Dementia causes seniors to experience limited social skills, personality changes, irritability, and lack of restraint, among other symptoms. Family caregivers need to develop methods to soothe their aging loved ones and minimize difficult behaviors. Here are some tips you can use when calming a senior loved one with dementia.
Communicate Effectively
When your loved one becomes agitated, calm the situation by getting to the root of the problem. Ask your loved one what is wrong, but avoid being argumentative, condescending, or disrespectful. Take your time and speak clearly. When you use effective and positive communication methods, you can ease the atmosphere and make your parent feel comfortable. Refrain from casting doubt on your loved one at any time, even if he or she has misplaced an item or misspoken. Expressing feelings of doubt could upset your loved one and make him or her react with anger and other negative emotions.Many family caregivers find it difficult to manage angry outbursts and other dementia-related symptoms. Caring for a senior loved one can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Des Moines Home CareAssistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care.
Suggest Meditation and Breathing Exercises
Physical activity can slow down some of the symptoms associated with dementia, including anxiety and depression. Giving your loved one the opportunity to exercise could instantly enhance his or her mood. Make sure to simplify the physical activities to prevent your loved one from getting upset all over again. Breathing exercises like yoga are ideal for these situations. Practicing yoga increases protective tissues in the brain that could help your loved one calm down. Yoga and other meditation exercises can also reduce stress hormones in seniors with dementia.
Provide Comfort
Share a smile or use a warm tone when speaking with your loved one. Positive impressions can calm seniors with dementia and stave off difficult behaviors. When seniors are comfortable, triggers that cause aggression and agitation can be minimized. A gentle touch could also make your loved one feel comfortable and reassured. Comfort can reduce agitation and lower the risk of behavioral problems.Several symptoms of dementia can make it difficult to remain happy and comfortable in the golden years. Many older adults are choosing to age in place, and some need a helping hand to continue living at home safely and comfortably. Luckily, there is professional senior home care Des Moinesseniors can trust and rely on.
Maintain a Stress-Free Home
Too much stress can overwhelm seniors with dementia and prevent their bodies from functioning normally, which is why maintaining a stress-free home is important. Providing a soothing environment can minimize irrational behaviors and boost your parent’s quality of life. Designate a quiet area in the home where your loved one can relax and regroup after having an agitation episode. Environmental triggers could also cause your loved one to become upset and irate, which is why you need to remove those triggers. For example, reduce background noise and distractions so your loved one can focus on one thing at a time and avoid negative outbursts.Dementia can be challenging for seniors to manage, but they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional dementia care. Des Moines seniors can benefit greatly from the Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program designed to promote cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. CTM is included at no additional charge with any of the in-home care plans provided by Home Care Assistance. Contact us today at (515) 264-2438 to create a tailored care plan for your loved one.
