Five Key Elements for Alzheimer’s Care

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, affecting nearly 5 million people in the U.S. People living with Alzheimer’s need special care geared around improving the quality of life. There can be different needs at different stages of dementia, so being able to assess changes in the abilities of a person with Alzheimer’s is important. In general, some of the most important considerations in providing high-quality Alzheimer’s include taking measures to ensure safety, providing stimulating activities, focusing on compassionate care, learning self-care for the caregiver, and knowing when to seek specialized memory care.

Safety

“Safety First” is not just an empty mantra. Disorientation, memory loss, and limited mobility or coordination can mean that people with Alzheimer’s need extra support to ensure their safety.  Some specific strategies to explore may include:

• how to manage wandering,
• identifying and minimizing hazards in the home, and
• Avoiding medication errors.

Learn how to develop a comprehensive safety plan for a loved one with Alzheimer’s.

Activity

In addition to managing behavior for safety and health, the treatment of Alzheimer’s focuses on slowing symptoms of dementia and helping people maintain mental function. Key to this staying active. Finding engaging activities for people with Alzheimer’s can not only enhance quality of life but can also help better manage risks of wandering and agitation.

Learn strategies on how to choose activities and how to get a person with Alzheimer’s engaged. Memory care at Mayberry gardens has a specialist dedicated to designing activity programs for residents’ unique needs.

Compassionate Care

Compassion is often described as a critical component in providing good overall healthcare, and recent medical studies have focused on the best way to provide compassionate care. A recent study on the understanding of compassion for people with dementia identified key areas that define compassionate care for people with dementia, including Alzheimer’s:

• connection—recognizing the situation of a person with dementia and demonstrating empathy;
• caring—showing kindness, support, and helpfulness; and
• respect—treating people with dementia with humanity, kindness, and patience.

Caregiver Support

When you fly on an airplane, you’re instructed to fit your own oxygen mask before helping others. The reason is simple—if you run out of oxygen, you won’t be in a position to help anyone else. Providing caregiver support for someone with Alzheimer’s can sometimes be difficult, but you have to remember that taking care of your own needs is not selfish—it’s an important part of caregiving. Fortunately, there are many resources for caregivers to find the support they need, including support groups, online forums, and more.

Specialized Memory Care

For many people, independent living with specialized memory care is the right way to go. Mayberry Gardens has two locations with memory care and Alzheimer’s certification, which means they’ve proven they have a specialized understanding of people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and have designed a care model based on proven best practices.

Contact us to learn more about Alzheimer’s Care at Mayberry Gardens.