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Effective Measures to Facilitate Communication with Alzheimer’s Patients

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Alzheimer’s disease brings many challenges for patients and their loved ones. Loss of independence, memory loss, and physiological changes can all be sources of great stress. Among the challenges faced by people living with Alzheimer’s disease, communication difficulties can be among the most frustrating to navigate. When your formerly articulate loved one suddenly has trouble expressing and understanding even the simplest information, it can be hard to know how to proceed. However, there are things that you can do to facilitate communication and make your life, and the life of your loved one, easier.

People with Alzheimer’s often forget familiar words and phrases. They may struggle to express themselves and have difficulty completing sentences. They may also have trouble understanding what is being said to them. This is often extremely frustrating and confusing for Alzheimer’s patients, as they try to communicate their thoughts and feelings in the face of deteriorating language capacities. As verbal abilities decline, people with Alzheimer’s may repeat themselves, yell, babble, or use foul language. It’s important to remain calm in the face of disturbing behaviors, and recognize that communication difficulties are just as frustrating for your loved one as they are for you.

Although it presents many challenges, there are things you can do to make communicating with your loved one easier. When you approach your loved one, make sure to stay engaged and present: maintain eye contact, focus on their face, and avoid multitasking. Keep your hands away from your face to reduce visual distractions and allow them to read your facial expression, and eliminate other distractions in the environment such as background music and the television. It’s important to remember that even though their ability to understand spoken language may have declined dramatically, people with Alzheimer’s can still understand your body language, facial expression, and tone of voice. Stay upbeat, positive and calm. Try to use body language that conveys attention and respect. Avoid infantilizing or talking down to your loved one. If they don’t understand something that you’re saying, try rephrasing it, rather than simply repeating yourself. Keep information simple and use a clear, even tone of voice. By staying calm and keeping your own frustration in check, you’ll be encouraging your loved one to feel safe and secure, and will be helping them to communicate to the best of their ability.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care of Alzheimer’s disease. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Alzheimer Home Care New York

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Best Practices to Help Alzheimer’s Patients Communicate

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As a caregiver, it is important to understand the communication challenges of those afflicted with Alzheimer’s. Communication skills and short term memory are the first to be affected by the disease. Your loved one may began using the same words or phrases repeatedly even when they do not apply to the conversation. They may also invent new words to represent objects they recognize but are no longer able to recollect the correct term. If the person is multilingual, he or she can revert back to their native language. Forgetting names, losing train of thought, and difficulty expressing ideas in a logical order, and a decline in speaking are all common changes.

Despite these various obstacles, there are many ways you can continue to communicate with someone who has Alzheimer’s and prevent further deterioration of communication skills. Being patient and supportive shows your loved one that you care about their needs. Offering comfort and reassurance encourages them to continue speaking even when they are having trouble expressing themselves. You can also offer a guess if they start to get frustrated by the communication barrier. Avoid negativity such as criticism, corrections, and arguments. Instead, focus on listening to decipher meaning. Understand that actions and emotions speak louder than words. The way they are expressing themselves will give you more insight on how they are feeling than the actual words they are saying.

Love and attention are the best medicines for someone with Alzheimer’s. Regardless of their level of communication, take the time to engage in conversation with them regularly. Speak slowly, repeat information when needed, and maintain eye contact. They will be more likely to remember words if they hear them often.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care of Alzheimer’s disease. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Alzheimer Home Care New York

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Utilizing Appropriate Communication Skills with Alzheimer’s Patients

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Most of us take the ability to communicate for granted: it’s a natural part of everyday life that goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. For those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, difficulties communicating are among the most challenging aspects of the disease. Alzheimer’s can have a major impact on a person’s ability to express themselves and interact with others. Losing key verbal communication skills can lead to an overwhelming sense of frustration and isolation. Care providers must work hard to understand the needs and feelings of their loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Although someone may no longer have the ability to speak or process verbal information, their body language, actions, and facial expressions remain meaningful. For example, someone in pain may wince or gesture toward the area that hurts. Pay keen attention and listen for non-verbal vocalizations in order to understand what they are trying to say. It is equally important to be mindful of your own speech. Use simple, short words and phrases when giving instructions and requests. Explain things one step at a time and go as slow as needed. Reduce distractions by turning off the TV or radio, keeping your hands away from your face while speaking, and focusing your entire attention on your loved one. If they are still unable to understand, try rephrasing what you are saying instead of simply repeating the same statement.

As a care provider, it’s essential to remain flexible to the ways in which you can facilitate conversation as your family member’s communication skills decline. One can quickly become disgruntled when conversing with someone who has difficulty with speaking and comprehending. However, it’s essential to remain calm and patient for the entire interaction. Avoid anger, reprimanding, arguing, and disagreeing. These actions can agitate someone with Alzheimer’s and make it even more difficulty for them to communicate. If you need your loved one to do something differently, avoid telling them “no!” or “stop!” – instead use a positive phrase such as “let’s do this.” Here are a few more gestures to follow when communicating: calm and soothing voice tone, affectionate disposition, friendly facial expression, eye contact, and relaxed posture. Conveying kindness and acceptance will make someone with Alzheimer’s feel more comfortable and encourage them to communicate.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care of Alzheimer’s disease. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Alzheimer Home Care New York

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Not Letting Late-Stage Behavioral Changes Affect Your Own Life..

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Among all the changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease, behavioral changes can be among the most difficult to cope with. Whereas living arrangements and activities of daily living can be adjusted in concrete, easy-to-define ways, managing challenging behaviors requires a high degree of patience and flexibility. When someone you love experiences major personality changes, it can be very hard to know how to help them, especially when you are dealing with your own feelings of confusion, frustration, and powerlessness. However, it’s essential to remember that there are things you can do to mitigate your loved ones’ behavioral problems, improve their quality of life, and increase your own peace of mind.

Most people are prepared to deal with the forgetfulness and memory loss that accompany Alzheimer’s. However, other behavioral symptoms can be more unexpected, and more distressing. Repetitive behaviors, physical and verbal aggression, incoherent vocalization, and wandering are some common behaviors that diminish quality of life and lead to frustration on the part of caregivers. When these behaviors are improperly managed – by ignoring them, or by responding with anger or resentment – they often become worse, leading to caregiver burnout. In these instances, patients are often placed in full-time residential care before they would otherwise need to be. Understanding the source of these behaviors and learning how to manage them appropriately can make all the difference.

Above all, it’s important to remember that behaviors are a way of communicating in the absence of the cognitive functions that enable clear verbal communication. Someone who used to be calm and easygoing may become verbally abusive or physically aggressive. Instead of taking it personally, look for the source of the behavior: is your loved one bored, over-stimulated, uncomfortable, hungry, thirsty, or in pain? Are they tired or depressed? All of these factors can contribute to behavioral issues. Take note of when your loved one acts out: often, it can be correlated with specific events or environmental stressors. For example, if they often become agitated at the end of the day, their behavior could be caused by fatigue. Mirrors, shadowy lighting, or a cluttered environment can cause confusion and distress. Strangers in the home or crowded social events are also common source of stress.

For a caregiver, the best way to approach behavioral issues is to remember not to take them personally. They are a natural part of the progression Alzheimer’s disease, and, as such, cannot be eliminated. They can, however, be managed: when you remain calm, flexible, and empathetic, it will help your loved one and you as a caregiver. Retaining a sense of humor and cultivating patience can go a long way toward reducing your own feelings of stress and frustration. Instead of trying to “fix” your loved one, or arrest the process of cognitive deterioration, focus on providing them with a comfortable, soothing environment, as well as compassion, appropriate social interaction, and lots of love.

To receive advice and help about increased aggression and other behavioral difficulties, feel free to contact us. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Home Health Care New Yrok

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More Advice on Aggression and Other Behavioral Difficulties

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Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s is an incredible challenge. In addition to taking on responsibility for their activities of daily living – dressing, bathing, mealtimes, toileting, and so on – caregivers must contend with the added difficulty of the behavioral changes that often accompany Alzheimer’s. It can be extremely upsetting when someone you love exhibits aggression, confusion, disturbed sleep, or other behavioral issues. Knowing how to respond when these issues do arise – and what you can do to prevent or mitigate them – can help you to manage your own stress level, as well as improve your loved one’s quality of life.

A common behavioral change that occurs in Alzheimer’s patients is increased aggression. Even someone who was previously calm and easy-going can become aggressive or agitated as a result of dementia. Episodes of aggression can come seemingly out of nowhere, with the patient lashing out verbally or physically. However, if your loved one exhibits aggression, it could be because of pain or physical discomfort, hunger, thirst, or disturbances in the environment. Make sure that they have all of their physical needs met and that the environment is soothing, without loud noises, bright lights, lots of activity or unfamiliar people. Also, pay attention to your own tone of voice and body language. Even though people with Alzheimer’s may lose the ability to understand spoken language, they remain highly attuned to non-verbal cues: if you are feeling stressed or irritated, your loved one may become agitated in turn. To help avoid confusion and anger, use simple, easy-to-follow instructions, keep a routine, and make sure that your facial expression and body language convey warmth and calm.

People with Alzheimer’s often experience difficulties sleeping and eating. In order to preserve these crucial functions – and allow yourself to rest and recharge – maintain a consistent routine around sleep and mealtimes. Use soft music, inviting colors, and favorite foods to make eating more appealing. Exercise can stimulate the appetite and encourage sleep. Limit their caffeine and sugar, as well as daytime napping, to help your loved one sleep through the night.
Among the changes that occur with Alzheimer’s, confusion, depression, and hallucinations are common, and can severely impact the patient’s quality of life. Medications can all contribute to these issues, and should be monitored regularly to insure proper dosage and prevent adverse drug interactions. Providing adequate exercise, companionship, and opportunities for meaningful activity, as well as insuring a soothing and calm environment, can all help to mitigate these issues.

If your loved one exhibits wandering behavior, it’s important to make sure that they are safe. Wandering around the house might not be a problem, as long as the patient is kept away from stairwells and other hazards. Make sure to keep doors locked to prevent wandering outdoors. It can be helpful to hide shoes, keys, purses, or other items that the patient habitually brings with them on outings. Appropriate supervised exercise can help to prevent restlessness, and providing distractions, such as music, reading aloud, or looking at pictures, can help to reduce the impulse to wander. In the event that your loved one does go outside, make sure that they wear an ID bracelet at all times, and notify neighbors to be on the lookout.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to provide home health care for you or any loved one. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Home Health Care New Yrok

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