Among the many challenges of providing care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, there’s one in particular that too often goes unmentioned: the digging-in-of-the-heels when there’s a need to leave home for a medical appointment, therapy or other important activity. Experienced by many with dementia is the fear of leaving the familiar and venturing into an unknown – and due to the very nature of dementia, sadly, even the familiar can quickly become unknown. How can you overcome Alzheimer’s stubbornness and get where you need to go without further escalating the person’s distress?
To help ease these battles and accomplish what needs to be done with a greater deal of peace, try these tips:
- Choose your battles. Is the outing negotiable? Naturally, if it’s a scheduled appointment, simply skipping that appointment isn’t the best option. If it’s possible, however, to rearrange your plans to a day when the senior might be more agreeable, by all means, do so.
- Choose the best time. All of us have times of the day when we’re feeling at our best, and those with dementia are no exception. Schedule appointments and other outings during times when transitions may be easiest, avoiding times that you know to be more difficult, such as during routine nap times.
- Choose to be creative. If the senior is especially fond of ice cream, encourage her to join you with the promise of a cone. Use creativity to try to incorporate whatever most interests the senior into the outing in some way to turn complaints into compliance.
Amy’s Helping Hands’ specially trained and fully experienced dementia caregivers have plenty of tried and true methods for managing difficult behaviors and restoring a sense of calm, through an extra dose of patience, persistence, and even a little humor. Some of the other challenges we can help you overcome include:
- Wandering
- Aggression
- Agitation
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Sundowning
- Repetition
- And more
While it’s a rewarding and selfless endeavor to care for a loved one with dementia, we know it’s not always easy. It’s also never a role you should attempt alone. Partner with Amy’s Helping Hands and allow us to work together with you to ensure the best care for the person you love, and a healthy life balance for yourself as well.
Give us a call at 519-915-4370 to learn more about our skilled dementia care in Windsor and Essex counties, or to request additional resources to help you in your care journey.
