Published on January 13, 20255 min read

Home health care-Your Guide to Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s Disease

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be rewarding but also time-consuming and stressful. Often, a relative provides care, but there are other options.
Getting outside help and support can make caring for your loved one more enjoyable and less stressful. It can improve quality of life for both of you.

Setting up a care plan for Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive illness, and caregiver responsibilities typically increase as the disease advances.Responsibilities can include making important health decisions for a loved one, so setting up a care plan early is important.

Here’s how to prepare for the future:

· Discuss your loved one’s wishes in the early stages of the disease. This allows them to express their end-of-life care wishes, such as the type of medical treatments they want.

· Get permission to speak with their healthcare team. Before AD progresses, complete a HIPAA authorization form. This allows you to discuss a loved one’s medical history with their doctors.

· Consider legal matters. You’ll need authorization to make medical decisions on their behalf. Contact a family lawyer for assistance with creating a medical power of attorney. Also talk with your loved one about advance care directives, which outline their wishes in the event of a medical emergency. For example, it may cover how they feel about life support.

· Consider financial matters. You can also become their financial power of attorney. This allows you to make financial decisions on their behalf. Also, read their insurance policies to understand their coverage (health, life, supplemental care, etc.). It would help to also discuss their funeral and burial wishes.

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10 tips for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease

Here are a few tips for caring for someone with AD.

1. Educate yourself

Learn about your loved one’s condition. This can improve communication with your loved one, and it can help you cope with their changing behavior. Attend medical appointments and ask questions.

2. Set a daily routine

Simple daily routines can help a loved one cope with short-term memory loss. For example, aim for them to bathe, get dressed, and eat at a set time each day.

3. Keep them physically active

Being active and exercising regularly can slow cognitive changes. Movement exercises the joints, muscles, and heart too. This can improve their mood — and yours.

4. Keep them mentally active

Mental activity also helps slow cognitive changes. Let your loved one perform some tasks themselves, if possible. This includes bathing, brushing their teeth, and doing household chores.You can also encourage reading and other activities like puzzles.Your loved one might lose interest in food, but it’s important to maintain balanced nutrition when possible. This slows cognitive changes as well.

When preparing meals, include foods with cognitive benefits. These include:

· green leafy vegetables  · berries  · whole grains  · fish  · poultry

Try to limit:

· red meat  · sugar  · fried foods

6. Offer choices

A person with Alzheimer’s may not be able to ask for what they want, but they can often make choices.

Keep the choices simple, for instance, ask them to choose between two outfits, pasta or rice, whether to sit outside or indoors, and so on.

7. Promote good hygiene and grooming

Low self-esteem can affect their mood, so help maintain the person’s hygiene and grooming habits. This includes a daily routine of:

· bathing

· brushing their teeth

· combing their hair

If they feel good about their appearance, they might feel better overall.

8. Be patient

It might take your loved on longer to complete certain tasks like bathing and eating. Try your best to be patient and not get frustrated.

The inability to care for themselves can be upsetting or embarrassing. You can maintain their dignity by respecting their comfort level. For example, allow them to bathe or shower alone (if it’s safe).

9. Focus on communication

A person with Alzheimer’s may be unable to find the words to express themselves. This can lead to anger, frustration, and inappropriate care, if they cannot say how they are feeling. The tips below can help you communicate with an individual with Alzheimer’s.

Tips for communicating with someone with Alzheimer’s disease

Do’s

· Do keep responses and instructions simple and short.

· Do give them time to process information.

· Do be patient, and if necessary, repeat instructions.

· Do redirect conversations to avoid arguments.

· Do use humor to break tension.

· Do learn their nonverbal cues.

Don’ts

· Don’t argue or become overly irritated. Leave the room if necessary.

· Don’t insist they complete a certain task.

· Don’t take their actions personally. AD can affect mood and behavior.

· Don’t belittle them.

· Don’t yell.

· Don’t ask open-ended questions. Give options instead.

10. Ensure the home is safe

If you’re caring for a loved one at home, take steps to prevent falls and other accidents. For example:

· Place carpet or grip strips on stairs.

· Place latches on cabinet doors.

· Place covers over electrical outlets.

· Remove small rugs.

· Place handrails and mats in the shower.

Depending on the severity of the person’s cognitive symptoms, you may not want to leave them unattended in the shower or tub or allow them to cook by themselves.

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Get help

When you have other problems that you cannot solve on your own, you can seek help from the Alzheimer's Association.
The Alzheimer's Association offers a wide range of services to support those affected by Alzheimer's and other dementias. Here are some of the key services provided:

24/7 Helpline:

The Alzheimer's Association operates a free 24/7 Helpline (800.272.3900) where you can talk to a dementia expert and get confidential emotional support, local resources, crisis assistance, and information in over 200 languages.

Support Groups:
They offer peer- or professionally-led support groups for caregivers, individuals living with Alzheimer's, and others dealing with the disease. These groups are facilitated by trained individuals and are available virtually or in person.

Online Community and Message Boards:

The Association provides a variety of educational programs and courses available online, 24 hours a day. These include courses for scientists, clinicians, physicians, and dementia professionals.

Community Support:

The Alzheimer's Association connects you with others who understand through community support. They offer in-person caregiver support groups and other community-based programs.

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