7 Simple Ways To Help Someone With Dementia

Does one of your loved ones have dementia? If so, it must be really tough for you, and you might have trouble figuring out how to help them. Luckily, we're here to help! In this article, you'll find seven simple ways to help someone with dementia, ranging from setting a positive mood for interaction and getting their attention to stating your message clearly, asking simple questions, using memory aids, and helping them with eating and drinking.

Once you're done reading, you should have a general idea of how you can help your loved one make the most of their current situation.

1. Help With Eating, Drinking, and Moving Around

When someone has dementia, eating food can become more complicated than you might imagine. Someone with dementia may experience cognitive difficulties that make it hard to recognise food or notice that they're hungry, so it's up to others to help them make the most of their meals and snacks. Making sure they eat at the table can help them feel more comfortable, and using small plates can stop them feeling too full too quickly. It's worth preparing their favourite foods but serving them in small portions, and making sure their hands are clean before they eat.

Dementia often has a significant impact on mobility too. If your loved one needs to use a wheelchair, you may wish to buy a wheelchair carrier for the car and drive them to medical appointments, which is a lot more convenient than taking public transport. Alternatively, if you need a helping hand, you can contact an in-home respite care provider or hire a professional caregiver for a long-term contract. With their experience and training, they can provide high-quality care and help your loved one meet their hunger and thirst needs.

2. Setting a Positive Mood for Interaction

Setting a positive mood for interaction with someone who has dementia can be challenging. After all, there are times when they might react unexpectedly, and since they may not remember things from one day to the next, you might find them acting differently in various situations. However, setting the mood for engagement is something you can do to help them enjoy their interactions more. You can achieve this by meeting with them in familiar places, always greeting them in the same manner, and smiling often.

3. Getting Their Attention

You must know how to get the attention of someone with dementia, otherwise you'll have no chance of communicating with them. We recommend using eye contact and speaking in a clear, steady voice. Of course, no two people with dementia will have exactly the same symptoms or experiences, so there's no golden rule to follow here – just pay attention to your loved one and notice what helps you get their attention.

4. Stating Your Message Clearly

When you want to help someone with dementia, you must state your message clearly. Try to avoid complex words or technical terms, and use as plain a language as possible. At the same time, avoid conversations with lots of twists and turns, since they might get lost along the way. Just say what needs to be said as clearly as possible. Thanks to this approach, they'll understand you better and will be more likely to respond well to what you're saying.

5. Asking Simple Questions

People who suffer from dementia can forget things rather quickly, so you should always keep your questions as simple as possible. Additionally, when someone has difficulty with memory, they can become less spontaneous in their reactions and answers, and tend to take longer to respond, or may not know how to answer at all. Therefore, if you want to ask a person with dementia for something, it helps to prepare your questions in advance. Above all, be patient and let your loved one take their time if they need to.

6. Using Memory Aids

To help someone with dementia remember certain things, consider using memory aids. For example, if you want them to remember the date of an upcoming event, write it down on a piece of paper and place it somewhere they'll see it every day. Alternatively, if your loved one is struggling to remember where to find things, you may wish to draw a simple map of their home, so they know where everything is located and can easily find what they're looking for. Or, if a map doesn't work for them, try adding large-print labels to doors, cupboards, and appliances to avoid confusion – pictures can help too.

7. Helping With Taking Medications

If you're trying to help someone with dementia, you must know what to do when they need to take their medicine, including making sure they take their pills on time and in the right amount. A daily pill box can help with storing medicines, alongside a note of the time of day each pill should be taken. It's also worth keeping the medication on the same table as a glass of water, so they remember to take a sip after taking their pills, and setting up medication reminders using a smartphone app or a simple alarm clock can help too.

It's also essential to provide them with safety solutions. Even for people who live with others, it can be challenging to get help immediately, since they might fall in another room or the bathroom. To make sure they'll get help as soon as possible, you can provide them with a personal alarm. If the wearer suffers a fall, one touch of their pendant button will raise a call for assistance.

The Bottom Line

Caring for someone with dementia might be stressful. However, it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. If you feel like it's your calling, you should now be more aware of how to go about it.

There are many things you can do to help someone with dementia. Although this incurable syndrome affects each person differently, you can follow a few general guidelines to help your loved one enjoy their life more. During your interactions with people who suffer from it, pay close attention to how you state your message. Remember to use plain language, ask simple questions, and express yourself clearly. If you do these things well, you should be able to help those you care most about.