Do’s and Don’ts with Alzheimer’s

When I made the decision to leave my nursing home career to assist family of taking care of my grandma that had Alzheimer’s, I gained a new perspective of Alzheimer’s. I received firsthand experience of what it takes to care for someone with dementia. Grandma was residing in an independent living community, and for her to be suitable to stay my family used me to provide caregiving/companionship. I know many families can relate to my experience of caring for a loved one with dementia, either directly or indirectly. Dementia progresses in phases that encompass a loss of ability in specific areas. With Alzheimer’s the person is affected by losing their reasoning ability, as well as their speech and words they choose, their behavior, and their short-term memory. Daily tasks such as driving, shopping, laundry, dishes, cooking, bathing, dressing, and eating become very challenging to nearly impossible to accomplish on their own.

I have learned from caring for my grandma and clients that there are guidelines that should be kept in mind for anyone interacting or caring for someone with dementia.

Here is a brief list of the do’s and don’ts when interacting/caring for someone with dementia:

  1. Be very cognizant of your non-verbals and your tone of voice. Even though they may not be able to comprehend at times what you’re saying, they are still intuitive when it comes to a person’s variation in tone, frustrated/angry/anxious/impatient facial expressions and behavior. Our non-verbals and tone of voice can exacerbate the person’s behavior.
  2. Ask one question at a time and keep the questions simple to understand. Allow time for them to think and process what you asked/said, and patiently wait for them to respond. Questions that only need a Yes and No response are best. 
  3. With Alzheimer’s the person begins to have narrow vision. It’s best to always approach and ask questions standing directly in front of them versus behind or the side of them.
  4. If the person is anxious or agitated, be mindful of their environment and needs, such as noise level, sundowners, feeling unsafe, hunger or pain.
  5. Don’t push them to do things, but nicely encourage. If they don’t want to do what you’re directing them to do, give them some space, and then try again. Short breaks are beneficial for the caregiver and the person.