Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at home is a difficult task and can become overwhelming at times. Basic activities of daily living – eating, talking, sleeping, finding things to do – are often hard to manage for both the person with Alzheimer’s and the caregiver. Here are some tips that may help you cope.
Daily Activities: What to do all day?
What to do all day? Finding activities that the person with AD can do and is interested in can be a challenge. Building on current skills generally works better than trying to teach something new.
- Don’t expect too much. Simple activities often are best, especially when they use current abilities.
- Help the person get started on an activity. Break the activity down into small steps and praise the person for each step he or she completes.
- Watch for signs of agitation or frustration with an activity. Gently help or distract the person to something else.
- Incorporate activities the person seems to enjoy into your daily routine and try to do them at a similar time each day.
- Try to include the person with AD in the entire activity process. For instance, at mealtimes, encourage the person to help prepare the food, set the table, pull out the chairs, or put away the dishes. This can help maintain functional skills, enhance feelings of personal control, and make good use of time.
- Take advantage of adult day services, which provide various activities for the person with AD, as well as an opportunity for caregivers to gain temporary relief from tasks associated with caregiving. Transportation and meals often are provided
Communication: Special Considerations
Trying to communicate with a person who has AD can be a challenge. Both understanding and being understood may be difficult.
- Choose simple words and short sentences and use a gentle, calm tone of voice.
- Avoid talking to the person with AD like a baby or talking about the person as if he or she weren’t there.
- Minimize distractions and noise—such as the television or radio—to help the person focus on what you are saying.
- Call the person by name, making sure you have his or her attention before speaking.
- Allow enough time for a response. Be careful not to interrupt.
- If the person with AD is struggling to find a word or communicate a thought, gently try to provide the word he or she is looking for.
- Try to frame questions and instructions in a positive way.
Mealtimes and Nutrition
Eating can be a challenge. Some people with AD want to eat all the time, while others have to be encouraged to maintain a good diet.
- View mealtimes as opportunities for social interaction and success for the person with AD. Try to be patient and avoid rushing, and be sensitive to confusion and anxiety.
- Aim for a quiet, calm, reassuring mealtime atmosphere by limiting noise and other distractions.
- Maintain familiar mealtime routines, but adapt to the person’s changing needs.
- Give the person food choices, but limit the number of choices. Try to offer appealing foods that have familiar flavors, varied textures, and different colors.
- Serve small portions or several small meals throughout the day. Make healthy snacks, finger foods, and shakes available. In the earlier stages of dementia, be aware of the possibility of overeating.
- Choose dishes and eating tools that promote independence. If the person has trouble using utensils, use a bowl instead of a plate, or offer utensils with large or built-up handles. Use straws or cups with lids to make drinking easier.
- Encourage the person to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration.
- As the disease progresses, be aware of the increased risk of choking because of chewing and swallowing problems.
- Maintain routine dental checkups and daily oral health care to keep the mouth and teeth healthy.
Sleep Time Ideas
For the exhausted caregiver, sleep can’t come too soon. For many people with AD, however, the approach of nighttime may be a difficult time. Many people with AD become restless, agitated, and irritable around dinnertime, often referred to as “sundowning” syndrome. Getting the person to go to bed and stay there may require some advance planning.
- Encourage exercise during the day and limit daytime napping, but make sure that the person gets adequate rest during the day because fatigue can increase the likelihood of late afternoon restlessness.
- Try to schedule more physically demanding activities earlier in the day. For example, bathing could be earlier in the morning, or large family meals could be at midday.
- Set a quiet, peaceful tone in the evening to encourage sleep. Keep the lights dim, eliminate loud noises, even play soothing music if the person seems to enjoy it.
- Try to keep bedtime at a similar time each evening. Developing a bedtime routine may help.
- Restrict access to caffeine late in the day.
- Use night-lights in the bedroom, hall, and bathroom if the darkness is frightening or disorienting.
Remember, each person with AD is unique and will respond differently, and each person changes over the course of the disease. Do the best you can, remind yourself to take breaks and look for help when you need it. Right At Home High Point is here to help you.
Contact Us at:
Phone 1: 336-760-7131
Phone 2: 877-760-7131
Fax: 336-760-3046
Email Us
For more information about Alzheimer’s caregiving skills, visit the National Institute on Aging’s Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center Website
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