Dementia Care Q & A

How do you know when it’s time for memory care?

There are always indicators when people need to start thinking about directing loved ones to a care model. The difference between dementia care and other processes is that it often starts to manifest itself with mental deficiencies. You may discover that a loved one may no longer be able to safely navigate stairs, or that they start getting lost while driving routes they have taken for years. Sometimes, people can be very good at hiding memory deficits, so you should pay close attention to any changes that might be taking place.

There is age related memory loss, but there is also getting into the car and not remembering how to turn it on, or forgetting when your own birthday is. That’s the hard part of the conversation about dementia, admitting that there could actually be something wrong and making that step towards a physician.

The thing that most people don’t realize is that the quicker you can get a diagnosis and receive medication, the better results you will have. If you wait until you are further into the stages of dementia, medications will be less effective in comparison to what they would have been earlier on in the disease process.

How do you start a conversation?

Conversations about memory care should always be gentle and non-accusatory. Instead of making accusations, you should help your loved one recognize that there may be a deficit. Let them know that you are concerned that they are not taking their medication correctly, or that they keep getting confused about simple tasks, and that you think seeing a doctor would be a good idea to make sure nothing is going on. Having a dementia related diagnosis can be very scary, so approaching this conversation with compassion and love is always the best route. In these difficult situations, we should continue treating them with love and respect and offer our help in any way we can.

As dementia continues through different phases, some behaviors can become unsafe. At some point we have to acknowledge that with a dementia related diagnosis, what that person thinks about their driving ability may not be accurate or safe for others. Another important conversation to have is talking about behaviors that might be unsafe for your loved one or those around them.

What type of training do your caregivers receive?

We have several modules that our caregivers go through during training. It is an eight week progressive test with questions about Alzheimer’s and dementia related diseases. One of the characteristics that makes dementia such a unique disease process is that it can affect everyone differently. You can have the best training possible, but it will still be significantly different in every single person that you take care of. One of the main things we discuss when talking about dementia training is flexibility. Even in certain stages of dementia, you might see behaviors that you did not expect or even behaviors that you have never seen before. You have to remain very flexible.

We have ongoing and continuing education for all of our caregivers, which includes Alzeheimer’s and dementia care. There is also a plethora of support material. The Alzheimer’s Association has some of the best training available. Usually, a caregiver has been training and then they come to a specific situation that requires further training or a specialized approach. For example, if a patient refuses to take a bath, or won’t enter the bathroom, then we have to use a variety of techniques that we have learned over the years in similar situations. There is no book that has all of the answers, so we use the feedback and resources that we have to find the best solution for each person under our care.

How does a familiar environment and caregiver help those with dementia?

We have found that the environment is so important for someone with memory loss and that a familiar setting is always best, even in more advanced stages. It is a phenomena that improves behavior, eating habits, sleeping habits, and independence. We have also found that sometimes our caregiver’s physical appearance can make an impact. If a caregiver resembles a family member or someone close to the patient, that sometimes improves their overall responsiveness to attempts of care.

The number one most important aspect of dementia related care is our ability to tailor the care plan. That is the number one item on the list because everybody is different. If we can look at each person, from their likes and dislikes to their environment, we can evaluate all of those aspects and provide the best possible dementia related care.