Skip to main content

5 Ways to Prioritize Mental Health in Dementia Care

Experiencing difficult emotions frequently? Think you might need extra support on some days? Feel like you are not able to take control of your situations? There is nothing wrong with having such thoughts. We don’t have to go through hard times alone.

Older adults are more vulnerable to certain stressors such as grief of losing someone, illness, disabilities, and lack of novel experiences amongst others. Such stressors can lead to a number of psychological concerns such as feelings of isolation, helplessness, dullness, irritation, etc.


While aging is inevitable and imperative to our growth, certain brain conditions such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can blow these symptoms out of proportion and cause drastic changes in our lives. Caregivers of Dementia affected people can also experience significant distress which can cause difficulty in providing the necessary social support.


In such a scenario, physical healthcare is not enough. A changing brain needs a changing environment that tailors to its needs. Some extra care is required to help persons with Dementia and their caregivers cope with the evolving circumstances. This additional support can be sought through mental healthcare activities that provide the individual with the necessary resources to revive their resilience. Older adults who are not going through dementia must also practice strategies to work on their mental health. Let’s discuss how:


5 ways to prioritize mental health in dementia care:


Seek support: Reaching out to our caregivers and sharing our diagnosis can be a difficult experience. The right company can not only support you but also prove to be beneficial and reinforce healing. Caregivers can also join support groups and access mental health resources such as talk therapy to process their feelings.


Revive the brain: Mental exercises like puzzles can keep the brain active and prevent further decline.
Consulting a doctor during that time can be helpful to find out which exercises are more important than others.

Engaging in a routine: Maintaining a sense of routine by following up on daily activities as well as indulging in
hobbies can make the person feel empowered. One must tailor their expectations related to task completion and be realistic in their approach. It is okay to not have definite goals
and look at activities from a multidirectional lens.

Avoiding Overstimulation: Creating a safe environment that accommodates the behaviors of the person with
dementia must be the utmost priority. One can avoid surrounding noise or uncomfortable spaces to make sure that the person feels cared for.


Taking care of physical health: The benefits of mental healthcare have to be supplemented by properly looking after our physical health. This includes taking the prescribed medicines on time, regularly checking in with the doctor, scheduling memory screenings, getting appropriate amounts of rest, and carrying out many such precautionary tasks.

While dementia can feel like a life-altering experience, one can focus on cultivating a positive
mindset towards the circumstances and stay resilient. It is possible to lead a meaningful life with
dementia and at Samvedna Senior Care, we want to support you the best we can in that process.
You can access free resources on our website and reach out to our professionals anytime.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.

The post 5 Ways to Prioritize Mental Health in Dementia Care appeared first on Samvedna Senior Care.



from Samvedna Senior Care https://ift.tt/3nHn7Sp
via IFTTT

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dads and Pops: Your Good Health Matters to Us 

Did you know  June is  Men’s Health Month  and Father’s Day anchors Men’s Health Week ?   Celebrate dad on Father’s Day and thank him for all he  has  done, but  also  make sure to seize an opportunity sometime this month to have a conversation with him about his health. This awareness campaign has the critical purpose of informing men   that avoiding preventive healthcare puts them at real and serious risk of  contracting a disease or  acquiring  a chronic condition.   Studies consistently  show the numbers go against men , particularly as they advance into their senior years.   Even with dramatic advances in diagnosis and treatment over the past 100 years, men’s life expectancy still lags significantly behind women. According to  Harvard Health ,  the gap is widening. In 1900, the life expectancy for women was 48.3 years vs. 46.3 for men. In 2017, it was 81.1 years for women vs. 76.1 for men. Harvard...

Memorize These Six Signs of a Scam

An 88-year-old woman is one of the latest victims of the sweepstakes scam. She lost $160,000 in order to get the millions the scammer claimed she’d won through the Publishers Clearing House. She’s not alone. This scam has been around for years and has affected tens of thousands. Be aware of the six signs of a scam to avoid losing money. The Caller Insists You Not Tell Anyone In a scam, the caller will insist that you cannot tell anyone. This is more likely to happen with the grandparent scam. The caller will say that the grandchild’s parents cannot know. Secrecy is important to the “grandchild.” If your parents are told not to tell anyone, it’s very likely a scam. Your parents should immediately report the scam to local authorities or the FTC at 1-877-382-4357. The Contact Arrives Out of the Blue A scam is going to start with a random call, email, or unsolicited mailer. Your parents didn’t enter a contest. It could be a scammer posing as a police officer, IRS representative, or ...

How to prepare for eldercare medical emergencies

Older adults are fragile and that is often accompanied by a decline in mobility. This makes them more vulnerable to medical emergencies such as a fall or sudden illness. As these health crises are unexpected and the elderly cannot always take prompt action, you need to be prepared. This will result in saving a lot of crucial moments and getting on-time care for the older adult. We have curated pointers that will give you an insight on how to carefully prepare for the eldercare emergencies and ensure the wellbeing of your elderly.   Doctor on Call  As you begin preparing for the eldercare emergencies, you must assemble a list of doctors and home nursing services that will be available 24×7 to provide emergency facilities. The list will come handy and will result in taking quick action. Samvedna Senior Care offers doctor visits at home for senior citizens in times of emergency. The team of skilled doctors is available round the clock to provide special assistance. The...