Taking care of a senior with dementia is a fluid, ever-evolving process. One day could be calm and peaceful, with your senior loved one taking pleasure in activities, eating healthy meals, and sharing laughter with you; while the following day can be fraught with agitation, anxiety, and sullenness. Just what will today bring?
Figuring out how to best manage the challenging behaviors and to ensure life is as enjoyable and comfortable as possible for a senior with dementia can be made easier through a simple tool: journaling. Here is an easy method for dementia caregivers to implement into their day-to-day caregiving routines, as well as how to utilize journaling to increase quality of life for your loved one:
- Monitor symptoms and caregiving needs on a daily basis. Your notes do not need to be lengthy, but write down any issues that occur, particularly time of day and what could have ignited the issues. Also include tasks the individual managed to complete independently, as well as the ones that were difficult. At the conclusion of every week, review the behaviors to figure out if a pattern can be noticed – such as heightened agitation before meals or bedtime.
- Track eating habits. Take note of which foods are most popular with the senior, which are least difficult for him or her to self-feed, how many meals/snacks are consumed including what times during the day, etc. Be sure to include beverages, to guarantee the individual is taking in satisfactory quantities of water to remain hydrated. In examining your notes, you could find that six smaller sized meals through the course of the day are better for your family member than three larger ones, for instance.
- Track safety concerns. Maintaining safety is an important consideration in dementia care, with a wide range of dangers that may result from wandering, dizziness/balance problems, hallucinations, and misunderstanding what common items are used for, such as thinking a household cleaner may actually be a sports drink. Securing hazardous items or putting them in out-of-reach places is crucial, and maintaining a list of changes made to the home environment for safety’s sake can be extremely helpful to alert other loved ones to potential risks.
Additionally, it is recommended to bring your journal with you to your loved one’s medical appointments, and bring any concerns recorded to his / her attention. This permits you to be thoroughly prepared prior to appointments with questions you want to get answered, taking advantage of the short time available to talk to doctors.
Get in touch with our highly trained and experienced dementia caregivers to get more tips as well as specialized Hinsdale dementia care services that enhance safety while maximizing purpose, independence, and meaning – making every day the very best it can be for a person with dementia.