How To Care For Our Loved One With Late-Stage Dementia

Dementia is a severe problem that makes life difficult for our loved ones. Dementia is a life-limiting condition with aggressive speech—, confusion, and progressive cognitive decline. As a result of all these, our loved ones become frustrated. We are making their behavior very difficult to handle. What to expect from our loved one with Late-stage dementia.

Four significant symptoms of dementia

Decreased mobility and increased frailty.
Seniors with late-stage dementia experience a gradual decrease in mobility. They prefer to sit rather than get up and do their daily tasks. Due to other secondary illnesses and diseases, seniors become weak.

Absolute dependence on others.
Our loved ones find it very difficult to carry out the daily task. They depend on others for everyday tasks such as eating, bathing, and dressing.

Severe loss of memory.
Poor cognitive functioning is the central feature of late-stage dementia. It is causing severe loss of memory.

Communication problems.
With cognitive decline being the central issue. Communication problems are bound to sneak in.

Challenges for the caregiver

The diagnosis of dementia can be disheartening and very difficult for the entire family. Caring for our loved ones with dementia can be difficult during the advanced stages. Taking care of seniors with late-stage dementia can be challenging for caregivers.

Tips for caregivers

Gather as much knowledge as possible.
This will help the caregivers to care for their loved ones in a better manner. And also allows them to be better prepared for their behavior and feelings.

Understand your loved one.
It is necessary to understand your loved one and their behaviors. Their behaviors will be absurd and not ordinary, which may make you feel hopeless and angry. However, the critical point here is to keep patience and understand your loved one’s needs and behavior.

Allow your loved one to do their tasks as much as possible.
This will help your patients regain their self-esteem and gain confidence. Do not help them with everything. Offer support only where necessary.

Don’t stop any unusual behavior.
Allow your patients to do whatever they wish to. However, make sure that they do not hurt themselves in the process. Do not always intervene whenever they behave unusually. Resist your urge; don’t intervene every time. Stay calm, watch them do their tasks, and offer help whenever necessary.

Dementia is a progressive disease, and the body gets most affected during the late stages.
Touch your loved one’s hands, maintain eye contact, and stay physically close to them. Such a gesture will ensure security and help your loved one remain calm.

Plan activities that will interest your loved one.
Plan outdoor activities, and take them for a walk in a garden or a nearby park. Ensure your loved one is comfortable doing the exercises and enjoying your company. Try and engage yourself in all the activities your loved one participates in.

Handling the needs of daily living

As the disease progresses, your loved one will find it extremely difficult to carry out their daily tasks. Therefore, in addition to handling the changing behavior of your loved one. Caregivers also need to take care of the several other needs of their loved ones.

There are various tips for daily living, personal hygiene, and body care. Often, your loved one forgets to take care of their body. And are pretty forgetful about their hygiene. It, therefore, becomes the prime responsibility of the caregivers. To take good care of the personal hygiene of their loved ones.

Tips for bathing

• Set up a good bathing routine. Follow the same pattern every day.
• Avoid introducing any change in the bathing and dressing routine.
• After bathing, gently massage with a good moisturizer. To keep skin healthy and moisturized.
• The dressing is an essential step after the massage. Keep the dresses in the correct order, and show the way they are to wear them.

Incontinence

Using the bathroom can be a challenge. Your loved one in the advanced stage of dementia often suffers from incontinence. However, the problem is not always incontinence. But your loved one often tends to forget the way to their toilet. It is a stressful problem; caregivers must handle it with special care.

Tips for incontinence

• Make visiting the toilet a part of their daily routine. Set up specific times to go daily.
• Mark the toilet with a symbol; the toilet passage should be well-lit.
• Help your seniors with cleaning if they cannot do it alone.

Meal time

In many cases, your loved one with dementia often eats a lot more. In other cases, your loved one tends to eat much less. They don’t enjoy eating or have entirely forgotten how to use utensils. Depending on the situation, your loved one will either tend to gain or lose weight. Here are some tips to help your seniors eat well during their meal time.

Tips for mealtime

• Do not try to introduce new food items. Offer them well-known foods.
• Ensure the dentures fit well and are not too tight or loose.
• Artificial sweetening the foods will make it more tempting for your loved one.
• Provide foods that are easy to chew. Avoid complex and spicy foods.
• Ensure that the fluid intake of your loved one is adequate. Too little or excess fluids can be harmful.

Fall prevention

As dementia progresses, your loved one usually loses control over their body movements. This makes them easily susceptible to falls. It makes them strong candidates for fractures and surgery. Some tips can help caregivers make their loved one’s home “fall-proof.”

Tips to prevent falls

• Ensure there are no cable wires loose on the floor.
• Secure all rugs in the passageways.
• Install handrails wherever possible to prevent falls.
• Stairs, ramps, and doorsteps should be appropriately marked.

Conclusion for dementia

These danger zones should be well-lit to prevent your seniors from falling. All the tips above should help caregivers better care for their loved ones with late-stage dementia. While dementia can be disturbing, caregivers can still make their seniors feel relaxed. And help them lead an everyday and comfortable life. For more information, check out this site for dementia.