Dementia Support
People with dementia experience a number of different challenges in their day-to-day life, and it’s important to recognise ways to support our loved ones and make their lives a little easier.
Here are some tips to help you with supporting someone with dementia:
- Limit news intake: For people living with dementia, having a constant stream of images on the news may cause additional worry and feel overwhelming. So, when these huge news events happen, the news cycle tends to be overtaken with distressing images and speculation about what might happen next, which makes it difficult to switch off from what is happening. Turn off the news for a while, try playing some music they like or a put on a light-hearted film.
- Supporting someone experiencing time-shifting: Time-shifting is when a person’s experience is that they are living at a different time in their life. This may cause them to become disorientated and confused about time and place. Listen carefully to what the person is saying to understand their reality. Acknowledge their concerns and try to reassure them that you will help.
- Dehydration in hot weather: For older people dehydration is a common problem, and especially those with dementia. Memory problems mean someone with dementia can easily forget to drink enough water. Therefore, it is important to offer a variety of refreshments throughout the day and make sure they are in a suitable cup, glass or bottle within easy reach. Perhaps, place a few