April 21st, 2016

​6 Tips for Family Caregivers for Seniors with Alzheimer's Disease

Caregivers in Evanston IL

​When you first start caring for an elderly loved one who has Alzheimer's disease, you may not be sure quite what to expect. It's a winding road, definitely, but you can navigate it if you follow some of these techniques.

Kick Denial to the Curb

Your loved one is going to have good days and bad days. On the good days, it's really easy to lean on denial and believe that it's possible that the diagnosis was wrong. Then comes a bad day and you realize that your loved one is not doing well at all. Keep denial at bay during the good days and just enjoy them for what they are.

Avoid Asking if She Remembers Something

Often family members like asking their elderly loved ones if they remember something in particular, whether that's an old family story or what the loved one had for lunch the day before. These are tricky waters when your loved one has Alzheimer's disease, though, so it's best to avoid asking that question altogether.

Meet Your Loved One Where She Is, Not Where You Want Her to Be

Family members have a lot of hope when it comes to their elderly loved one, and that's a wonderful thing. But that can lead to denial and to setting expectations of their loved one. Instead, connect with your loved one at the level she's currently at. You'll have a much more successful interaction.

Use All the Tools You Can to Connect with Your Loved One

Sometimes a loved one may stop talking or only talk during certain situations. There are other ways that you can connect, though. Sometimes that can be through music, through creating something, or even children and pets. Use anything that your loved one responds to as a way to connect and to communicate with her.

Avoid Upsetting Topics

Some topics and situations are going to send your elderly loved one into proverbial orbit. You probably know exactly which ones, so it's best to avoid them completely. Then, if someone else brings up one of the verboten topics, change the subject quickly.

Remember to Take Care of Yourself

Above all, you have to remember to take care of yourself. Being a family caregiver to an elderly loved one with dementia or Alzheimer's disease is incredibly stressful and it takes so very much out of you, physically and emotionally. 

Spending quality time with your elderly loved one is essential and these tips can help to make that time even better.

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in Evanston, IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

---