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How to support a person living with dementia

This week is Dementia Action Week. Here at Prestige Inhome Care, we support the work of Dementia Australia and our clients and their families, by raising awareness of the needs of the people living with dementia.

Like previous campaigns, this year’s theme “Act Now for a Dementia-Friendly Future” focuses on reducing the stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with dementia.

To provide effective care for someone with dementia, it is important to focus on maintaining their dignity. These tips from Dementia Australia can also help you to learn how to support someone with dementia.

What is Dementia?

In order to care for someone living with dementia, you need to understand the illness. Dementia describes a collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain. It is not one specific disease. Dementia affects thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia accounting for between 60% and 80% of all dementia cases.

Create A Dementia Friendly Environment At Home

The first step in knowing how to support someone with dementia is to create a dementia-friendly environment in your home. By making just a few smart changes, you can make living at home easier for someone with dementia. Simple things like adding signage, larger switches and using a whiteboard or calendar can assist with creating a safe, accessible space.

Give people living with dementia a little space

If you know someone with dementia, you may be tempted to help them with every task. However, you should consider how you can give a person with dementia more space. This will help them stay as independent as possible and retain their self-worth.

Dementia Australia suggests giving people living with dementia their space in the following ways:

Talking: When talking to the person, make sure you listen and give them the time they need to have their say.

Planning: When organising an event or activity for the person you should involve them. Ask them directly what they would like to do and if they’d like to be involved in the planning process.

Problem solving: When the person is trying to solve a problem, give them the space and time to work it out on their own. Ask them if they need your help and how they’d like you to help them.

Not responding: If the person isn’t responding to you verbally, be patient and give them time. Try not to rush the person or speak for them.

Tasks: When the person is performing a task, give them plenty of time and try not to take over or micromanage them.

make daily life easier with technological aids

Supporting someone with dementia involves adapting to their changing needs and abilities. There are many technological aids and devices available that can make day to day life easier for people living with dementia.

Below are just a few ideas for easy-to-use technology that can improve the daily lives of people with dementia. (Please note: Dementia Australia and Prestige Inhome Care do not endorse the use of any specific products.)

Digital talking photo books: Digital photo books allow you to store a large number of photos and record voice captions that can be easily played back. These captions can be used to provide orientation and remind the person of who or what is in the photo.

Wireless key and item locators: These devices make it easy for the person to find missing keys or other items by “tagging” items with a colour-coded receiver that sounds an alarm when the corresponding coloured button is pressed on a remote.

Medication reminders: These devices make it easy for the person to find missing keys or other items by “tagging” items with a colour-coded receiver that sounds an alarm when the corresponding coloured button is pressed on a remote.

Flood detectors or plugs: These devices will sound an alarm if the person accidentally leaves a tap running.

Get the Right Support

People who suffer from dementia have unique and specific needs and their care and support services need to be individually tailored. 

At Prestige Inhome Care, we are committed to supporting our clients to live well at home, and remain as independent as possible.

We understand that no two clients with dementia are the same. We know that supporting someone with dementia requires a holistic approach that addresses their physical, emotional, and cognitive needs. That’s why we work with you and your family to assess the person living with dementia and develop an individualised plan of care that meets all their needs as well as those of the family.

Our care workers receive regular, specialised training in partnership with Dementia Australia to ensure we meet the specific needs of clients living with dementia.

Call 1300 10 30 10 to have your Dementia Care questions answered and to organise a free, no obligation in-home consultation.