but isolation is thought to be a causal factor in dementia.If you’re primarily their caregiver, it can be easy to forget they need social company too. Helping them find it by joining exercise or hobby groups, or simply taking the time to engage with them for social reasons alone can be very helpful in improving their quality of life. As we grow older, it becomes harder to maintain face-to-face contact and to keep meaningful relationships and memory disorders can only make it harder, so try to help them.
Ensuring the best environment
Helping your loved one choose where they live, or choosing for them, is not always easy. The familiarity of their home can help them curb aggressive or angry behavior, but it simply might not be the safest environment for them. If you’re trying to make a home for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s, it’s wise to look at sites like Brightfocus.org on how to adapt to that environment. The task needs to be addressed from a few different angles. Prioritize safety by removing risks and making the home accessible for independence. Even design matters.Patterns or colors, like green carpets, can confuse and disorient. To help them live at home, make sure it’s a space they can navigate easily.
Guaranteeing a level of care
Whether you’re the primary caregiver or not, these tips can help you support your loved one with their memory disorder. However, if you’re unsure about what the future of their care looks like, you need to carefully consider your options. Do the circumstances of your life allow you to guarantee them the same level of care a professional might? If not, should you look for a live-in carer or find a better environment for them? Places like ParcProvence.com offer multiple options that can help you explore the pros and cons of all your options. Just make sure that their needs are addressed above all else.
Taking care of yourself
Caring for a loved one with a memory disorder is emotionally stressful and physically exhausting. If you’re actively involved, make time for yourself. To avoid burnout, ask a family member or friend for help. Burnout isn’t just tiring, it can lead to sleep deprivation, anxiety, and more.
Joining support groups
Both you and your loved one can benefit from support and insight from those who understand your situation. Sites like Dementiasociety.org can help you find groups near you, where you can share your experiences and benefit from both the practical tips and the emotional coping tools that others have developed.
Memory disorders are tough, but staying silent makes it harder. Support groups can help.
You’re not alone. Work with medical professionals, explore care options, share responsibilities, and seek support groups.
