Dementia Care
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is a progressive disabling disease that causes the person “we know” to virtually disappear before our eyes. Love and kindness are the keys to managing the dementia Client. The experienced Caregiver understands this complicated disease process and copes with Client behavior by separating the Client from the disease.
- The right Caregiver understands that it is the disease that is causing the new behavior and not the Client.
- The right Caregiver manages the Client by always remaining objective and calmly communicating with patience, understanding, love, and kindness.
- The right Caregiver must avoid attempts at bringing the Client into reality by denying the Client’s delusions, or raising the voice and arguing with the Client. This only frustrates and confuses the Client, making the situation worse; the Client has a new reality and this must be respected.
- The right Caregiver copes by allowing the Client to freely “go in the cognitive direction he or she is headed” and may undertake subtle attempts at distraction or talking about something else.
The only way into the dementia Client’s heart and mind is through love and kindness.
At Gauthier Family Home Care, we understand this perverse disease. We have experienced Caregivers working with dementia Clients. Not only do we incorporate the latest in dementia care training for our Caregivers, we take pride in our efforts to educate the family members in the various subtleties of dealing with dementia (with respect to communication, behavior, personal care, activities) and ensuring we are applying “disease stage appropriate” techniques.