As the world marks World Alzheimer’s day today here are some 5 helpful tips for caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease.

  1. Research – Alzheimer’s is a life-changing diagnosis and after your loved one has been diagnosed, get as much information about the disease as you can. Talk to your doctor about how best to support them during the progression of the disease. Get more information by joining local charities or groups that support people providing care for Alzheimer’s patients.
  2. Encourage Independence – During the early onset of the disease, your loved one should be encouraged to do some activities that they used to do before the diagnosis. Simple activities like laying the table, making a cup of tea, and dressing can be done with your supervision. This improves their confidence and self-purpose by making them feel useful if they have a fear of being a burden to their loved ones.
  3. Safety – After diagnosis, it’s important to look for any potential hazards at home. They may be at risk of tripping and falling or wandering around and getting lost. You can look into replacing frayed carpets, installing handrails in the bathroom, rearranging furniture, locking cabinets with potentially dangerous substances, increasing lighting in the rooms, and installing anti-wandering door alarms.
  4. Keeping active – try and help them keep an active lifestyle, if they had hobbies before their diagnosis encourage them to continue with them if they can do so safely. Physical activities like going for walks, gardening, or exercise classes can allow someone with Alzheimer’s to maintain a vibrant lifestyle.
  5. Self-care – Taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease can be demanding and stressful. It’s important to take care of yourself and you can do so,  by joining a local carer support group or speaking to a counsellor to help you manage stress. Reach out to your family members or friends for help, and take a break even for a few hours a week. Ensure that you exercise, get enough sleep, and eat healthy. This is important for your health and the well-being of the person you are caring for.

Find out more about Alzheimer’s Disease here.

How can we help?

At Visiting Angels we take special care of our senior’s needs if they are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. We know it can be difficult for a person suffering from Alzheimer’s to maintain a memory and a routine. The Choose your Caregiver program plays and important role here. The clients have a choice in the caregiver they want to appoint to take care of them, based on their needs and the carer’s skills. There is an added advantage of seeing a familiar face and maintaining memory as the regular caregiver visits them every time.

Find out more about our services here.