Agitation is one of the more difficult effects of Alzheimer’s, and can be extremely challenging for family members to manage. The key is in taking steps to address agitation before it’s felt and expressed by the senior, which involves keeping track of what has triggered these feelings in the past, and creating a home environment where those triggers are removed or minimized. These tips can help when caring for seniors with dementia:
- Designate a place of retreat. When life starts to become overwhelming, having a specially created place for the senior to go to de-stress can work wonders in restoring calm. This can be a designated room, or simply a comfortable corner with several soothing activities readily available, quiet music, a calming scent to enjoy such as lavender or vanilla – whatever provides peace and relaxation for the senior.
- Assess the home for distressing items. Pay attention to what your loved one is sensitive to, such as particular decorations, mirrors (which can give the illusion of someone else watching), window coverings that may not sufficiently block out the darkening evening sky (prompting sundowning issues), etc.
- Minimize noise and other distractions. Soft carpeting is often more comforting for those with dementia than harder floor materials, which can reverberate or accentuate the sound of footsteps. Keep the TV or radio at a low volume, and set to a station that offers gentle music instead of alarming, graphic news programs. Close windows if outside noises seem to cause discomfort.
- Adjust lighting. Make sure that each room the senior may enter is well lit, with natural light whenever possible, or higher wattage lightbulbs, carefully adjusting to eliminate any unusual shapes or shadows created by the light.
- Keep commonly used items easily accessible. Whatever the senior tends to want to use or hold most often should be placed in a prominent location where he or she can find it easily. Placing labels with words or pictures of what the senior may want to find in cabinets or the refrigerator is also a great way to help circumvent frustration.
Let the expert Hinsdale dementia care team at Independence-4-Seniors Home Care help maintain the most calming and peaceful environment for a senior you love, and provide the skilled, creative, compassionate care that makes life the very best it can be. Just some of the many ways we can improve life for those with dementia include:
- Specially created activities based on a senior’s particular interests and abilities
- Companionship to help seniors stay socially engaged
- Evening respite care to allow family caregivers the chance for a restful night when a senior is challenged by sundowning
- And much more
Contact us online or at (630) 323-4665 to request a free in-home consultation and to learn more about our exceptional Hinsdale dementia care for seniors today!