Assisted Living Facilities: What to Avoid When Visiting Someone Who Has Dementia

Caring for a loved one with dementia can be difficult. This disease affects the brain, making it harder to perform everyday tasks. Usually, it affects older people, starting to develop after they turn 50. Sadly, there is currently no cure or way of preventing the onset of the disease. Dementia might cause symptoms like difficulty remembering events, changing the person’s behavior or personality. It can also make them believe that they are living in a different time or place. While these effects can make visiting a person with dementia more difficult, there are some things you can do to make your visits go smoother.

One of the biggest difficulties when dealing with someone with dementia is that they can sometimes get confused about reality. They might, for example, think they are living in a different time zone. To make the visit go smoother you should avoid correcting them and instead choose to pretend to live in that reality. In addition, they might forget who you are. That’s why you should introduce yourself before the conversation. To avoid making them feel bad, you shouldn’t make them feel like they should know who you are. Also, you should focus on your body language during the conversation. Make sure that you are both sitting comfortably during the conversation and avoid negative body language like crossing your arms, as this might make them uncomfortable. Finally, you should avoid making them feel like a child. Though they might have changed their personality, they are still grown adults. Not treating them with respect can cause them to become annoyed. Now that we know some things that you should avoid on your visits, let’s look at some of the best things you can do to make sure the visit is pleasant.

Planning your visits can be a great way of ensuring that everything goes smoothly. The first thing that you should try to include is some music. Studies have shown that music can stimulate the brain, so playing their favorite songs might be a great way to help you connect. In addition, you can try to gently steer the conversation. By sprinkling in gentle reminders of who you are throughout the conversation it will prevent them from getting distressed if they can’t remember important events. You can also bring in family photographs, which can be a great way to start a conversation. You should also give them plenty of hugs and hold their hands during the conversation. This will make them feel more comfortable. Finally, you should focus on their emotions. While they might not always be able to follow the conversation, or they might forget who you are, they will get comfort from knowing that you are there.  

Caring for someone with dementia can be very difficult. It can profound effects on their mental health, making them more likely to forget events and people. However, by visiting someone with dementia it will make them feel more comforted and loved. So, use these techniques to make your visits more effective.