Individuals living with dementia often experience apathy. When someone’s become apathetic, they no longer show interest, enthusiasm or concern about their life. They may not notice or show any reaction to what’s going on around them. This is caused by damage to the frontal lobes of the brain – the area that controls motivation and the ability to plan or sequence actions.
How to Help Someone With Dementia Live Well
While there’s no cure for dementia, there are things you can do to make your loved one as happy and comfortable as possible. Despite their diagnosis, they still have time left, maybe many years, so you should do everything you can to help them live well.
Is There More Than One Type of Dementia?
A lot of people think that dementia and Alzheimer’s are synonymous, but Alzheimer’s is just one condition that can cause dementia. Dementia is a descriptive term that covers impaired memory and the loss of other cognitive abilities.
How Can I Support a Friend, Family Member or Spouse Who Has Become a Caregiver to an Individual With Dementia
Becoming a family caregiver for someone with dementia is a big life change. If someone in your life has become a family caregiver, here are 10 ways you can support them during this transition.
Why Do People Become Aggressive When They Have Dementia?
Sometimes, a person has always been forceful or aggressive and they’re simply continuing this behavior, but that’s often not the case. So when someone you’ve known for years to be a kind and gentle person suddenly becomes mean or violent, it can be a huge emotional shock.
My Parent Has Dementia but Is Refusing Care – What Do I Do?
One of the challenges that many people caring for a parent with dementia face at some point is their parent’s refusal to accept care. When this happens to you, it might feel like your parent just wants to be difficult, but this resistance actually comes from the symptoms of dementia and the accompanying impaired mental functions. What comes off as stubbornness is often confusion, fear, stress or anxiety. It’s a frustrating experience, to be sure, but there are a few steps you can take to alleviate your parent’s concerns and make caregiving a more positive experience for you both.
Finding Joy in Life With Dementia
Loving someone with dementia can be so difficult at times. It’s hard to remember on the ‘bad’ days, but they are still capable of feeling love, purpose, fulfillment and joy. The affection that they can show demonstrates how powerful human emotion is, even overcoming cognitive decline. There is joy beyond the diagnosis, not just gloom, and that’s true for you, your loved one and the entire family.
Apps that Are Beneficial for Individuals with Dementia
Caregivers have been using technology to help care for individuals with dementia for years. Things like digital reminders, alarm clocks that display the current date and time in large numbers and automatic pill dispensers can be very helpful to both caregivers and their loved ones. And as technology advances, so do dementia caregiving solutions.