Caring for a loved one living with dementia is a fluid, ever-evolving undertaking. One day may be calm and peaceful, with your loved one enjoying activities, eating healthy meals, and sharing laughter with you, while the next day might be fraught with agitation, anxiety, and sullenness. What will today bring?
It could be made more accessible to identify how to best manage the challenging behaviors and ensure life is as enjoyable and comfortable as it can be for an individual living with dementia through a simple tool: journaling. Here’s how you can implement it in your day-to-day caregiving routine and how to utilize your journal to enhance the quality of life for your senior loved one:
Track symptoms and caregiving need every day. Your notes don’t have to be extensive but write down any challenges that occur, including time of day and what might have ignited the challenges. Also include activities the individual could manage independently, together with those that were difficult. After every week, look back over the behaviors to figure out if a pattern can be noticed – such as more significant agitation before meals or bedtime.
Track eating habits. Observe which foods are most popular with your loved one, which is least difficult for them to self-feed, how many meals/snacks tend to be eaten, what times during the day, etc. Don’t forget to record beverages to ensure the senior takes inadequate water levels to stay hydrated. In examining your notes, you may find that six smaller meals throughout the day are better for your family member than three larger ones, for instance.
Track safety considerations. Maintaining safety is a leading priority in dementia care, with dangers resulting from wandering, dizziness/balance problems, hallucinations, and misunderstanding what everyday items are used for, such as thinking a household cleaner maybe a sports drink. Locking away hazardous items or placing them in out-of-reach locations is extremely important. Maintaining a summary of changes made to the home environment for safety’s sake can be extremely helpful in alerting other family members to potential risks.
It is also good to bring your journal to your loved one’s medical appointments and bring any concerns documented to their attention. This enables you to be fully prepared in advance of meetings with worries you need to get addressed, taking advantage of the short time available to consult with physicians.
Call 215.995.2012 to connect with the highly trained and knowledgeable dementia care experts at Modern Health Home Care, the top providers of home care in Philadelphia and the surrounding communities, to get more tips as well as specialized in-home care that improves safety while maximizing independence, purpose, and meaning-making every day the best it can be for a person living with dementia.
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