Home Care in Palm Beach County FL
Repetition can be one of the most frustration symptoms that you can deal with as a family caregiver for an elderly adult with Alzheimer’s disease. Your parent constantly asks you the same question or tells you the same story several times in the same day. They might call you multiple times to tell you or ask you the same thing. They might become upset and agitated over the same thing multiple times. Coping with this issue can help ensure that your parent’s needs are met and reduce your stress so that you can focus on giving your loved one the level of care that they deserve. Use these tips to help you deal with repetition from a senior with Alzheimer’s disease:• Identify a reason behind it. When you notice that your aging parent is being repetitive, take the time to evaluate it and identify if there might be a reason behind it. Is your parent asking you what you are making for dinner every few minutes because they are hungry for a snack or for lunch? Are they telling you the same story about their childhood repeatedly because they miss their siblings? Finding the reason can help you to resolve the issue as quickly and effectively as possible.
• Focus on their emotions. Rather than listening to what your parent is saying over and over again, try to understand what they are feeling or going through. They might be sad, lonely, bored, or even anxious and frightened. By focusing on the emotions you can help your parent cope with them and manage them more effectively.
• Do not try to correct them. Telling your senior that they have asked that question multiple times or that you have already heard the same story over and over will not help the situation. In fact, your senior is more likely to become agitated, frustrated, upset, and embarrassed. This disease has made it so that your parent is unable to think logically, which means that attempting to use logic with them to modify their behavior is useless. Instead, try to distract them so that they can get their mind onto a different train of thought.
• Go with it. Most of the time repetitious behavior is not dangerous. If your parent does not have any unmet needs and is repeating themselves, try to go along with it. Listen to the story and respond to it as if it is the first time that you have heard it. Answer the question fully and enthusiastically. Look at the repetition as another step in the disease and move forward from it. Starting home care for your aging parent as they progress through Alzheimer’s disease can be one of the most beneficial decisions that you can make for them as their family caregiver. An in-home senior care services provider can be with your aging loved one on a customized schedule tailored not just to your parent’s needs and challenges, but also their goals and the level of care that you are able to give them yourself. This means that you are kept at the forefront of their care, but they receive all of the care, support, encouragement, and assistance that they need on a regular basis to stay healthy, happy, comfortable, and as independent as possible as they progress through the disease. When it comes to issues such as repetition, this care provider can be extremely beneficial both for your aging parent and for you. They can work toward understanding the reason behind the repetition and resolve that issue, or simply provide companionship that can help your parent feel acknowledged and less lonely. This allows your parent to enjoy interaction and conversation, even if they do repeat themselves. Source http://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-repetition.asp
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Palm Beach County, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.