Caring for an Elderly Parent with Alzheimer’s

May 12th, 2010

Even though nursing homes and assisted living centers have improved greatly over the past 10 years, many of us are still hesitant to place an elderly parent with Alzheimer’s in the hands of strangers at a distant facility. But do you have what it takes to care for an elderly parent at home?

Caring for the Alzheimer’s patient at home can be an arduous and all-consuming task, and you should consult a physician before attempting it. Depending on the severity and progression of the disease, your parent may even need routine in-home nursing care, especially if you must leave your home for work or other responsibilities. However, there are some good overall tips for people who have chosen at-home elder care for their parent.

First, do everything you can to communicate what is happening to your parent. AgingCare.com has several useful tips for elder caregivers on the topic of communicating with an Alzheimer’s patient, some of will be explored here. They include ridding the room of distractions such as television and radio, as well as making eye contact and using your parent’s name to make sure you have their attention. While it is often necessary to speak calmly with short words and simple sentences, you should make sure you are not talking to your parent in "baby talk" as if they were a child. In the times when your parent is lucid, doing so can be extremely demeaning, especially considering he or she was the one to raise you.

Dressing can be a confusing experience and bathing can be a terrifying experience for an Alzheimer’s patient. For this reason, both should be done in a solid routine, so that your parent gets as comfortable and familiar with what is happening as possible. If they are capable, they should be in control of these two activities of daily living as much as possible. Substitute clothing with elastic bands and Velcro strips in place of clothing with more complex zippers and buttons, and patiently talk them through the process of bathing, being careful to never leave them unsupervised in a drawn bath.

Many people with Alzheimer’s have difficulty eating, either because they are not interested in eating, cannot focus on it, or because they want to eat too much. Be patient at mealtimes and provide a few choices if food appears to be unappealing. Finger foods are particularly useful because using utensils is difficult for some with Alzheimer’s.

Finally, make sure you have some sort of support system, whether it be an online forum of at-home caregivers or a trusted friend, spouse or family member. After all, it’s a difficult journey and shouldn’t be attempted alone.

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