Key Takeaways
- Embrace your new role as a caregiver with patience and empathy, while respecting your own health needs.
- Adjust your communication by using simple sentences and avoiding memory-testing questions.
- Engage your parent in familiar activities like puzzles, games, or music to foster connection.
- Explore professional care options, such as memory care and respite care, as needs evolve.
A parent’s dementia diagnosis can bring a wave of new questions and responsibilities, and it’s natural to wonder what to do next.
As your relationship dynamics shift, you may find yourself stepping into a new role as a caregiver and advocate, making it important to recognize the signs of caregiver burnout.
Navigating this journey is about providing support, understanding, and adapting to new ways of connecting. With patience, support, and a thoughtful approach, you can create a positive environment that honors your parent and helps them feel secure.
Understanding the Changes and Your New Role
When a parent is living with dementia, your relationship with them begins to change. It’s helpful to focus on providing support and understanding as you navigate this new path together. As you plan, learning about options like dedicated memory care can feel empowering.
Creating a positive and stable environment can make a significant difference in their daily experience. It’s also important to consider your own support. Services like respite care can help family caregivers who need a break or an extra, short-term source of support.
Focus on Patience and Empathy
Try to see the world from your loved one’s perspective. Responding with kindness and reassurance, rather than correction, can help manage challenging situations. Your calm presence can be a significant source of comfort.
Establish Simple Routines
A predictable daily schedule often helps a person living with dementia feel more secure. Aim to have meals, activities, and rest at roughly the same times each day. A reliable structure can reduce anxiety and confusion.
Prioritize Safety in the Home
Take a look around the home to identify and address potential safety issues. Consider securing rugs to prevent trips, removing obstacles from narrow walkways, or improving hallway lighting. You may also want to lock away certain medications, household chemicals, or sharp objects.
Helpful Communication Strategies
The way you communicate can have a big impact on your parent’s mood and cooperation. Learning a few helpful communication strategies can lead to more positive interactions and reduce frustration for both of you.
Things to Try in Conversation
- Use simple, direct sentences and speak in a calm, gentle tone
- Make eye contact and call them by name to get their attention before speaking
- Listen actively to what they are trying to express, even if the words are jumbled
- Limit distractions like a loud television or radio when you are talking
- Offer simple, 1 or 2-choice questions instead of open-ended ones
What Should You Not Say to a Parent with Dementia?
- Avoid arguing or correcting them if they say something incorrect
- Instead, gently redirect the conversation to a more positive topic
- Try not to ask “Do you remember?” questions
- This can cause stress, confusion, fear, and frustration
- Refrain from quizzing them to test their memory
- Forcing recollection can feel like a test they can’t pass
- Steer clear of complex questions with too many options
- Simplify questions and ask one at a time to avoid overwhelming
Engaging Activities for Connection and Brain Health
Shared activities are a wonderful way to connect with your parent and spend quality time together. Engagement through simple games and hobbies—including participating in the arts—can provide gentle mental stimulation and improve the well-being of older adults.
The goal is enjoyment, not performance.
Word and Number Puzzles
Large-print crossword puzzles or simple number games can be engaging activities. You can work on them together, making it a collaborative and low-pressure effort. Focus on the fun of doing it side-by-side.
Card and Board Games
Familiar games are often a source of comfort and happy feelings. Your loved one can enjoy simple card games, matching pairs, or a familiar board game. You can always adapt rules to fit their current abilities or energy levels.
Creative and Musical Outlets
Listening to their favorite music can be a powerful and positive experience. Looking through photo albums or working on a simple craft can also be calming and pleasant ways to spend time. Even simple activities like reading together can help spark conversation and connection.
Exploring Senior Living and Care Options
As your parent’s needs evolve, it’s practical to learn about different types of support. Understanding the options ahead of time allows you to make thoughtful, proactive decisions.
What Is the Best Living Situation for Someone with Dementia?
The right living situation depends entirely on your loved one’s individual needs. Some families find ways to provide care at home for a time. Others find that a professional care setting is the right choice for their loved one’s well-being.
Senior living communities can offer more than compassionate, experienced caregivers. It’s also a place where your loved one can enjoy companionship and engagement at their own pace, whenever they feel encouraged to participate.
Understanding Memory Care
Many senior living communities offer specialized programs, like memory care, with programming and caregiving designed for those experiencing cognitive changes. The structured, supportive environment features tailored activities and secure settings to promote well-being.
The Role of Respite Care
Respite care offers short-term stays in a senior living community.
The experience can be a valuable option for family caregivers who need to travel, complete essential tasks, or simply need a break to recharge. It also gives your parent a chance to experience a new, supportive social environment.
Moving Forward with Support and Care
Supporting a parent with dementia is a journey with many stages. Remember to take care of your own well-being, build a support system, and learn to manage caregiver stress. By focusing on connection, communication, and planning, you can navigate the path ahead with peace of mind.
At Inspired Living at Hidden Lakes, we offer a nurturing environment with specialized programs to support your loved one. Our approach to wellness blends compassionate care with vibrant activities. We’re here to help you explore the next steps for your family.
If you’re considering your options, we invite you to connect with our team. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a tour of our community.
