Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Tips For Dementia Care At Home Miami-Dade County

By Mattie Knight


When a person is diagnosed with dementia, their life greatly changes. This disease fatally affects the living of an individual. It turns them from their own energetic self to individuals with anxiety, depression and solitude. The disease turns them from being independent to being dependent on the services of their relatives or caregivers. Many family members of the patient are always faced with a tough challenge that is how to take care of their loved one. The following tips on Dementia care at home Miami-Dade County services can help you care for your patient.

As relatives of the affected individual, you can opt to provide assistance to your patient by hiring a caregiver to come to your home and provide support services to him or her. Caregivers offer services such as laundry cleaning, bathing a patient, dressing them and providing meals to them. You can also rely on the services of local authority assistance such as meals on wheels, library and laundry services. Many relatives preferred to take their loved to care homes where professional care can be provided by the skilled caregivers employed there.

There are many services that a person suffering from dementia will require from their caregiver. The most important is feeding and preparation of meals. As the disease advances, a patient may fail to recognize food when placed in front of them. They may also fail to have the coordination to use a fork, knife or spoon. This makes feeding difficult for them. They can even refuse to eat at all resulting to malnutrition.

The disease may cause the patient to have impaired coordination and concentration to a point where even dressing becomes a struggle. In this case, you need to learn to dress the patient. Know when to provide them with cool or cold clothing depending on the weather conditions. Also help them shop for clothes that are easier to wear and remove.

Washing and bathing is also a support service that will be required by your patient. However, bathing a patient is always a difficult task considering that many adults receive bathing as a private task. It can be difficult for you as a caregiver too especially if this is your first time. Approach the task with an open mind and get the patient to trust you until they are comfortable with you washing them

You will also need to help the patient with moving, sitting and lifting. To care for a person with dementia requires patience and compassion from the heart. There are many situations where you will need to physically handle them. This includes getting them out of bed, helping them to the toilet and even lifting them after a fall.

There comes a point when your patient will have mobility problems and require a wheelchair for personal transportation. Choose a wheelchair that will be friendly for both of you. For example, get a fold-able chair that you can easily carry along in your car.

Dementia makes the patient lose balance, ability to react quickly and also impairs their judgment. This is a great risk to their life. It is important to have a system that monitors their movement to prevent them from wandering into unsafe areas.




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